Ra was always interesting as an album, as it was the first Utopia album that was truly a group effort instead of being a Todd Rundgren album in all but name. Utopia had largely been set-up by Todd Rundgren to allow another outlet for his progressive rock tendencies and he recruited some outstanding musicians in Roger Powell, Kasim Sulton and John Wilcox. The album was a highly ambitious concept piece, designed to show the strengths of each band member. Ra is not an album for everybody, but I'd say it was one of the finest examples of what a 'cinematic progressive rock album' should sound like as you'd expect from Todd Rundgren. So its grand and excessive in most aspects. Todd Rundgren's music was often complex and Ra is no exception. As an album I wouldn't call it a masterpiece but a rewarding listen to anybody with an open mind.
8 out of 10