Kasim Sulton - 3

Kasim Sulton is best known for his work with Utopia, Sulton sang lead on 1980s "Set Me Free", Utopia's only top 40 hit in the United States. As a solo artist, Sulton hit the Canadian top 40 in 1982 with "Don't Break My Heart". He has toured with Blue Öyster Cult, Meat Loaf, Hall & Oates, Cheap Trick, Patty Smyth, and Richie Sambora, among many other artists. Sulton was the bassist and sang background vocals on the breakout Meat Loaf album "Bat Out of Hell", and has played and sung on albums that have sold more than 85 million copies worldwide. 3, so named because it's, well, his third album as a solo artist, shines a well-deserved spotlight on Kasim Sulton, the ever-reliable sideman, operating here in an unabashedly pop pretext. Though far removed from his former day job with prog rock enthusiasts Utopia, there is more than a hint of his frequent employer Todd Rundgren throughout, particularly in a song like "Fell in Love for the Last Time, " where Todd's earnest and wistful breeziness casts an unmistakable influence. It's part and parcel of a consistent whimsy that keeps the material unencumbered and carefree, be it the McCartney-esque "The Traveller, " the irresistible balladry of "Clocks All Stopped" or the absolutely infectious "God of Low."