Toto XIV first thoughts




I do like to be able to listen to an album for at least a couple of weeks before I review it but on occasions you feel you need to tell the world sooner than you normally would.

Last Monday the new Toto cd XIV dropped into my inbox and with it being the first cd from the band since 2006's " Falling In Between "  fan expectation is huge.

In an interview Steve Lukather promised big harmonies,big synths,big guitars,big grooves,virtuoso musicianship and classic Toto melodies.

They have succeeded on all fronts with a Toto cd that has nods to the back catalogue but also moves the band back to the forefront of a genre where it deserves to be.

Highlights are difficult to pick on a cd that runs so effortlessly from first to last with the superb production letting the music flow.

From the high tech melodic rocker of opener " Running Out Of Time ", the way " Burn " develops from a piano and vocal ballad that bursts into life around the chorus, " Holy Wars " has Steve lead the way with a picked riff over new boy Keith Carlock's driving drum rhythm before a huge chorus.

" 21st Century Blues " is a bluesy light rocker that has a wonderful groove too it and another multi layered chorus trying to convince us that the world is round. Steve's solo fits the song so well and has a superb edged sound to it.

" Orphan " has a returning Joseph William vocal beginning before a stop start guitar riff drives the song along.

" Unknown Soldier " is an epic song that builds from a quiet acoustic beginning into a sprawling rocker with acoustic interludes with Steve in marvellous voice.

"Little Things "is a delicate vocal ballad that would have been all over MTV back in the day.

" Chinatown" is another Toto groover with all the lead vocalists taking the lead on a song that would have fitted onto any Toto cd from the early days.Superb Steve guitar solo too.

" All The Tears " is a classic sounding ballad with a passionate vocal taking it to another level. 

" Fortune " is a mid paced rocker built on a chopped guitar riff that ebbs in and out and another huge chorus before Steve's bluesy solo tops the song off.

" Great Expectations " I wonder is a tongue in cheek comment to all us fans who expected the world and over the course of nearly 7 minutes is a perfect ending to the cd. It will go down a storm live as it has so many parts.Jazz, hard rock riffs ,(the one at 4 minutes 45 seconds explodes and takes you by surprise),time changes a plenty,progressive,symphonic it has it all and apart from the kitchen sink it is all in there.

Every Toto fan can breath easy as XIV lives up to the bands status and takes us right bang up to date into 2015.

Full review to follow.

Popular Posts from last 30 Days