Fourshadowed
Toto - XIV
Toto - XIV
When Steve Lukather left Toto in 2008, effectively ending the band, he rhetorically asked how it could even be Toto without
co-founder and keyboard player David Paich (who had semi-retired from Toto’s touring schedule a few years earlier) and at least one Porcaro in the ranks.
Indeed.
However early in 2010 Lukather, Paich, Steve Porcaro (who officially left Toto in 1986 but continued to work with the band) and ex front man Joseph Williams reformed Toto to play a select number of European shows to benefit bass player Mike Porcaro, who had been forced to retire from touring in 2007 after he was diagnosed with ALS/ Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Initially the brief reunion was to be just that but you can’t keep a good band down; further tours followed in 2011, 2012 and 2013, the latter producing the excellent 35th Anniversary album Live in Poland.
In 2014 the core quartet, with drummer Keith Carlock and contributions from original bassist David Hungate, started recording what would become their first studio album since Falling In Between in 2006.
The chemistry was so strong and the pieces were fitting together so well that the band were soon expressing thoughts that the forthcoming album was not so much another Toto album as a natural successor to Toto IV, the band’s critically acclaimed and multi-platinum selling record of 1982.
Comments you might expect nine years removed from your last album of all new material but as it turns out the band weren't putting on any spin, because this is a revitalised Toto on top of their game, thirty-three years on from their finest hour.
'Running Out of Time' leaps out of the blocks in a high-energy, high-tempo burst of guitar flourishes, keyboard textures and a chorus that declares "No more waiting... Time is wasting," clearly in a hurry to show Toto still have something to say in the world of rock and roll.
And they do.
By the time the song’s final notes echo to fade 'Running Out of Time' has become a punchy, melodic power rock Toto classic.
The tempo slows for the piano intro and rhythmic drum pulse of 'Burn,' a song that builds to a big beat chorus and vocal chant finale.
"I would burn it down for love!" sings Joseph Williams, vocally sounding as if it has been a matter of months since his last full Toto studio outing and not the twenty-seven years that have passed since The Seventh One.
The sharp, melodic rock edged verses and high powered pop choruses of 'Holy War' and 'Orphan' recall the vibe of Toto IV and 80s US melodic rock at its peak, but Toto put a modern slant on proceedings with a fresh, contemporary sound courtesy of a superb production from the band and co-producer C. J. Vanston.
The Steve Lukather led 'Unknown Soldier (for Jeffrey)' is nothing short of a Toto tour-de-force; an atmospheric and poignant slice of classic rock for a world still at war.
By contrast the lighter soul-pop material that permeated the band’s earliest albums gets an outing via the charm of 'The Little Things' and 'All The Tears;' the jazzier soul-rock of 'Chinatown' has a touch of Steely Dan about it for good measure.
Elsewhere 'Fortune' carries that mid-tempo melodic groove that Toto seem to be able to come up with in their sleep and it’s swing-soul rock ‘n’ horns all the way for the aptly named '21st Century Blues.'
The boys get their melodic prog on for the near seven minute closer 'Great Expectations,' another song that immediately slots in to the Best Ever Toto Songs list and one that stands strong alongside the progtastic 'Better World' from Mindfields.
From a delicate David Paich introduction the song kicks in to a higher gear featuring melodic verses and an upbeat chorus before a multi-faceted instrumental section of six string shapes, keyboard remarks and percussion sets up a highly voiced, highly optimistic Great Expectational finish.
Toto have released a number of stand-out albums across their career including Toto IV, fan favourite The Seventh One, the guitars up front rock of Kingdom of Desire, the contrasting/ mellower Tambu and 1999s Mindfields, an album that saw the return of original lead vocalist Bobby Kimball.
Mindfields however received mixed reviews upon its release; most complaints were aimed at the album’s length and what was perceived as a "directionless" collection of songs.
But when songs are as good as the Mindfields material a double album’s worth of Toto or near 80 minute CD is more than acceptable and for "directionless" read "diversified," the band’s major strength.
Ironically the latter is also seen as the band’s major weakness, albeit by those that dislike bands that don’t conform to a musical formula or cannot be labelled, having the audacity to throw different musical shapes into the mix and refusing to be pigeonholed.
In that respect XIV is as much an extension of Mindfields as it is a follow up to Toto IV; it contains elements of rock, pop, soul, jazz, blues and progressive, but in a more condensed 11 songs, 55 minute package.
It is also, plainly and simply, one of the best albums of Toto’s career and one of the best albums of 2015.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
The following audio track is presented to accompany the above review and promote the work of the artist.
No infringement of copyright is intended.
co-founder and keyboard player David Paich (who had semi-retired from Toto’s touring schedule a few years earlier) and at least one Porcaro in the ranks.
Indeed.
However early in 2010 Lukather, Paich, Steve Porcaro (who officially left Toto in 1986 but continued to work with the band) and ex front man Joseph Williams reformed Toto to play a select number of European shows to benefit bass player Mike Porcaro, who had been forced to retire from touring in 2007 after he was diagnosed with ALS/ Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Initially the brief reunion was to be just that but you can’t keep a good band down; further tours followed in 2011, 2012 and 2013, the latter producing the excellent 35th Anniversary album Live in Poland.
In 2014 the core quartet, with drummer Keith Carlock and contributions from original bassist David Hungate, started recording what would become their first studio album since Falling In Between in 2006.
The chemistry was so strong and the pieces were fitting together so well that the band were soon expressing thoughts that the forthcoming album was not so much another Toto album as a natural successor to Toto IV, the band’s critically acclaimed and multi-platinum selling record of 1982.
Comments you might expect nine years removed from your last album of all new material but as it turns out the band weren't putting on any spin, because this is a revitalised Toto on top of their game, thirty-three years on from their finest hour.
'Running Out of Time' leaps out of the blocks in a high-energy, high-tempo burst of guitar flourishes, keyboard textures and a chorus that declares "No more waiting... Time is wasting," clearly in a hurry to show Toto still have something to say in the world of rock and roll.
And they do.
By the time the song’s final notes echo to fade 'Running Out of Time' has become a punchy, melodic power rock Toto classic.
The tempo slows for the piano intro and rhythmic drum pulse of 'Burn,' a song that builds to a big beat chorus and vocal chant finale.
"I would burn it down for love!" sings Joseph Williams, vocally sounding as if it has been a matter of months since his last full Toto studio outing and not the twenty-seven years that have passed since The Seventh One.
The sharp, melodic rock edged verses and high powered pop choruses of 'Holy War' and 'Orphan' recall the vibe of Toto IV and 80s US melodic rock at its peak, but Toto put a modern slant on proceedings with a fresh, contemporary sound courtesy of a superb production from the band and co-producer C. J. Vanston.
The Steve Lukather led 'Unknown Soldier (for Jeffrey)' is nothing short of a Toto tour-de-force; an atmospheric and poignant slice of classic rock for a world still at war.
By contrast the lighter soul-pop material that permeated the band’s earliest albums gets an outing via the charm of 'The Little Things' and 'All The Tears;' the jazzier soul-rock of 'Chinatown' has a touch of Steely Dan about it for good measure.
Elsewhere 'Fortune' carries that mid-tempo melodic groove that Toto seem to be able to come up with in their sleep and it’s swing-soul rock ‘n’ horns all the way for the aptly named '21st Century Blues.'
The boys get their melodic prog on for the near seven minute closer 'Great Expectations,' another song that immediately slots in to the Best Ever Toto Songs list and one that stands strong alongside the progtastic 'Better World' from Mindfields.
From a delicate David Paich introduction the song kicks in to a higher gear featuring melodic verses and an upbeat chorus before a multi-faceted instrumental section of six string shapes, keyboard remarks and percussion sets up a highly voiced, highly optimistic Great Expectational finish.
Toto have released a number of stand-out albums across their career including Toto IV, fan favourite The Seventh One, the guitars up front rock of Kingdom of Desire, the contrasting/ mellower Tambu and 1999s Mindfields, an album that saw the return of original lead vocalist Bobby Kimball.
Mindfields however received mixed reviews upon its release; most complaints were aimed at the album’s length and what was perceived as a "directionless" collection of songs.
But when songs are as good as the Mindfields material a double album’s worth of Toto or near 80 minute CD is more than acceptable and for "directionless" read "diversified," the band’s major strength.
Ironically the latter is also seen as the band’s major weakness, albeit by those that dislike bands that don’t conform to a musical formula or cannot be labelled, having the audacity to throw different musical shapes into the mix and refusing to be pigeonholed.
In that respect XIV is as much an extension of Mindfields as it is a follow up to Toto IV; it contains elements of rock, pop, soul, jazz, blues and progressive, but in a more condensed 11 songs, 55 minute package.
It is also, plainly and simply, one of the best albums of Toto’s career and one of the best albums of 2015.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
The following audio track is presented to accompany the above review and promote the work of the artist.
No infringement of copyright is intended.