FabricationsHQ - Putting the Words to the Music
  • Muirsical Thoughts, Muirsical News Last update: January 15th
  • Latest Articles (links)
  • Writing the Wrongs... 2020 in Review
  • Jason Bieler and The Baron Von Bielski Orchestra - Songs For The Apocalypse
  • McCartney III
  • Gary Barlow - Music Played By Humans
  • Featured Album Reviews
    • Storm Warning - Different Horizons
    • Reb Beach - A View From The Inside
    • Lykantropi - Tales To Be Told
    • King King - Maverick
    • Jakko M Jakszyk - Secrets & Lies
    • Blue Öyster Cult - The Symbol Remains
    • Fish - Weltschmerz
    • Dyble Longdon - Between A Breath And A Breath
    • Jim Kirkpatrick - Ballad of a Prodigal Son
    • Abel Ganz - The Life of the Honey Bee & Other Moments of Clarity
    • Toby and the Whole Truth - Ignorance is Bliss (25th Anniversary Edition)
    • Everyday Heroes - A Tale of Sin & Sorrow
    • Skintrade - The Show Must Go On
    • Robert Jon & The Wreck - Last Light on the Highway
    • Pat Metheny - From This Place
    • Anchor Lane - Casino
    • 2019 Featured Album Reviews >
      • Fat-Suit - Waifs & Strays
      • Wayward Sons - The Truth Ain't What it Used to Be
      • Flying Colors - Third Degree
      • Steve Hackett - Genesis Revisited Band & Orchestra: Live
      • Burnt Out Wreck - This is Hell
      • Runrig - The Last Dance
      • Scarlet Rebels - Show Your Colours
      • The Blind Lemon Gators - Gatorville
      • Bruce Springsteen - Western Stars
      • Sweet Oblivion Feat. Geoff Tate
      • Rebecca Downes - More Sinner Than Saint
      • Stray - Mudanzas
      • Snarky Puppy - Immigrance
      • Aaron Buchanan And The Cult Classics - The Man With Stars On His Knees
    • 2018 Featured Album Reviews >
      • Simon Thacker's Svara-Kanti - Trikala
      • Jason Becker - Triumphant Hearts
      • Duncan Chisholm - Sandwood
      • Jawbone - Jawbone
      • Steve Perry - Traces
      • Sari Schorr - Never Say Never
      • Joe Bonamassa - Redemption
      • Ben Poole - Anytime You Need Me
      • Hawkwind - Road To Utopia
      • Rainbreakers - Face To Face
      • Frequency Drift - Letters to Maro
      • JCM - Heroes
      • Dana Fuchs - Love Lives On
      • Joe Bonamassa - British Blues Explosion Live
      • W.E.T. - Earthrage
      • The King Lot - A World Without Evil
  • Monthly Album Reviews...
    • 2021 Reviews
    • 2020 Reviews
    • 2019 Reviews
    • 2018 Reviews
  • Selected 2020 Gig Reviews...
    • Jared James Nichols - Garage G2, Glasgow
    • Oscar Cordoba Band - Blue Arrow, Glasgow
    • Rebecca Downes Band - The Ice Box, Glasgow
    • Ben Poole Trio - Room 2, Glasgow
    • Sensational Alex Harvey Experience - DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • The Aristocrats - Liquid Rooms, Edinburgh
    • Fat Suit - Drygate, Glasgow
    • Francis Dunnery's It Bites - St Lukes, Glasgow
  • Selected 2019 Gig Reviews...
    • WinterStorm Rock Weekender IV - Troon
    • Hawkwind - 02 Academy, Glasgow
    • Opeth - SWG3 Galvanizers, Glasgow
    • Félix Rabin - Nice 'N' Sleazy Glasgow
    • Anchor Lane - G2, Glasgow
    • Stray - Backstage at the Green, Kinross
    • Danny Bryant - Backstage at the Green, Kinross
    • Talon - Pavilion Theatre, Glasgow
    • Lifesigns - Smiles of Musical Travel
    • A Whole Lotta Rock 3 - featuring Rattlesnake Tattoo, Prestwick
    • Chantel McGregor - Hard Rock Cafe Glasgow
    • Pete Way Band - Customs House Hotel, Greenock
    • Raintown and Katee Kross - Village Theatre, East Kilbride
    • Danny Vaughn - DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • NR Rocks 2019 - DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • Arran Rock 'N' Blues Fest 2019
    • Cheap Trick - 02 Academy, Glasgow
    • The Blind Lemon Gators - Tolboth, Stirling
    • Midnight Oil - 02 Brixton Academy, London
    • Ana Popovic - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • Joe Bonamassa - SEC Armadillo, Glasgow
    • Eden's Curse - The Garage G2, Glasgow
    • Félix Rabin - Nice N Sleazy, Glasgow
    • Her Way to Hell - DreadnoughtRock, Bathgate
    • The Quireboys and FM - The Garage, Glasgow
    • Erja Lyytinen - Backstage at the Green, Kinross
    • Wille & The Bandits - Hug & Pint, Glasgow
    • Sari Schorr - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • Frankie Miller's Full House - Oran Mor, Glasgow
    • A Whole Lotta Rock 2 featuring Brian Downey's Alive and Dangerous, Prestwick
    • John Verity Band - Borders Blues Club, Innerleithen
    • King King (with Sari Schorr) - 02 Academy, Glasgow
    • Burnt Out Wreck (with Scarlet Rebels) - Hard Rock Cafe, Glasgow
    • Buckcherry / Hoobastank / Adelita's Way - SWG3 Glasgow
  • Muirsical Conversations...
    • John Verity (September 2020)
    • Steve Hackett (July 2020)
    • Gary Moat (March 2020)
    • Steve Hackett (October 2019)
    • Rebecca Downes (May 2019)
    • Ben Poole & Wayne Proctor (January 2019)
    • Dan Reed (November 2018)
    • Del Bromham (October 2018)
    • Brian Downey (September 2018)
    • Raintown - Paul Bain & Claire McArthur Bain (May 2018)
    • Hamilton Loomis (December 2017)
    • Alan Nimmo (October 2017)
    • Erja Lyytinen (September 2017)
    • Suzi Quatro (September 2017)
    • Biff Byford (August 2017)
    • Dan Patlansky (June 2017)
    • Graham Bonnet (May 2017)
    • Simon Thacker (April 2017)
    • Sari Schorr (March 2017)
    • Stevie Nimmo (February 2017)
    • Dan Reed (February 2017)
    • Adam Norsworthy (January 2017)
    • Colin James (December 2016)
    • John Lees (October 2016)
    • Sari Schorr (August 2016)
    • Mike Vernon (August 2016)
    • Wayne Proctor (July 2016)
    • Laurence Jones (April 2016)
    • Chantel McGregor (March 2016)
    • John Young (January 2016)
    • Michael Schenker (November 2015)
    • Martin Barre (October 2015)
    • Chris Norman (September 2015)
    • Joanne Shaw Taylor (August 2015)
    • Fee Waybill (July 2015)
    • Ian Anderson (June 2015)
    • John Lodge (June 2015)
    • John Lawton (May 2015)
    • Steve Hackett (May 2015)
    • Manny Charlton (April 2015)
    • Ben Poole (April 2015)
    • Alan Nimmo (February 2015)
    • Popa Chubby (December 2014)
    • Paul Young (July 2014)
    • Bernie Shaw (June 2014)
    • Lee Kerslake (December 2013)
    • Pat Travers (September 2013)
    • Steve Hunter (August 2013)
    • Joy Dunlop (March 2013)
    • Gwyn Ashton (Dec. 2012)
    • Greg Lake (October 2012)
    • Ned Evett (August 2012)
    • Steven Lindsay (July 2012)
    • Dave Cureton (June 2012)
    • Jon Anderson (May 2012)
    • Jeremey Frederick Hunsicker (March 2012)
    • Amy Schugar (Feb. 2012)
    • Robert Fleischman (November 2011)
    • Ivan Drever (Sep. 2011)
    • Michael Sadler (June 2011)
    • James Evans (April 2011)
    • Alyn Cosker (Nov. 2010)
    • Scott Higham (Nov. 2010)
    • Kevin Chalfant (Oct. 2010)
    • Francis Dunnery (Sep. 2010)
    • Duncan Chisholm (Aug 2010)
    • Barbara Rubin (July 2010)
    • Alan Reed (June 2010)
  • Muirsical Q&A with...
    • Félix Rabin (February 2020)
    • Chantel McGregor (August 2019)
    • Greig Taylor (July 2019)
    • Adam Norsworthy (June 2019)
    • Erja Lyytinen (March 2019)
  • Muirsical Articles...
    • 2019AB?
    • The Fool Guitar - The Fool Story
    • Alex Harvey - Framed in Words. And pictures
    • Journey - That Time Forgot
    • KISS - Elder Statesmen, Elder Statement?
    • Phil Lynott - Remembering Pt. 3
    • Freddie Mercury - The Days of His Life
    • Gary Moore - Last Exit
    • Mott - Without any of the Hoople-la
    • Muirsical Six of the Best
    • Music Town: A Decade of the Darvel Music Festival
    • Pat Travers - The Forgotten Power Trio
    • Playing Tribute
    • Gerry Rafferty - Humblebum to Multi-Million Seller
    • Cliff Richard - The Rock and Roll Juvenile
    • Slade - Thanks For the Memories
    • The Sweet - A Cut Above the Rest
    • Talon - On Eagles Wings
    • Wild Horses - Thoroughbreds or also-rans?
  • A Personal Journey: Definitive Edition (eBook)
  • Steve Perry (vocalist): One in a Million (eBook)
  • A Writer's Muirsings...
    • A Writer's Muirsings: Introduction
    • Superbowl XLVII MVP: Beyoncé (February 2013)
    • Michael Jackson: The Alternative Verdict (Nov 2011)
    • True Colours (November 2010)
    • It's a New Language, Old Bean (October 2010)
    • Finger Pointing (July 2010)
    • Suffer the Little Children (April 2010)
    • Hey 'Banker', can you spare a dime? (February 2010)
    • Earlier Muirsings... >
      • Muirsical Christmas #1's (December 09)
      • 3-D, or not 3-D, Avatar? (December 09)
      • Pains, Planes and Automobiles (November 09)
  • A Man of Letters...
    • A Man of Letters (Introduction)
    • Letter to Danbury Mint #1
    • Letter to Danbury Mint #2
    • Letter to The Catholic League
    • Letter to SKY #1
    • Letter to SKY #2
    • Letter to SKY #3
    • Letter to Leeds City Council Parking Services
  • Author Bio & Site Info
  • Contact FabricationsHQ
Fourshadowed
Toto - XIV
Picture
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.


Website and text contents © FabricationsHQ and Ross Muir
All Rights Reserved