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Released back in 1984 this was the long awaited follow-up to Toto IV. It did manage to go Gold in the US (eventually), but never really took off with the fickle public. Which is a real shame, as this is in my opinion one of the great gems in their catalog. Bobby Kimball had left the band, and Fergie Frederiksen a man whose vocal range is at the top of the tweeter-nut-cracker range really rocks. David Paich is well represented here too, which is a good thing. He's all but disappeared from later releases. His work on Stranger in Town is excellent, as is Holyanna. Steve's ballad How Does It Feel is vintage heartache angst. The rest of the songs are rocky, punchy, and full of the great musicianship you'd expect from Toto. Endless, and Change of Heart are next to brilliant. Sadly this would be the only album to feature Fergie. He's a great talent. Reviewed November 23, 2001 |
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Kingdom of Desire (Japanese Version)
After the departure of Joseph Williams, and the odd misstep of enlisting Jean-Michel Byron to sing, Steve had had enough and stepped up to the plate and assumed the frontman position. Who knows what would have happened if the band had released this before the career limiting Past to the Present. The album steered the band back to it's AOR roots. Yes, many would argue that Toto had zero credibility within rock circles, but I'd argue with you. Kingdom of Desire was Toto stripped down and ready to rock. So what happened? It took forever for this to be released in North America, and to this day it is the forgotten album. Which is criminal. It is one of the band's best albums ever. It would be the last release to feature Jeff Porcaro, who passed away after this album was recorded. There are some brilliant moments, "The Other Side" is vintage Toto, and in an album of mostly up tempo rockers, it stands out. The title track is the band at their best. People tend to think of Toto as a lightweight pop band; they forget they have some pretty heavy prog leanings. This is one of the most underrated albums in their catalog, and if you miss the harder edge to the band, this is must have. Reviewed May 20, 2006 |
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Gee, how do you not give one of your favourite bands five stars? Hey, no laughing! These guys have put out a truck load of albums after Toto IV, and Africa wasn't one of their best songs in my opinion. After Tambu, I was eagerly waiting for their next effort (Toto XX doesn't count - it was a good collection of near misses) and when Mindfields was released I held off ordering it as an import, hoping that it wouldn't take forever to get North American distribution. It didn't take forever, but it felt like it ... Bobby Kimball is back behind the mic; I wish David would sing a few more songs, and Steve a few less. There are some really good songs here, they can't all suck. "After You've Gone" is good, but the ten minute dentist drill called "High Price of Hate" had me paying the price in a hurry. "No Love" is another good tune along with a few others. On the whole a good effort. If the boys were expecting to regain some fans with this one, they'll be waiting a little longer - they're going to have trouble just keeping the faithful interested. Addendum May 30, 2000 - this album gets better and better with repeated listening. Maybe I was a little stinky ... "High Price of Hate"? Still hate it. |
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Bonus CD: I Will Remember / Hold the Line / Won't Hold You Back / Videos: Melanie; Cruel Okay, this is more like it. Much better than 1993's Absolutely Live. Live albums are a gamble, and this one is a sure thing. There are songs that I wish were here, but the songs that are here are great. Their North American audience may have jumped off the band wagon years ago, but at least Europeans show good taste. I saw these guys back in 1985, and that concert still ranks up there among the best shows I've ever seen. Jevster's featured CD March 2001 |
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Through
the Looking Glass (©2002
CMC)
This is a strange release. It's a great sounding disc - what else would you expect from some of the best musicians in the world. But come on, a collection of covers? Ack. It also happens to be the first disc I own that boldly states it has copy protection. Great, let's go after the consumer who likes to make mixed CDs, and MP3's. Yup, good idea. I guess this is the way of the future, and I can't look at the band and go, "You, guys. This'll really stem the tide of international piracy." Anyway, this about the album, not international bootlegging. This is a disc that I initially put on my "rubbish" shelf, but I stuck with it for a while, and it started to grow on me. Some of the song choices are very strange, like the version of Watching the Detectives, which I'm sure they did just to annoy Elvis. This is not an album that is going to get them any new fans, heck it'll be enough of a trick not to turn off their core of stalwart fans. However, if you stick with it, there are some gems here, not the least of which are Bodhisattva, Burn Down the Mission, and a creative version of While My Guitar Gently Weeps. Also, the one song I cringed thinking about was actually pretty good. House of the Rising Sun actually sounds fresh. Despite a rocky start to this one, I didn't fall off the bandwagon. Reviewed April 2002 |
Live
in Amsterdam (©2003 Eagle Recordings)  
Does the world really need another live album from TOTO? Heck, do I need another live album from TOTO? Regardless of the answer, the fellers in TOTO not wanting to be outdone by Cheap Trick for most consecutive live albums have unleashed their own 25th anniversary extravaganza.
The results are actually pretty good. There are some really cool moments like the medleys, Gift with a Golden Gun, While My Guitar Gently Weeps and Home of the Brave. Africa, one of the band’s signature songs sounds flat and uninspired - which is a shame. Maybe Dave was tired, as I tend to really like the songs Dave sings. Rosanna gets the full-blown treatment, and is a lot of fun, as I can only imagine how boring it must get for the guys after a while.
Although I could have done without another live album they at least kept it fresh by not repeating themselves. Love ‘em or hate ‘em these guys have a lot of material and it must be a real pain trying to come up with a set list that will please everybody.
The band is a tight as ever, and it’s nice to know that as the guys get older they aren’t going quietly into that good night. Bobby’s voice does show a little wear here and there but he still packs a punch.
Of course I bought this on CD; perhaps I should have shelled out for the DVD, but dang that would have cost a lot more, and at heart I’m cheap.
Reviewed May 13, 2004 |
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Falling
in Between (©2006 Frontiers)
There was a lot of buzz about this CD. As a pretty hardcore fan, I snagged a copy as quickly as I could. Over the last few years the guys have been spotty, but they're still Toto, and even a spotty Toto album held more enjoyment than most other albums that manage to cross my desk. The problem with hype is you can set your expectations pretty high. Which I tried not to do ... but I did anyway. And to be perfectly frank, or imperfectly Jevon, my first pass through the album was pretty uneventful. WTF? This is the great second coming? Whatever. I was almost inclined to put my thoughts down after a cursory listen, which would have been a terrible mistake. I decided to play it a few more times, and pay attention. After the second listen I was hooked. This was indeed a great album. In typical Toto fashion vocals are shared amongst the band: Steve, Dave, and new guy Greg Phillinganes all step up to the mic. Bobby as usual anchors the band, and holy smokes is he ever cooking. From the opening bellowing notes on "Falling in Between" the entire band is waving their collective bottoms at the critics who have written them off. I've played it everyday for months now. Something I've not done with any album for a long time. Everyone looks to Toto IV as the band's high water mark, but I'd put this one right up there with the most consistent album they've ever done. The guys are hungry and are at their creative peak. Signing to Frontiers, the little Italian label that's snagged some pretty big names over the years, was obviously a smart move for both band and label. Toto may not make any inroads in North America - after all, they are best known as an 80's band, and radio here doesn't favour the old. However, in Europe where the band still draws fans like flies, this will no doubt be extremely well received - as it should be. For those of us who still faithfully ride the wagon, this is a welcome reward for years of faithful service. Rock on, and youth is wasted on the young. Reviewed April 29, 2006
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the
songs: Carmen / Lion / Stranger in Town / Angel Don't Cry / How Does
It Feel / Endless / Isolation / Mr. Friendly / Change of Heart / Holyanna
1:
Gypsy Train 2: Don't Chain My Heart 3: Never Enough 4: How Many Times
5: 2 Hearts 6: Wings Of Time 7: She Knows The Devil 8: The Other Side
9: Only You 10: Kick Down The Walls 11: Kingdom Of Desire 12: Jake To
The Bone 13: Little Wing (Bonus Track) 
the
songs: After You've Gone / Mysterious Ways / Mindfields / High Price
Of Hate / Selfish / No Love / Caught In The Balance / Last Love / Mad
About You / One Road / Melanie / Cruel World / Better World (parts I,
II, & III)
the
songs: Caught in the Balance / Tale of a Man / Rosana / Luke Solo /
Million Miles Away / Jake to the Bone / Simon Solo / Dave's Gone Skiing
/ Acoustic Set: Out of Love; Mama; You Are the Flower; The Road Goes
On / Better World / Girl Goodbye / Dave Solo / White Sister
tracks:
Could You Be Loved / Bodhisattva / While My Guitar Gently Weeps / I
Can't Get Next To You / Living For The City / Maiden Voyage - Butterfly
/ Burn Down The Mission / Sunshine Of Your Love / House Of The Rising
Sun / Watching The Detectives / It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A
Train To Cry
1:
Girl Goodbye 2: Goodbye Elenore 3: Child's Anthem 4: I'll Supply The
Love 5: Gift With A Golden Gun 6: While My Guitar Gently Weeps 7: Bodhisattva
8: Africa 9: Waiting For Your Love 10: Georgy Porgy 11: Lion 12: Hydra
13: English Eyes 14: Till The End 15: I Won't Hold You Back 16: Rosanna
17: Afraid Of Love 18: Hold The Line 19: Home Of The Brave 
1:
Falling in Between 2: Dying on My Feet 3: Bottom of Your Soul 4: King
of the World 5: Hooked 6: Simple Life 7: Taint Your World 8: Let it
Go 9: Spiritual Man 10: No End in Sight