The last genuinely new Toto album was released on March 20, 2015. I’ll admit Toto XIV left me a little underwhelmed upon its initial release. Upon a recent re-listen, that opinion hasn’t changed too much – although there were several standout tracks on the album.
“Orphan,” written by original Toto members David Paich and Steve Lukather with long-term vocalist Joseph Williams, delivers with a lyric that complements the music’s prog-rock sensibility. The song also includes erstwhile drummer Keith Carlock’s best performance on the album.
Perhaps my favorite song from Toto XIV is Steve Porcaro’s composition with Allee Willis, “The Little Things.” The keyboard wizard utilizes his unique sonic wizardry, creating a vivid atmosphere that is both forward-leaning yet recalls Toto’s pre-Seventh One era. Porcaro handles the lead vocals, which also reach a level expected of this stellar band. The song would never be a hit, but it is an essential deep cut.
“Chinatown,” a collaboration between Paich and the late keyboardist Michael Sherwood, reinvents a song partially completed in the early ’70s. The lyrics are as vivid as the haunting synth and piano passages. Equally vivid are the sliding and powerful bass parts by original bassist David Hungate and the David Gilmour-like guitar passages by Steve Lukather. The song stands side to side with the best Toto songs from the first three Toto albums with its combination of prog and funk.
“All the Tears That Shine,” composed by Paich and Sherwood and sung by Paich, combines melodic lushness with a contemporary feel. Paich steps up again with an excellent and tender vocal, while Porcaro makes his presence known with touches of synth work that stand out while being complimentary.
Lastly, “Great Expectations,” with its co-lead vocals by Paich, Lukather and Williams, furthers the argument that Toto could have been a great prog-rock band had they decided to go that route. Lukather’s guitar work, the keyboard solos and Williams’s no-holds-barred vocals raise the song to a high that Toto XIV deserves, overcoming the languid production and disappointing drum sonics that plagued the sessions.
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