With The Very Day, Steve Porcaro makes a bold and deeply personal statement, one that highlights his mastery as a songwriter while refusing to be confined by expectations.
Nearly a decade after 2016’s Someday Somehow, Porcaro returns with an album that is expansive, sonically rich and unashamedly adventurous. Now free from the rigors of touring and film scoring, he has thrown himself entirely into the studio, producing two albums’ worth of material and distilling it into this ambitious release.
What makes The Very Day shine is its careful balance of accessibility and experimentation. Songs like “Marilyn” and “Saints and Angels” showcase Porcaro’s gift for melodic pop, complete with horn arrangements by Jerry Hey and David Paich. Meanwhile, the eight-minute “Water from the Sky” ventures into progressive territory, full of Marc Bonilla’s searing guitar and cinematic orchestral swells.
Along the way, Porcaro enlists world-class collaborators — Michael McDonald, Jason Scheff, Stan Lynch, Marcus Miller and Leland Sklar, among them — while also stepping forward vocally himself, reminding longtime fans of the voice they first heard on “Takin’ It Back.”
Sonically, the record leans into live textures. Shannon Forrest’s drum engineering and Lenny Castro’s percussion work provide warmth and depth, while Porcaro’s acoustic keyboards give the music a more organic feel than his 2016 debut. The result is a record that feels both classic and fresh, a testament to Porcaro’s restless creativity.
Ultimately, The Very Day is more than a return. It’s Steve Porcaro finally embracing his own lane. Unburdened by the shadow of Toto, he delivers an album that plays like both a love letter to California and a declaration of independence. For fans of progressive pop and finely crafted songcraft, this is an album that rewards close listening.
- Steve Porcaro, Vernon Reid, Steve Morse + Others: Preston Frazier’s Best of 2025 Pop and Rock - January 19, 2026
- Oz Noy, Catherine Russell, Bobby Broom + Others: Preston Frazier’s Best of 2025 Jazz - January 12, 2026
- Yes, Steve Winwood, Joe Walsh, Tim Morse + Others: Preston Frazier’s Best of 2025 Reissues - January 2, 2026
