Toto, “Jake to the Bone” from Kingdom of Desire (1992): Toto Tuesdays
The closer for 1992’s ‘Kingdom of Desire’ is a rare treat for long-time Toto fans: a full-blown instrumental workout.
The closer for 1992’s ‘Kingdom of Desire’ is a rare treat for long-time Toto fans: a full-blown instrumental workout.
Toto’s second-to-last track and title cut from ‘Kingdom of Desire’ powerfully closes the chapter on this era’s hard-rock theme.
Toto’s “Kick Down the Walls” isn’t a bad song. (There are no bad Toto songs.) Still, it’s almost forgettable. Here’s what went wrong.
Toto’s “Only You” is powered by a heart-wrenching vocal by Steve Lukather. He doesn’t merely sing the lyrics; he emotes them.
On an album dominated by flinty rockers, “The Other Side” stands out as a classic Toto ballad. It may be Steve Lukather’s best vocal performance on ‘Kingdom of Desire.’
“She Knows the Devil” seems to be meant as nothing more than good rock-funk fun. If that’s the case, this Toto song accomplished its mission.
“Wings of Time” now serves a bittersweet staple of the Toto live set, but Steve Lukather tells us that it didn’t start out that way.
Steve Lukather’s patented emotional honesty is even more palpable on “2 Hearts” because of the raw edge found on Toto’s ‘Kingdom of Desire.’
The band-written “How Many Times” might have been only O.K. in lesser hands. Instead, this standout ‘Kingdom of Desire’ track confirms the magic that was and still is Toto.
Reduced to the core quartet, there was nowhere else to go really: Toto had their backs against the wall, and they came out swinging.