Author: Peter Podbrežnik
Artist: Toto
Label: Columbia Records
Release: 1978
Running time: 40:46
Rating: 5/5
From the very start, the American band Toto have been synonymous with songwriting perfectionism, the weaving of ‘perfect’ melodies, unbridled artistry and an unusual sonic refinement. They’re made up entirely of top-class session musicians who had already worked with the likes of Steely Dan, Seals and Crofts, Boz Scaggs, Sonny and Cher and plenty of others. So it was really no surprise that their self-titled debut, which came out way back in 1978 and featured three hit singles, »I’ll Supply the Love«, »Georgy Porgy« and »Hold the Line«, is still a top-shelf treat for every music gourmet and lover of producer-arranger finesse and technical polish. Even back then, their style couldn’t be pigeonholed; the easiest way to describe it is as a damn clever fusion of progressive rock, pop rock, classic rock, soul and R’n’B with a whiff of jazz here and there.
Despite being one of the best achievements in popular music from the late seventies, the album wasn’t exactly welcomed by most critics at the time. They felt threatened that a band of session players could blow past genre boundaries and seemingly toss off timeless hits as if it were nothing, which those three classics mentioned above undoubtedly are, all without caring much about the musical trends of the day. There were also quite a few people who wondered why musicians with such outstanding technical chops weren’t sacrificing their talents on jazz fusion or progressive rock instead, even though both genres were already in commercial decline by then. Plenty of technically high-caliber prog rock musicians have admitted that it’s far harder to write three-to-four-minute pop rock hits that hypnotize listeners in an instant with a melodic chorus than twenty-plus-minute epic suites crowned with countless instrumental improvisations, and Toto knew this very well.
»Toto« boasts a production that was way ahead of its time, giving the individual songs a distinctly rich, juicy sound. The lyrics admittedly aren’t exactly a font of intellect, with lyrical themes of romantic longing and broken hearts dominating, but the band members were, after all, longtime (session) musicians, not storytellers writing gripping tales or analysts of important social events.
From the first second of their debut, Toto prove they’re a band destined to be written in gold among the immortals, and right up to the end of the album they never let up on crafting melodic standards with infectious hooks, where all four lead singers shine, led by the unforgettable Bobby Kimball, who sings both of the big hits. The opening, orchestrally timed instrumental »Child’s Anthem« is an immensely pompous opener, built on the interplay of dramatic keyboard passages and a mighty guitar melody that sounds like it was made for some epic film spectacle. Plenty of seventies progressive and arena rock bands would surely have been proud of it. »I’ll Supply the Love«, which opens with an almost iconic guitar phrase courtesy of the legendary Steve Lukather, is a mighty power ballad positively oozing unbridled eroticism and top-notch subtlety thanks to its symphonic arrangements. The excellent vocal harmonies in the chorus, with Kimball energetically watching over them, and the interplay between Lukather’s complex guitar licks and dynamic synth textures make it one of the best Toto classics ever.
The melancholic »Georgy Porgy« is a strongly contemplative love ballad with lovely piano arrangements, a building jazzy rhythmic pulse, a Caribbean charm courtesy of the percussion and a subtle layering of synth parts. Like Kimball, Steve Lukather was already one of those all-too-often overlooked singers who, with his strongly dynamic vocal color, has always had the ability to rock a listener into a pleasant, hypnotic spell. Extra magical nostalgia comes from the phenomenally executed female backing vocals by Cheryl Lynn, which return several times throughout this timeless classic in a damn nostalgic way. The solid »Manuela Run« is an energy catalyst laid down on the piano, with an awakening melody, a hefty guitar phrase and keyboardist David Paich in the main vocal role.
»You Are the Flower« is a melodic rock treat with a whiff of folk and a jazzy melos, which means its stylistic orientation can’t be clearly defined. What matters more is that Kimball once again charms with his ‘erotically smoky’ vocals, keeping company with wistful symphonic arrangements and ruffled guitar passages. Even though the lyrics once again revolve around women’s legs, »Girl Goodbye« is a seriously ambitious creation with plenty of interesting tempo changes, where drummer Jeff Porcaro especially stands out, hypnotic rhythm and blues elements, refined symphonic touches and yet another Kimball vocal performance, lubricated with a killer sense of tenderness. On the deeply melancholic »Takin’ It Back«, where the second keyboardist Steve Porcaro takes over lead vocals, Toto demonstrate how their past work with Steely Dan shaped their exceptional knack for weaving subtle, jazz-leaning arrangements. Mr. Lukather, meanwhile, keeps enchanting with a gentle acoustic guitar melody that only amplifies the pleasantly dreamy ambience of this wonderful standard.
On »Rockmaker«, where Paich once again takes the lead vocal, spirited guitar passages, backing vocals and ruffled keyboard textures show Toto’s certain classic hard rock leanings, which would find somewhat bigger expression on their next album. »Hold the Line« was a huge hit and is still the most recognizable Toto classic from this album, on which Kimball, with a heart-wrenching performance, shows plainly why he’s still the most beloved lead singer among the band’s fans. The anthemic chorus is backed by a mighty, punchy guitar phrase and subtle keyboard touches. Lukather’s superb guitar solo, which still has every music connoisseur licking their lips, adds to the excellence of this evergreen. The closing power ballad »Angela«, which Lukather sings in the voice of a man slowly getting sick of constant emotional games but still keeps hanging in there, was the first song to kick off Toto’s long-running tradition of naming compositions after some woman who crossed paths with a band member in the past. It’s marked by a mighty, hard-hitting guitar riff, dynamic backing vocals and a dramatic piano interlude, which is reason enough to call it yet another, often overlooked Toto classic.
Right out of the gate, Toto showed off a debut loaded with the virtues that would define their entire career, and it announced that the first half of the eighties would belong to them: an almost ideal marriage of production perfectionism, technical polish, a knack for building mighty hooks and weaving ‘perfect’ melodies. After earning a Grammy for Best New Artist, their creative path, with occasional, barely noticeable studio wobbles, mostly just kept climbing all the way to the end of the eighties. And they can boast of being among the very rare rock acts who, over a long career, never made a single average or below-average record.
Line-up
Bobby Kimball – vocals, backing vocals
Steve Lukather – guitar, vocals, backing vocals
David Paich – keyboards, vocals, backing vocals
Steve Porcaro – keyboards
David Hungate bass guitar
Jeff Porcaro – drums, percussion
GUEST MUSICIANS:
Lenny Castro – percussion
Jim Horn – saxophone, woodwinds
Chuck Findley – horn
Roger Linn – synthesizer
Marty Peach – string arrangements
Sid Sharp – string arrangements
Cheryl Lynn – backing vocals on “Georgy Porgy”
Production
Toto
Track list
1. Child’s Anthem
2. I’ll Supply the Love
3. Georgy Porgy
4. Manuela Run
5. You Are the Flower
6. Girl Goodbye
7. Takin’ It Back
8. Rockmaker
9. Hold The Line
10. Angela
