:: Toto - Falling In Between

Toto

After six years of nothing from Toto the band is finally back. And they can’t be ignored. They’ve been in the biz for thirty years, have won numerous Grammy awards and have sold 30 million records around the world. But can these veterans still rock? A hardcore, Tool–like rock track opens the album and very little of the Toto from the eighties can be heard. It’s an impressive track that plays around with different meters and shows off some virtuosic rock drumming and guitar playing. But all too soon does the old Toto we associate with the song Africa sneak into the mix. Of course Toto flourished in the time of Africa and reviving this sound is not a bad thing; it’s just that there’s a little too much going on in this album. Each track is written with experience and is so well constructed. Individually, each song is flawless and uplifting but as an album, there isn’t quite enough unity. A heavy rock track quickly turns to blues rock which then turns to eighties soft rock. If you’re happy to listen to three tracks at a time, this is a great buy. But for those who see an album as an epic journey, I’m afraid you might be turning left, then right, then left and then right again until you’ve driven way too far in to the land of the eighties.