TOTO: XX (ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

When a band like Toto decides to find unreleased materials to celebrate its 20 years of career, one has the right to expect some surprises. Compiling on a single album unreleased tracks (and a handful of live tracks) from the 1977 to 1997 sessions, "XX" is much more than a simple object destined to the fans. In a nice artwork retracing the band's career, Toto presents here its many faces as well as each musician who took part in the adventure since the first steps of the band (except Jean Michel "Jackson" Byron).

The most rocking face of Toto is represented by 'Tale Of A Man', a track with a heavy rhythm and a powerful riff that we find in "Livefields" and that puts Kimball in the spotlight. 'On The Run' is the other hit of the album. Containing a riff worn to the bone by Steve Lukather within Los Lobotomys, and that we find in a much more jazzy version in the album in tribute to Jeff under the name of 'E Minor Shuffle', this title has a beautiful energy, boosted by the percussions of Chris Trujillo and the groove of Jeff Porcaro. It's a pity that the sound, captured at the Montreux festival, lacks a bit of power.

'Goin' Home', which opens the album, shows the more AOR side of the band and has a superb production. Kimball and Jospeh Williams share the vocals on this very good track originally intended for 'Past To Present'. 'Last Night' could have become a Toto classic, like 'Georgy Porgy'. Then there are the small deliriums of the band like the reggae 'Modern Eyes' and its sounds of humanoid synclaviers, 'Love Is A Man's World' and its R'n B spirit which finally bursts in Saturday Night Fever and 'Mrs Johnson' in which the group falls out of word on the last verse. It should be noted that here Luke, who records for the first time with Toto, pays a nice tribute to Brian May and David Gilmour.

'Miss Sun' is another demo of a band in search of a signature and 'Right Part Of Me' is a nice ballad. The album ends with three live tracks played in South Africa in 1998. We find there 'Dave's Gone Skiing' in which the bass slams much more than in studio, reinforcing the jazzy side as well as a very roots 'Africa', transcended by percussions and African choirs.

Even if "XX" lacks by nature of a little unity, it proposes nevertheless tracks often light having the potential of a hit. Let's add that the sound quality of the whole is well present (everything has been remixed in 1997 by Elliot Scheiner) and that should be enough to convince any fan who doesn't own the object yet to throw himself on it. - Official website

TOTO

XX

COLUMBIA

ROCK