Through the Looking Glass

by

Toto

Edit

"Through The Looking Glass" is the latest album from session pros Toto. Throughout their long spanning career, Toto has always focused on strong musicianship with a diverse range of styles. With this album, the band continues this tradtion with a slightly different twist. "Through The Looking Glass" is the very first Toto album not to feature any original material written by its band members. Instead, they perform outstanding arrangements of songs from their musicial heroes ranging from Bob Marley, Steely Dan, The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Cream, The Animals and Herbie Hancock.

All of the tracks are performed in such a way that they become Toto's very own. Steely Dan's "Bodhisattva" is almost duplicated phrase by phrase. Their take on The Beatles "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" serves as a heartfelt tribute to its composer, the late great George Harrison. Toto lead singer Bobby Kimball shines at his best vocally on Stevie Wonder's "Living For The City" and Elton John's "Burn Down The Mission". The latter track also features some of David Paich's finest keyboard and arrangement work. Steve Lukather's guitar work is in full swing on the band's rousing version of Cream's "Sunshine Of Your Love" which actually is an enhancement over the original version. With one beat being taken out of Cream's original 4/4 time signature, Toto's version alternates between 7/4 and 4/4 which makes it more musically challenging. The band's instrumental medley of Herbie Hancock's "Maiden Voyage" and "Butterfly" shows off the full range of Toto's powerful musicianship and excellence.

These are just some of the highlights of this excellent CD. The rest of this album includes some of Toto's best work in years. The band is now more musically nurutred from their many years experience as a band and as session musicians. Also, the return of original lead singer Bobby Kimball in 1998 has given the band an extra shot in the arm. Toto is playing and sounding better than ever after more than 25 years together. "Through The Looking Glass" is a solid collection of classics performed by a band who has given these songs a new lease on life. Whether you're a Toto fan or a fan of the songs Toto does on this album, "Through The Looking Glass" is highly recommended.

I have been a TOTO fan since the beginning, and hold the band to a very high standard. While I certainly can't knock the talent and musicianship on the album, finding an album of cover songs was a big disappointment. Talk about setting yourself up for failure. With few exceptions, the originals far surpass TOTO's attempts at reinterpretation. These are some of the greatest songs in rock history! The renditions of Could You Be Loved, Living For The City and Sunshine Of Your Love are admirable, but the straight covers of Bodhisattva and Burn Down The Mission are best left to the original masters. And Luke, please, what were you thinking trying to do Elvis. Poor execution of what could have been a funny goof. Kingdom, Tambu, Mindfields were awesome - and now that Kimball is back, I want more original material. Not bad as a stand alone collection, but only worth two stars compared to the rest of their catalog.