TOTO – Yesteryear Vinyl
TOTO was an American rock band from Van Nuys, LA, the town in which I first lived when I moved to America in 1993. Just in time for the 1994 Northridge earthquake that virtually totaled my newly purchased home. Luckily I had taken out earthquake insurance……but that is a whole other story, what a welcoming! TOTO was the bands debut album released in 1978 and includes their hit singles “Hold the Line”, “I’ll Supply the Love” and “Georgy Porgy”, all three of which made it into the top 50 in the USA. The album reached 37 in the UK Album Charts and 9 in the USA Billboard 200 chart.
The album was recorded at Studio 55, Hollywood, California, mastered at the Mastering Lab NYC and pressed at Columbia Records Pressing Plant, Terre Haute.
This rock album is the original 1978 vinyl release by Columbia – JC35317.
Tracks:
Side A:
- Child’s Anthem
- I’ll Supply The Love
- Georgy Porgy
- Manuela Run
- You Are The Flower
Side B:
- Girl Goodbye
- Takin’ It Back
- Rockmaker
- Hold The Line
- Angela
I picked this album up for $5.00 during Record Store Day 2019 in my local vinyl store. Another lightweight pressing weighing in at 125grams, the surface noise, after a quick clean with my Nitty Gritty vinyl vacuum cleaner, rated at just 4 with several pops and clicks on side B. The surface looked pristine with no visible scratches and it was perfectly flat and concentric.
Being familiar with many of TOTO’s singles I have enjoyed their music, style and lyrics on the radio. Pity I can’t say the same for this album. Almost every track felt like every instrument was screaming for attention for a position in the mix, all being equally loud. The cymbals seems to occasionally take on a life of their own taking over the mix with their occasional unending crashes that while detailed and well imaged where too loud, hard and bright.
The entire sound was just loud with poor dynamics and the kit had almost no dynamics. The snare while well damped with plenty of snare wire sound lacked in punch and presence. The kick drum seemed to occasionally disappear in the mix having no slam, impact or depth and when apparent sounding very anemic. The same could be said about the electric bass that while tight, had no drive or bottom end extension and often little input to the mix, appearing more like a background accompaniment rather than driving the mix along. Toms were tight and well damped, together with a well detailed hi-hat. Percussive instruments like wood blocks and congas etc. would occasionally appear in the mix, but again sounded thin and unatural. Fortunately my Hana SL has the ability to ‘open up’ many recordings and thank goodness it did for this album or else everything would have been ‘joined at the hip’.
Electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, pianos and synthesizers were all solid in the stereo image but lacked in detail and finesse. Lead vocals were placed front and center stage with supporting vocals spread uniformly across the mix. Unfortunately I found the mid-range of many of the lead vocals far too hard, almost sounding distorted.
Electronic reverb was clearly evident throughout, adding some presence and sense of space to these studio tracks.
I do enjoy TOTO’s music, even many of the tracks on this album, but I cannot say that this album does them sonic justice.
Audiophile? Sorry, not even close. I am unlikely to be bringing this yesteryear album out again in a hurry.
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