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Through the Looking Glass

Toto - Through the Looking Glass Audio CD

A fair review of the Toto "Through the Looking Glass" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Toto reviews here, or go back to the Toto tabs.

Band: Toto
Title: Through the Looking Glass
Rating:

Release Date: 2002-11-05
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Could You Be Loved 2: Bodhisattva 3: While My Guitar Gently Weeps 4: I Can't Get Next to You 5: Living for the City 6: Maiden Voyage/Butterfly 7: Burn Down the Mission 8: Sunshine of Your Love 9: House of the Rising Sun 10: Watching the Detectives 11: It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry

Rocking Backwards
Probably they wanted to do something peculiar not any of music fans might have expected. TOTO's 2002 release made up of non-original tracks reminds me of White Queen in Carol's Through The Looking Glass who live in reversed time sequence.

To be honest, I think whether you can enjoy this album depends upon how deep are were into 70s rock. Some are familiar tracks and others may not. Among them Herbie hancock's classic MAIDEN VOYAGE/BUTTERFLY is excellently cared and you may enjoy whether or not you know the original. My personal favorite is BODHISATTVA one of my favorite STEELY DAN tracks and I am glad TOTO chose that track for this release. Beatles track WHILE MY GUITAR GENTLY WEEPS sounds close to original and Bobby Kimball did quite good vocal performance. BURN DOWN THE MISSION also is quite a nice choice giving great respect to ELTON JOHN one of my favorite artists.

Verdict: NOT regular release but still enjoyable
Rating: 74 out of 100
Recommended for: 70s rock fans and TOTO fans.

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Through the Looking Glass - a Tribute
As a professional musician, I've often thought that it would be neat to put together a collection of those artists/composers who influenced me. Toto's "Through the Looking Glass" is a great album that should be listened to by every Toto fan. Every musician has had several, from classical to jazz to pop - someone who has inspired them in their musical development. I think it very admirable that they decided to put an album like this together.

Of the tunes that I am familiar with, Toto has done an amazing job of keeping to the original artist's style, yet modernizing and making it their own at the same time. George Harrison's "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" has been arranged as a power ballad, opening with some keyboard sequencing and ending with a heart-felt, guitar solo. The tribute to Herbie Hancock's classic "Maiden Voyage/Butterfly" is simply stellar - again, a modern sound that any contemporary jazz station would be proud to play. Elton's "Burn Down the Mission" is another tune that retains the "Toto" sound, yet doesn't take away from what Elton produced.

Think about it - how many covers have new artists butchered? As a classically trained pianist, I was taught to keep it in the style/era of the original composer, yet make it my own. Toto has done just that. Though I do not care for most of the songs on this album (the originals never did anything for me), I am impressed, I am impressed with the overall result. If you enjoy Toto's music, this is one for your collection.

Worth the money
I was looking for a CD to differentiate from my usual, and a good firend of mine who happens to be a professional guitar player reccomended this CD to me. The only time I have ever heard of TOTO was that song "Africa" in the 80's. Although im not an avid fan as some may have stated, I think this CD was definately worth my money. track # 6, Maiden Voyage I think is a very awesome jam to relax to and just enjoy yourself. This may not be a hardcore TOTO Cd, but I definately reccomend it for anyone looking to sit back and just enjoy some good sounds. .

Great Musicians gone bad!!!
I grew up listening to TOTO and have been to concerts. . they are at the top of my music pile, but this album is the perfect example of great musicians making a bad album. If you are looking for a GREAT TOTO album/DVD get their 25th anniversary TOTO Live in Amsterdam DVD. . . . wow talk about fantastic musicianship. . . simply a unbelievable DVD. The lighting, sound and music arrangement was and is the best.

This album. . . I hate to say it in the same sentence with TOTO. . . SUCKS!!! Sorry guys. . . I own them all but this one.

A hit and miss affair of covers
After all, this band had put out three very-good-to-stellar albums past their popular prime in the 1990s. I was a bit disappointed when I heard that the album that Toto would be releasing at their 25-year anniversary was to be an album full of covers. New material was much anticipated. That being said, I was more than willing to give it a listen--since Toto has long been one of my favorite bands. As the 13th album I have purchased by Toto, it is without a doubt their weakest. That being said, there are still some worthy tracks on here.

The album does not get off to a stellar start in my opinion with the Bob Marley cover "Could You Be Loved". The track is reasonably catchy but kind of grates on my nerves after a while. It is a bit of an annoying track for Toto to cover. Much better are the next two tracks. The Steely Dan cover "Bodhisattva" is catchy and rocking, and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" is made into a classic-sounding Steve Lukather ballad. Next, however, come two tracks that I am annoyed that Toto would cover. While "I Can't Get Next To You" and "Living for the City" are both decent songs, they simply sound a bit silly covered by Toto. While Toto has had a wide variety of great styles over the years, these songs seem too far out in left field even for them.

At the midpoint of the album is another different style, but this one I like much better. The cover of the instrumental "Maiden Voyage/Butterfly" is a relaxing musical delight. For those who think Toto has never gone in this direction before, guess again: remember the closing instrumental jazz track "Don't Stop Me Now" on 1986's "Fahrenheit" album? As with that original song, this cover is done very well.

Even better is the next track, Elton John's "Burn Down the Mission". Now THIS is what Toto should be covering! Excellent track from beginning to end, totally keeping the spirit of the original track. This is probably my favorite track on the album. A pretty good rendition is also done of the next track, "Sunshine For Your Love", but I honestly am sick to death of that song and have no need to hear it ever again. "House of the Rising Sun" follows and is another decent, catchy track. But then comes the last two tracks that have me scratching my head again.

Elvis Costello publicly stated he hated Toto way back when, so Toto decides to tweak him here by covering his song "Watching The Detectives". I totally appreciate their sense of humor and could live with the track if the rest were all stellar, but quite frankly this track is weak. The cover of the Bob Dylan-penned "It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry" also is hardly a song that I want to hear Toto sing. The style simply doesn't suit them.

So there you have it. For sure, this album isn't horrible overall, but I truly only really like four of the 11 tracks--a far cry from any other Toto album. Toto completists like me should get this album, but I don't see it holding interest for too many others. For sure, this is the only Toto album that I would rate under 4 stars.

You can see a complete list of all Toto discography, or go back to the Toto tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.