toad
coil is one of my favorite albums by toad. . . just buy it.
A Very Poetic Dark Struggle
What it did end was a tremendous pop-rock/alternative-rock career. While this was Toad's last album it suggests that it could be the end of Glen Phillips' life: it was not. They will certainly be remembered.
The songs:
1. Starting at the top, the album led-off with the song "Whatever I Fear". The music to the song is very similar to the forth track "Dam Would Break". With regard to that, if you look at the album as a whole it becomes a necessary redundancy. That redundancy actually helps represent that head-spinning mind mess that is being represented on the album. Plus, when it is announced that he fears anything before him thus begins the dark struggle.
2. Yes, "Come Down" was a hit, but get past that. There is much more going on here than that. It sounds positive but the lyrics reflect desire and death is touched upon. There is some good guitar mini-solos and the vocals vary enough in emphasis to pull you right in.
3. "Rings" uses imagery that is hard to figure out and difficult to explain without reading. Basically, lines of the song mention rings of various ideas.
4. "Dam Would Break" sounds a lot like "Whatever I Fear". This time he talks about what could push him over the edge or break him rather than how he is afraid of the future. Some kind of nonword vocal addition like "ladalo" or something that was used adds to the mood and effects of the song.
5. The song "desire" seems like it would fit with the gloomy suicidal theme better than it does. It actually turns out that it is more a song about desire in general--although it is still described as a negative thing. The music gets more aggressive on this song.
6. The music alone in "Don't Fade" places the song right where it belongs--on this album. As for the lyrics, these lyrics suggest that somebody else is struggling. Although, "I need to know that someone still believes" can mean a lot of things. Is this song religous or personal?--You decide.
7. "Little Man Big Man" hardly fits the theme that most of this disc carries. The only strange or creepy lyric here is the "where is the beast. . . " lyric. This song is about personal worth and importance.
8. "Throw It All Away" seems to be about letting out frustration. Unless you want to take the song literally. Then, it is about destroying the personal possessions that consume your life and looking to fill the emotional voids in your life. This song is one of the quieter, mellower songs on the album even though it is slightly upbeat and optomistic.
9. "Amnesia" the name speaks volumes about the lyrical content of the song. The music is a bit more challenging to guess by the name. They went with an aggressive head-spinning type of song. This is by far the loudest song on the album and possibly the loudest song they have. It reflects amnesia as a dark gift.
10. "Little Buddha" would make sense without the chosen shorus lyrics. The "smile on, little buddha" stuff confuses what exactly is going on here and at the same time adds depth to the song as a whole and its meaning. This song is another rather mellow selection.
11. The song "Crazy Life" should probably switch spots with "Desire" on this disc. Did I mention that this is most certainly a concept album? This song exibits positive outlook while still mentioning the end. This song is a good reflection of how most of the ups and downs on this cd occur simultaneous. The guitar on this track is amazing, from the outstanding intro on throughout.
12. "All Things in Time" is slow and mellow. It is one of the more upbeat lyrical selections on the disc. The music still fits with the mood of the album and the specifics of what is going on here. It has an "all things will be alright" feeling to it but it hardly explains how and the other songs on the album make this feeling difficult to believe. It seems to work though because not knowing if things will be fine seems to be the point of the disc.
All in all it comes together into one piece. I find this album to be a must have, but listen to the clips if you think they will help.
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My favorite Toad album
It is their most mature album, full of gentle emotion and idealism, and puts the listener in a good mood. I borrowed this CD from a public library, having liked the track "Crazy Life" on the Empire Records Soundtrack, and I was immediately blown away by how consistently good Coil is the whole way through. Glen Phillip's voice is unique, confident, and beautiful. I fell in love immediately with "Rings" and "Dam Would Break". The haunting and beautiful harmonies captivate. "Little Buddha" is so different but so good as well.
After I got Coil, I bought two of Toad's older albums: Fear and Dulcinea. Both are really good, but something keeps drawing me back to Coil. It is achingly beautiful, vibrant, thoughtful, and pleasurable. It is hearing Toad at their best. .
It's like they wrote a greatest hits album in one shot
That is not that case with this cd. Usually on an album (even with a great band) there are those filler songs you skip because they aren't as good as the hits on the cd. This album awesome from start to finish, no need to skip songs on this one. I couldn't find it in any store, but I just bought it used for $2. That's insane!!!.
Another great one
Great hooks, Great lyrics. These guys have some of the catichiest songs ever. My ex and I used to sing this cd alot. Just good!!!.
You can see a complete list of all Toad the Wet Sprocket discography, or go back to the Toad the Wet Sprocket tabs
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