PlanetMosh Keeping it Metal
The latest cd I received via the postman was from a Glaswegian three piece rock band who I had never heard of before, however a quick look on their Facebook page gives me enough clues that this should be good, 4000 plus likes must mean they are doing something right.
The Toi consist of Paul Healy on vocals/guitar, Andy Carr on bass/guitar/vocals and Stevie Mclay on drums/vocals and they describes themselves as Pop/Rock, which did kind of scare me a little, after all McBusted are classed as Pop/Rock. So with a sharp intake of breath, we dive in.
From the moment I heard the opening bars to ‘Get On It’ with its infectious chorus, I knew we were onto a winner, think more H.E.A.T. then McBusted and you can’t go far wrong.
Each of these songs are very well written, played and produced, this band has a musical maturity beyond its years; Though recording the album at the legendary Rockfield Studios with Dan Hawkins and Nick Brine – who’s worked with acts ranging from Springsteen to the Stereophonics might have something to do with it.
‘Come Alive’ is a bouncy hard rock tune that Bon Jovi would have been proud to write. Pop does indeed meet rock on the hook laden ‘Till The Morning Comes’ but it works, and it works very well.
As well as the ‘made for radio’ sound most of these tracks display ( and that is a positive, not a negative reflection on the album ) they also do ballads, and as you would might expect by now, they do these very good as well, with ‘Down By The River’ being the stand out one.
This is an impressive debut, and with a bit of luck, who knows where The Toi could end up.
Highly recommended, a great pop/rock album with a west coast AOR feel.
Tracklisting
01. Get On It
02. Come Alive
03. I’m Still Crying
04. Til The Morning Comes
05. The One
06 Staring At The Sun
07. I Think About You
08. Water Into Wine
09. Cold In The Night
10. Down By The River
