Cons Sounds very much like other pop rockers from the early 1990's
The Bottom Line Nothing special about Toad's sound...
Full Review
By the time Toad The Wet Sprocket made any impression on music fans, they’d been working together for five years.
The Santa Barbara, California founded folk-pop-rock band spent the late 1980’s touring bars and honing their musical skills. Their first LP, Bread & Circus was released in 1988. Initially an independently recorded and distributed album, Columbia Records agreed to release it intact upon signing Toad The Wet Sprocket to a record deal. The band consisting of Todd Nichols (vocals, guitar), Glen Phillips (vocals, guitar), Dean Dinning (vocals, keyboards, bass), and Randy Guss (drums) would go on to five more albums before breaking up in 1998.
In 1990, the Toad The Wet Sprocket recorded their first album for their new label. Pale indeed featured a more mature, better developed band. Yet, mainstream success didn’t follow. Fear, released in 1991, ended up becoming the band’s breakthrough effort. Featuring twelve tracks, the album was lighter and more melodic than most bands in the early 1990’s. They relied on melody, catchy lyrics, and smooth instrumentation rather than anger, crunchy guitars, and overwhelming drums.
Fear spawned two mainstream pop-rock hits. Both All I Want and Walk on the Ocean became Top 40 hits and became radio mainstays. The use of strange instruments like an accordion and mandolin also adds a bit of variety to the musical layers. These elements eventually coaxed the album to platinum status.
Walk on the Ocean is a very sweet track. The mandolin, soft instrumentation, lovely vocals and catchy lyrics all lent well to the overall song. Fans were able to listen to and appreciate each of the parts separately. I enjoy the track, but prefer songs with more energy. The other thing about this song that is problematic is the running time: less than three minutes. As a listener, I feel that the band cut itself short. The song could have easily continued for another minute.
Of the two hit singles, I much prefer the upbeat rhythms and vocals of All I Want. I would gander a guess that most people have heard this track, but have no clue what band created it. Once again the vocals are lovely and the instruments are understated. The tempo is faster than Walk on the Ocean, thus making it an even catchier track. Don’t remember this song? Check the chorus out…it may help:
All I want is to feel this way
To be this close, to feel the same.
All I want is to feel this way
The evening speaks, I feel it say
Another purely pop track is the folk-pop In My Ear. Once again, there’s nothing specifically wrong with the song. It’s just that Toad sounds so much like contemporaries like Gin Blossoms and Counting Crows. All three bands are very good, but none really has the spark and staying power that lends itself well to genius. What this song does have are some really good lyrics. For example there is the very intelligent line: Never meant half of the things that I said to you. So you know, there's a half that might be true. Overall, I’m not too impressed, but also not aurally offended by this song.
Hold Her Down was the second single from Fear. It didn’t get nearly as much airplay as the two more popular singles, but did help radio stations recognize that there may be some valid reason to play Toad The Wet Sprocket. The track is a commentary on the evils of rape. The lyrics are easy to interpret. If it wasn’t for the fact that the song is strangely upbeat in comparison to the subject, I think I’d really like it more. Toad makes an attempt at being aggressive, but just seems to be a little miffed at rapists. They honestly could have done a better job.
Of the other tracks, I also find some merit to Something To Say and I Will Not Take These Things For Grated. As I’ve already mentioned, there’s really nothing wrong with any of the other tracks on Fear. I just don’t feel a connection with the music or the words. The messages don’t relate to me, nor does the music strike me as profound.
Track Listing:
1. Walk On The Ocean
2. Is It For Me
3. Butterflies
4. Nightingale Song
5. Hold Her Down
6. Pray Your Gods
7. Before You Were Born
8. Something To Say
9. In My Ear
10. All I Want
11. Stories I Tell
12. I Will Not Take These Thing For Granted
I’m not a huge fan of Toad The Wet Sprocket or their pseudo rock-pop sound. I can appreciate the fact that it’s melodious and easy on the ears. But, honestly hasn’t the sound been done before? There’s nothing too special about Toad beyond the fact that they recorded a few catchy songs. They are good at being average, and I’m not an average music fan. I think part of my problem with this album is that it’s not for me. I appreciate that they are talented musicians and writers, but can’t get into the overwhelming pop nature of their music.
I do recommend Fear. I’m just not the intended audience. I do enjoy a few of the songs, while the rest at times blend into one another. It seems an average effort to me. Although, I’m sure that fans will certainly disagree with me.
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Toad The Wet Sprocket went on to release three albums following this one. All were relatively well received, but none found quite the audience as Fear. These three albums are: Dulcinea (1994), In Light Syrup (1995), and Coil (1997). In addition, the band released a post-breakup retrospective in 1999 entitled P.S.: A Toad Retrospective.
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