New album from Toto

[Zeppelin4Life]

Steve Lukather is god and Porcaro was god in his day...whos playing drums on this ?

[bigbone]

Originally Posted by Zeppelin4Life

Steve Lukather is god and Porcaro was god in his day...whos playing drums on this ?

Simon Phillips is there drummer since Jeff Porcaro died.

[Zeppelin4Life]

Originally Posted by bigbone

Simon Phillips is there drummer since Jeff Porcaro died.

thought so..went to a clinic once...totally crazy..

[DirkB]

Originally Posted by RainbowStorm

I can't really explain how I missed the release of Toto's latest album, but if there are someone else here "like me", don't miss Toto's latest album "Falling in Between". It has got 5 stars at Amazon and when I listened to the samples it seems awesome...! Toto is currently on a World Tour with this album... Don't miss it...!

I think it's one of their cooler records, however, I don't understand how the band was comfortable to approve the mixes/masters. The impact of the first song is completely killed by the over the top compression/limiting. In general the live is sucked out due to too much limiting, no punch whatsoever. Really a missed opportunity.

Also, it's a very digital sounding album. I really miss the Elliot Scheiner engineering and mixing. Tambu wasn't their best album IMO, but sonically it's a masterpiece.
This one sounds like a good demo...

I still enjoy it though, some cool Toto moments on there.

Greetings,
Dirk

[bigbone]

Originally Posted by DirkB

I think it's one of their cooler records, however, I don't understand how the band was comfortable to approve the mixes/masters. The impact of the first song is completely killed by the over the top compression/limiting. In general the live is sucked out due to too much limiting, no punch whatsoever. Really a missed opportunity.

Also, it's a very digital sounding album. I really miss the Elliot Scheiner engineering and mixing. Tambu wasn't their best album IMO, but sonically it's a masterpiece.
This one sounds like a good demo...

I still enjoy it though, some cool Toto moments on there.

Greetings,
Dirk

With ALL respect.......TOTO don't realy care now about the compressor or the limiter
they do what a great band should do, write cool and fun music......
the fan don't care about that stuff, they care about the writing.not about
a mix...anyway they all listen to music with a MP3 player, so for sound quality......
that's my opinion........

[AndreH]

Originally Posted by bigbone

With ALL respect.......TOTO don't realy care now about the compressor or the limiter
they do what a great band should do, write cool and fun music......
the fan don't care about that stuff, they care about the writing.not about
a mix...anyway they all listen to music with a MP3 player, so for sound quality......
that's my opinion........

Bigbone-

It may be true that production quality is less important than loudness these days, but it's still surprising that Toto has taken on that attitude (if indeed they have). Toto is known by their musical fans for having incredible music AND incredible production value.

On the other hand, they get made fun of more than any other band I know of, so maybe they are changing their approach for more commercial appeal (now that they're all their 50s).

Their best would be to change their name.


Andre

[toolstudio]

Originally Posted by DirkB

I think it's one of their cooler records, however, I don't understand how the band was comfortable to approve the mixes/masters. The impact of the first song is completely killed by the over the top compression/limiting. In general the live is sucked out due to too much limiting, no punch whatsoever. Really a missed opportunity.

Also, it's a very digital sounding album. I really miss the Elliot Scheiner engineering and mixing. Tambu wasn't their best album IMO, but sonically it's a masterpiece.
This one sounds like a good demo...

I still enjoy it though, some cool Toto moments on there.

Greetings,
Dirk

It's difficult to blame somebody when you mix it on your own in ProTools.

I definatly agree with you on the sound.

wolfgang

[max cooper]

Originally Posted by bigbone

Simon Phillips is there drummer since Jeff Porcaro died.

Don't miss Simon Phillips on Judas Priest's "Sin After Sin".

Yeah, amazingly good drummer.

[adamcal]

Originally Posted by DirkB

I think it's one of their cooler records, however, I don't understand how the band was comfortable to approve the mixes/masters. The impact of the first song is completely killed by the over the top compression/limiting. In general the live is sucked out due to too much limiting, no punch whatsoever. Really a missed opportunity.

Also, it's a very digital sounding album. I really miss the Elliot Scheiner engineering and mixing. Tambu wasn't their best album IMO, but sonically it's a masterpiece.
This one sounds like a good demo...

I still enjoy it though, some cool Toto moments on there.

Dirk

I agree 100%, and if you do a serach you will see I said the same thing about it the first week it came out.

[adamcal]

Originally Posted by bigbone

With ALL respect.......TOTO don't realy care now about the compressor or the limiter
they do what a great band should do, write cool and fun music......
the fan don't care about that stuff, they care about the writing.not about
a mix...anyway they all listen to music with a MP3 player, so for sound quality......
that's my opinion........

This is not entirley true as Simon Phillips himself engineered the recording at his place.

[Sammy]

Originally Posted by DirkB

Also, it's a very digital sounding album. I really miss the Elliot Scheiner engineering and mixing. Tambu wasn't their best album IMO, but sonically it's a masterpiece.

I agree.

Originally Posted by DirkB

This one sounds like a good demo...

Ouch, that's a bit harsh if you ask me. Makes me wanna hear your non-demo stuff on the other hand

[DirkB]

Originally Posted by Sammy

Ouch, that's a bit harsh if you ask me. Makes me wanna hear your non-demo stuff on the other hand

Well, I guess I can at leat produce a good demo .

Toto has been at the frontier of great records sonically. This one IMHO is on the other end of the spectrum.
With a band of this calibre, it should have been easy to get it sounding better.

But to each his own. I like the record anyway.

Greetings,
Dirk

P.S. If you are interested in some of my recent work, PM me and I will send you a couple of links.

[adamcal]

PS, I went to a TOTO gig just last week, It was awesome, the best gig Ive ever been to, or ever likely to go to.

they were humble, funny and genuinely appreciative of the huge audience reaction.

Steve Lukather "we thought you guys hated us" referring to the lack of support of Toto in Australia, no f u ck ing way!

TOTO still rock!!

[adamcal]

Mick Porcaro is the coolest guy on earth!!!

[adamcal]

TOTO, melbourne 2006

[DirkB]

Toto was and still is one of my favourite bands. Those guys can play and sing and have some cool songs. They rock big time live.

I mixed an album last year where Steve Lukather played some guitar on and it was surreal to have him on a couple of faders.
Very underrated player IMHO.

Simon Phillips had the task to replace one of the legends and I think he did a great job (although I prefer Porcaro).

Greetings,
Dirk

[adamcal]

Originally Posted by DirkB

I mixed an album last year where Steve Lukather played some guitar on and it was surreal to have him on a couple of faders.
Very underrated player IMHO.

Dirk

I dont underrate him, that would have been awesome.

[Zeppelin4Life]

Steve Lukather - Star Licks Video


Thats the best guitar video out, if you can find it...from 85 or 86? I heard it and my playing has changed ever since..literally, the whole movie changed my playing style...be afraid, be very afraid.

Luke has an awesome guitar ability and people slam him for using effects too much. But I don't care, it sounds amazing. Especially on the older 80s albums, IMO.

[DirkB]

Agreed.

Tone and groove like noone. I don't care about the FX. He has some drier records out to.

Greetings,
Dirk

[Zeppelin4Life]

I'm listening to the new CD now...the first track reminds me of Kashmir then it goes into typical Luke at like 2:20, then to the signature Toto key progressions

[Sammy]

Listening now too, seems like they went a little overboard with the Subkick, or is it me? Well, that's what you get when you let the drummer mix I guess

[Sounds Great]

FAHRENHEIT (1986) is my favorite Toto record. thumbsup


______________

Steve Lukather - Guitars, Vocals
David Paich - Keyboards, Vocals
Jeff Porcaro - Drums, Percussion
Mike Porcaro - Bass
Steve Porcaro - Keyboard
Joseph Williams - Vocals

Mixed by: Greg Ladanyi except "Don't stop me now", mixed by Tom Knox.

Mastered by: Bob Ludwig at Masterdisk, New York

Strings Engineered by: John Kurlander at Abbey Road Studios, London, England

Additional Musicans: Paulette Brown, Tony Walthes, Mike Sherwood, Fergie Frederiksen - Vocals

Lenny Castro, Paulinho de Costa, JimKeltner, Steve Jordan, Joe Porcaro - Percussion

Jerry Hey, Tom Scott, larry Williams, Chuck Findley, Charlie Loper, Bill Reichenbach - Horns

Don Henley, Mike McDonald, David Sanborn, Miles Davis

[DirkB]

Originally Posted by Sammy

Listening now too, seems like they went a little overboard with the Subkick, or is it me? Well, that's what you get when you let the drummer mix I guess

Simon Phillips did not mix the record.

Greetings,
Dirk

[corworld]

Always love the stuff they did for the Dune soundtrack. Say what you will about the movie. The sound was totally unique. Lots of CS 80 synth. Like Vangelis with a killer rhythm section. Came out in 84' so they must have had a lot of confidence then.

[WEAPON_X]

i always liked "kingdome of desire"and luke's selftitle record. amazing playing and both records sound fanatastic in their own way.

[LuKeys]

i'm a huge toto fan, I love them but ...

IMHO his latest work is among their worst stuff ("songwritingly" talking) ... not to mention the mastering, there's a track with digital clipping ... i know the guy have not enough money to pay sir Elliot Scheiner and also have to selfproduced it but you can easily hear the results of these choices on the record ...

[Joe Cole]

Originally Posted by Zeppelin4Life

Steve Lukather - Star Licks Video


Thats the best guitar video out, if you can find it...from 85 or 86? I heard it and my playing has changed ever since..literally, the whole movie changed my playing style...be afraid, be very afraid.

Luke has an awesome guitar ability and people slam him for using effects too much. But I don't care, it sounds amazing. Especially on the older 80s albums, IMO.

I once had that video....I am still searching through my old vhs'!!!

Is it still in print?

I could live without all the effects... I like to think of him with that outro to "Rosanna" sound!

[True North]

Originally Posted by Sammy

Listening now too, seems like they went a little overboard with the Subkick, or is it me? Well, that's what you get when you let the drummer mix I guess

I work with a someone that is a big Toto fan and a drummer. He lent me his disk of the new album and I agree with many of the comments so far on the sonic quality. It lacks depth and sounds almost stereotypically digital. Almost reminiscent of the sound on the last Rush album. Very cold and harsh sounding to my ears AND for me that is saying something as I don't typically mind some of the 'crispness' typically associated with digital.

I also noticed Simon's kick sound as well. Simon is one of my favourite drummers on the planet but he is extremely particular about his drum sounds. With his kick he uses very little padding and doesen't allow mics to get near the beater. As result on this latest album the kick sound is just wrong for the application - too much 'woof' not enuf slap or punch.

As for the songs, I just find most of them to be 'cheesy' but there are a couple that I find listenable. I don't mind the opening tune and a couple of the slower ones as well. I like the jazz one as well, I think it's the last song.

Originally Posted by DirkB

Simon Phillips did not mix the record.

I know he mixed their last live DVD. He did not mix this most recent one but he did engineer it.