ALBUM REVIEW: Toby and the Whole Truth - Look Out! Vol. 1
With a spoken word intro where Toby talks about his struggles of mental health and advises us, his dear listeners, that despite that heavy subject matter this recording – the first of three volume set, is the most joyous music he’s ever made. I still wasn’t entirely convinced until he paired quotes from the poet/satirist Alexander Pope with the entirely fictional Marti DiBergi...
Toby and the Whole Truth - Look Out! Vol. 1. Coverart
‘Alone With You’ that opens has a punky jangle of a riff and is nice and loud. It immediately sets ay remaining fears to rest. The song that follows ‘Sweet Smell of Success’ perhaps tellingly is the most Little Angels sounding track here, but there’s also a cornucopia of thrusting horns and an almost Jam-like consistency to the tune. ‘What Will it Take’ that follows is the sleeper here, it’s a huge song that gets better with each listen. There’s a real 60’s ballad feel to the opening chords that have a real Bacharach and David feel to them. Some great orchestration too.
‘Throw It Away’ is janglier, and spikier in the verse, with a smooth chorus, kind of like a New Wave Post-Punk jitter with an ice cream topping. It just works!
‘One Track Mind’ has a fresh swing that inhabits the same soil as say early Joe Jackson, Squeeze or even Elvis Costello with a dab of Style Council. I love the horns and backing vocals and you could see it as an early 80’s Pop hit in an alternate universe.
I tend to think of this first volume as a flick through the dial of the radio some time in the early 80’s. The banjo and tuba (?) that punctuate the light and jaunty melody take us out in a light hearted way with a dab of Country and a closing stab of The Beatles circa Sgt Peppers. I like it!
What a great selection of songs! Decidedly upbeat musically, whilst lyrically more downbeat, it’s all wonderfully eclectic. I can’t wait to see where that dial lands next…
‘Look Out! (Vol.1)’, by Toby and the Whole Truth, is available to order via Toby’s official website: HERE
Tracklist:
1. Introduction 2. Alone With You 3. Sweet Smell Of Success 4. What Will It Take? 5. Throw It Away 6. One Track Mind 7. The One That Turns Out The Light
