Toto - The Seventh One

The Seventh One is the seventh studio album by American rock band Toto, originally released in March 1988 via Columbia Records.

Toto is an American rock band formed in 1977 in Los Angeles. Toto is known for a musical style that combines elements of pop, rock, soul, funk, progressive rock, hard rock, R&B, blues, and jazz.

David Paich and Jeff Porcaro had played together as session musicians on several albums and decided to form a band. David Hungate, Steve Lukather, Steve Porcaro and Bobby Kimball were recruited before their first album release. The band enjoyed great commercial success in the late 1970s and 1980s, beginning with the band's eponymous debut released in 1978. With the release of the critically acclaimed and commercially successful Toto IV (1982), Toto became one of the best-selling music groups of their era. They are best known for the Top 5 hits "Hold the Line", "Rosanna", and "Africa". Several changes to the lineup have been made over the years. 

Toto attempted to satisfy commercial considerations by loading up the first half of their seventh album with the kind of power ballads that had given the band recognition before, especially songs named after women whose names end in "A" like "Pamela" and "Anna". But these esslentally rewrites of "Rosanna" earned only modest radio play.

The rest of the album, while rocking harder as it went on, and may have been truer to the band's musical aspirations, continued to sound too anonymous to earn any response beyond the band's established fan base, despite bing well received critically.

The Seventh One is one of those rare albums where each track is inherently catchy, where the hooks get under your skin. Drummer, Jeff Porcaro, once again proves his worth as one of the best groove drummers in the industry. Toto even borrows a horn section for several tracks (including Chicago trombonist, James Pankow on the lead-off track, “Pamela”).

The vocal harmonies are tight as always, Steve Lukather's guitar chops seem a bit more crisp as having Williams singing lead allowed him to concentrate more on his guitar.

Standout tracks include “Pamela”, “Stop Loving You”, “Mushanga”, “Anna”, and the anthemic “Home Of The Brave” which has become a favorite at Toto's live shows in recent years.

In short, if you enjoyed Toto IV, you'll be pleased as punch with The Seventh One as it uses the same pop-friendly foundation as IV and takes it to another level.

This is a Music On Vinyl reissue (August 2012) on 180 gram audiophile vinyl with a printed insert, pressed in Europe.

 

For The Seventh One the band were:

• Joseph Williams  - lead vocals (except on "Anna" and "These Chains")
• Steve Lukather    - guitars, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Anna" and "These Chains"
• David Paich         - keyboards, backing vocals, co-lead vocals on "Home Of The Brave"
• Mike Porcaro      - bass
• Jeff Porcaro        - drums, percussion

and as guest musician:

• Steve Porcaro     - synthesizers, programming, electronics