“Turn Back” is the third studio album by the American rock group Toto. Although it achieved the band's first top-ten hit, the album was a commercial disappointment.
Sandwiched between the highly successful self-titled debut, its follow-up "Hydra" and the monster smash of "Toto IV", "Turn Back" was Toto's least successful album yielding no hit singles and barely scraping the album charts. The album also took a beating from many critics claiming that the music and its performances were weak and disasterous.
However, in hindsight, "Turn Back" is not a bad album at all. Its lack of success and big hits make the album arguably more enjoyable to listen to than any other Toto album. This is also the band's heaviest album musically. The three opening tracks, "Gift With A Golden Gun", "English Eyes" and "Live For Today" usher in the album with solid dose of hook-filled hard rock with Steve Lukather's biting guitar work and the late Jeff Porcaro's solid forceful drumming. The hard rock element is also apparent in fast-paced shuffle of "Goodbye Elenore" which features a strong resemblance to bands like Queen. There is also a small progressive-rock touch heard in the album's title track with its heavy doses of keyboards and guitar textures.
Balancing out the album are three ballads. "A Million Miles Away" is a typical Toto power ballad with Bobby Kimball's emotional soaring vocals. "I Think I Could Stand You Forever" has a harder edge to it and once again comes across with musical references to Queen and Journey. "If It's the Last Night" is a Steve Lukather sung acoustic ballad with a slight REO Speedwagon vibe to it. This is also the album's powerful closing track.
"Turn Back" is an album that has aged gracefully over the years. Despite its lack of any commercial success, it is still one of Toto's strongest albums displaying the band's usual strong musicianship and great songwriting.
Sandwiched between the highly successful self-titled debut, its follow-up "Hydra" and the monster smash of "Toto IV", "Turn Back" was Toto's least successful album yielding no hit singles and barely scraping the album charts. The album also took a beating from many critics claiming that the music and its performances were weak and disasterous.
However, in hindsight, "Turn Back" is not a bad album at all. Its lack of success and big hits make the album arguably more enjoyable to listen to than any other Toto album. This is also the band's heaviest album musically. The three opening tracks, "Gift With A Golden Gun", "English Eyes" and "Live For Today" usher in the album with solid dose of hook-filled hard rock with Steve Lukather's biting guitar work and the late Jeff Porcaro's solid forceful drumming. The hard rock element is also apparent in fast-paced shuffle of "Goodbye Elenore" which features a strong resemblance to bands like Queen. There is also a small progressive-rock touch heard in the album's title track with its heavy doses of keyboards and guitar textures.
Balancing out the album are three ballads. "A Million Miles Away" is a typical Toto power ballad with Bobby Kimball's emotional soaring vocals. "I Think I Could Stand You Forever" has a harder edge to it and once again comes across with musical references to Queen and Journey. "If It's the Last Night" is a Steve Lukather sung acoustic ballad with a slight REO Speedwagon vibe to it. This is also the album's powerful closing track.
"Turn Back" is an album that has aged gracefully over the years. Despite its lack of any commercial success, it is still one of Toto's strongest albums displaying the band's usual strong musicianship and great songwriting.
Track listing
01. "Gift with a Golden Gun" (David Paich, Bobby Kimball) - 4:00
02. "English Eyes" (Paich, Kimball, Jeff Porcaro, Steve Porcaro) - 6:11
03. "Live for Today" (Steve Lukather) - 4:00
04. "A Million Miles Away" (Paich) - 4:26
05. "Goodbye Elenore" (Paich) - 4:52
06. "I Think I Could Stand You Forever" (Paich) - 5:25
07. "Turn Back" (Kimball, Lukather) - 3:58
08. "If It's the Last Night" (Paich) - 4:28
Credits
David Hungate - bass, acoustic guitar on "I Think I Could Stand You Forever"
Bobby Kimball - lead and backing vocals
Steve Lukather - guitars, lead and backing vocals
David Paich - keyboards, backing vocals
Jeff Porcaro - drums, percussion
Steve Porcaro - keyboards, electronics
Joe Porcaro - additional percussion on "If It's the Last Night"
Production
Producers: Toto and Geoff Workman
Engineer: Geoff Workman
Recordist: John Weaver
Notes
Recorded March–November 1980, Cherokee Studios, Los Angeles, CA
Genre: Rock
Length: 37:43
Label: Columbia Records
© 1981
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