Customer Reviews

Dulcinea

5 star:		(57)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Do you ever pick up an album, look at the cracked jewel case, count the nicks, thumb-prints and scuff-marks on the CD, and realize that not only can't you remember where or when you bought it but that you've had it so long & enjoyed it so much you can't imagine your music collection without it? That's experience I have with "Dulcinea." It's that good. Part of me shakes my head at the fact that it isn't better known and part of me is selfishly glad that so few of us share the secret.

I want to qualify these remarks by saying that I grew up in the big-hair 'n lipstick 80s and when I got to college militantly opposed Satan and all of his works -- by which I mean "alternative music." I used to say, with the air of actually making a clever remark, that it represented an "alternative to quality." Ha ha! (slap). In my mind "quality" was represented by Motely Crue. Luckily, I also liked the Police, which at least forced one corner of my mind to be receptive to music that didn't suck.

Once in a great while, an album comes along that I do not think of as a collection of individual songs but rather as a piece of whole cloth woven together by a single, unifying mood. I've listened to this album so many times it's practically worn smooth, yet I couldn't name half the songs on it. This is because, like Mazzy Star's "So Tonight That I Might See", I believe "Dulcinea" was meant to be swallowed whole, from first to last song.

I s'pose I could go on at length telling you how good songs like "Fly From Heaven" or "Crowing" or "Begin" are, but I think "Something's Always Wrong" is pretty representative not merely of the album's brooding melancholy tone but also the hammer-over-the-head brillance of the lyrics:

Another day I call and never speak
And you would say nothing's changed at all
And I can't feel much hope for anything
If I won't be there to catch you if you fall

Again
It seems we meet
In the spaces
In between
We always say
It won't be long
But something's always wrong

Another game of putting things aside
As if we'll come back to them some time
A brace of hope a pride of innocence
And you would say something has gone wrong

[Refrain]

"Again we fail to meet and mend
The spaces safe between intents
We say too much and long been gone,
Oh but something's always wrong."

"Again we fail to make amends
And wend our way between intents
And looking back, not moving on
Oh but something's always wrong."

"Again we fail to meet and mend
The spaces safe between intents
We say too much, too long been gone
Oh but something's always wrong."

Has anyone living and breathing not felt this way at one point or other in their life -- that they were tilting at windmills like Dulcinea's husband, that they were doomed to come so close and no closer to the person that they loved most in the world? We all experience this sooner or later, and the greatness of this song is not that it is telling us something new but rather something that we already know, in a way more beautiful than most of us could have ever expressed it.

"Dulcinea" is not an album to everyone's taste, I'm sure. Some will find it too understated, too acoustic, too melancholy and lacking in the old crash-bang department. But hell, if an idiot who once stood in line 4 hours to see Motley Crue play the Capitol Center can dig an album like this, certainly a non-idiot can enjoy it all the more.

Hey, like the song says -- "It's all worth waiting for."

Having been with Toad since their debut (Bread and Circus), through their demise, I believe this is Toad at the apex of their career-- both musically and commercially. To put things in perspective, when I saw them for this tour, Hootie and the Blowfish-- who eventually way surpassed Toad in popularity before fading into oblivion-- opened for Toad. This CD was in HEAVY rotation in my players for years. It is full of the best of what Toad has to offer-- heartfelt, gentle (but sometimes edgy), superb harmonies, melodies, and it is also the tightest they have sounded.

There is no filler on this CD. Each song is distinctive and immediately pleasing to the ear, from the first listen to the thousandth. What I have always been a fan of with Toad was the acoustic base, with Glenn's mellow and reassuring lead vocals, and Todd's ringing lead guitar, and the rest of the band's superb harmony. This CD has it all, and even a great song sung by Todd (Inside).

There are a few heart-tugging numbers-- Crowing and Windmills are great, soft, sweet songs. And Something's Always Wrong is a classic.

Overall, you can't beat this CD for pure listenability. If you are only going to own one Toad CD, this is the one, and it would certainly be a super desert island companion-- it never fades or gets old. I can't believe its been 10 years since this CD came out, because I still listen to it.

Ok, sorry for that, but I couldn't resist. Anyway, Toad the Wet Sprocket were truly something different, and something great. One of the pioneering bands of the alternative rock scene, they had melodic sense that is nearly unrivaled in this or any other genre. "Dulcinea" is 12 tracks of pure melodic rock brilliance. The musicianship won't wow any guitar prodigies from Berklee, but it is perfect nonetheless. The whole album is awash with mesmerizing layers of guitar and keyboard melodies, perfectly complementing the amazing Glen Phillips, who has about the most perfect melodic tone you can expect to hear.

There is plenty of diversity here as well. From the uplifting and catchy "Fly From Heaven", to the brooding "Woodburning", to the energetic rock of "Fall Down" and "Something's Always Wrong", to the truly divine balladry of "Crowing", to what is quite simply one of the most beautiful songs ever, "Windmills". The band shakes things up a bit with "Stupid" and "Nanci", which are shorter, more light-hearted country-folk type songs. "Inside" is pure melodic goodness, with Glen singing some excellent high falsetto notes, and "Begin" is dark and haunting, with a deceptively positive lyrical message. The closing track, "Reincarnation Song", is the biggest surprise at all. It is slow and plodding at first, finally building to a stunning climax, with Glen singing in a more fragile, scratchy Neil Young type voice, completely contradicting his richer and more powerful tone on every previous track. A very unexpected but excellent way to end the album.

There's really not much to say here other than this album is fantastic. The melodies are memorable and captivating, the songwriting is modest and solid, the lyrics are warm and thought-provoking, and once again, Glen Phillips is an absolutely stellar vocalist. If you love alternative rock, or anything with great melody, this is a must-have. Their previous release, "Fear", is essential as well. Don't expect the wackiness that their Monty Python-inspired name might suggest, but do expect a nearly perfect album you won't be able to take out of your player.

One of my all time favorite albums. "Something's Always Wrong" still brings me to tear, great harmony, great musicianship, still incredible to this day and doesn't feel dated. I think this along with Counting Crows "August and Everything After" could battle for my favorite album of the earlt 90's. Don't sleep on this album or Toad.

If you are reading this review, then you likely already own Dulcinea. It is the type of album that makes you go back 10 years after you bought it and write a review!!

To me, it is Toad's best album and represents the height of their efforts. I have found all Toad albums to have extremely good songs. However, this album is the most consistently good. It is rich, melodic and really defines everything that made Toad great!

I have been listening to this album ever since it was released and have become more and more convinced that it is one of the best "alternative" albums of the 90's. Admittedly, I have listened to it so many times that it is no longer good day-to-day music. However, every couple of months I slap it back into the CD player and wonder why I can't find anything quite as satisfying.

If you don't love this album, then you don't love Toad!! If you don't have this album, buy it and learn why Toad the Wet Sprocket was a much more solid band than their entertaining (but not necessarily "good for the long run") name implies.

Dulcinea is Toad The Wet Sprocket's followup to their commercial breakthrough Fear. This was released in 1994 when adult alternative music or "modern rock" was at its peak. Hootie & The Blowfish became superstars while bands like the Gin Blossoms and Del Amitri had also become very popular. Rather than rewrite the Fear album, Toad The Wet Sprocket wrote songs about what they were feeling within. As a result, the songs were more solemn this time around, there wasn't anything as upbeat like "All I Want" here. Which shows you why Toad were such a great band. They chose to follow their hearts rather than repeat a formula.

While there isn't anything as catchy as "All I Want", Dulcinea has several great songs with memorable melodies that could be enjoyed by both fans of modern rock or adult contemporary music. The solemn single "Something's Always Wrong" is one of their best songs that should have been a bigger hit, it narrowly missed the Top 40, and features great harmonies from the band. "Fall Down", which did hit the Top 40, is one of the harder tracks here and is also very good. The excellent "Woodburning" and "Inside" follow in this vein and are actually a little stronger than "Fall Down." Other great mid-tempo rockers here which had airplay potential include "Fly From Heaven", "Stupid", and "Crowing." One of the best songs here is "Windmills", a ballad carried by a beautiful melody and its introspective lyrics. "Listen" is a moody track carried its hypnotic riff and strong vocals from Glenn Phillips while "Nanci" is a cool little acoustic country tune. The album loses a little steam at the end as the tracks "Begin" and "Reincarnation Song" aren't nearly as good and tend to drag. Overall, a very good album showcasing the band's strengths. Newcomers may want to check out Fear, which is their best work and a more immediate listen, before moving onto Dulcinea.

I just 'discovered' this CD. It is in my wife's collection, and I had the pleasure of finding it (and a lot of other good stuff), given the merging of our collections (about 1,400 CD's total) when we tied the knot. I had heard the mini-hit 'Somethings Always Wrong' years ago, and liked it a lot, but never got around to getting this CD. I now wish I had! These are very well-crafted, quality, layered songs from master songsmiths. Why truly great bands like Toad The Wet Sprocket, The Church, The Beautiful South, or The Ocean Blue (just to name a few of my faves) never 'make it big' is beyond me. It probably has something to do with the fact that the masses don't listen to, or are aware of the good stuff out there, so they're content with the Britney Spears and Backstreet Boys of the world!

I have four Toad CDs -- "P.S. (A Toad Retrospective)," "Pale," "In Light Syrup," and "Fear." And then there's "Dulcinea," which blows all the others out of the water. Keep in mind this: I haven't gotten a chance to listen to "Pale" yet, so imagine I'm reviewing this album with no knowledge of how good (or bad) "Pale" is. With that said, on to the review.

"Dulcinea" has some of the greatest Toad songs ever. Many of which didn't make it onto their Greatest Hits album ("P.S."), and should have. 'Fly From Heaven' is an absolutely beautiful song, with meaningful lyrics and great use of the electric guitar. 'Something's Always Wrong' DID make it onto their greatest hits CD, and for good reason. Melodic vocals and serious instrumentals make a great song. 'Windmills' is perhaps the best work on the album, and a fair competetor for Toad's best song, versus 'P.S.' and 'Whatever I Fear.' 'Crowing' is also a nice treat, as is 'Inside' and 'Woodburning.' The few slipups I feel they had were the songs 'Stupid' and 'Nanci.' Other than that, "Dulcinea" is a flawless album by one of the coolest, most unique bands that it's ever been my pleasure to listen to.

How can you rate an album as perfect? Well, in my opinion, it only happens when you put the disc in and never skip a song. You are compelled to listen to every song sequentially because each song grabs you in the first 5 seconds. You never get the feeling that they needed a couple of "filler" songs and threw together some crap in the studio (and lets face it, this is exactly what most bands today are doing).

I first heard this album on my way home from our senior trip in high school (circa 94). I had the fantastic experience of listening to the whole disc through. I was amazed when it ended...and left wanting more. So, i started it over and listened to it again. Amazing stuff. I mean, how many times in life do you run across an album that you feel compelled to listen to all the way through TWICE?

Every song is valuable and an experience unto itself. If you like to think, reflect and maybe even mourn a little, this disc is perfect.

stem

In restropect I find this to be one of the most powerful and compelling albums that Toad released. It's been ten years since the release of this album and six years since the band has broken up. But during all that time this album still has a special place in my heart.
When comparing it to the other album releases it has a definate middle child feel. Being the fourth album out of seven, it shows the expanding growth of their music compared to the first three albums. This album was definately not a continuation of the "Fear" album. The "Fear" album had encompassed so many different feelings and colors that it did not have a true single idenity. Dulcinea is a more refined approach. During the first two albums "Bread and Circus" and "Pale" I certainly found examples of growing pains with the music. But "Dulcinea" has overcome those trials. From the beginning of the album there is clear focus on the refined sound and musical approach. To me, Toad the Wet Sproket has always had two or more different emotions working on each the albums and the same is found on "Dulcinea".
From the beginning the album there are forceful, defiant anthems, then songs moving into emotional regret, tunes about the trivial expiriences in everday life, and music commenting on ideas of the rebirth of the soul. The third song "Somethings always wrong" is particurally powerful. Not only is it a poetic description of every day life but it potrays the insecurities and the conflicts in emotional relationships. This song seems to actually be a prophetic threat to the future of a certain love interest. This is much more evolved attempt at discussing emotional inadaquicies than in any of the previous albums.
The eighth song "Nancy" is a return to the carefree trials of happiness. The band always been known to flip flop emotions, like the turn of a coin, this is no different. Acoustic guitar light drums, and tip-toeing bass give the feel that no matter what happens -it's going to be an adventure.
The lyrics of Dulcinea are more adult oriented than the previous albums. The thoughts are more centered, the situations expierienced aren't always resolved with happy endings. The thoughts of choosing how to feel in a certain situation permeate this album, compared to the resigned defeats of the past albums.
Toad the Wet Sprocket has always been a band that speaks the truth when it comes to real life. I'm not saying that it has a lack of imagination, but it is true to the society that we live in. It allows the listener to join in the emotions of real life drama, the disapointments, the struggle to find love and happiness, the laughable situations, and the rare occurances when we are at peace with ourselves. I find it to be one of the sources in which you can reflect with you own personal expieriences and sometimes draw a conclusion, even if it's not to our liking. Ranging from somewhat heavy guitars and fast paced tempos, to slow meandering bass lines that seem like the chains of despair will eventually win out. Toad the Wet Sprocket's music commentates on most areas of human life.
Many other bands like the Gin Blossoms and Match Box 20 have a somewhat similar musical feel but they lack a certain natural charisma of humility. If your looking for another Toad album that combines musical inspiration and travelling emotions I would reccomend the "Fear" album. If you wish to expierience music that is not about the "money or fame" I would strongly suggest that you take a chance on Toad the Wet Sprocket.