Customer Reviews

Seventh One

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Most people who own something by Toto, have the Toto 4 cd, with it's #1 Africa, and five weeks at #2 Rosanna (which by the way was really a #1, but Olivia Newton Johns' "Physical" got there first and held on for ten weeks--- so someone had to be #2). Let me tell you, The Seventh One is the out growth of this album (Toto 4), and if you have that one, you really need to have this one too. This is the record that should have followed Toto 4 instead of Isolation, This is akin to Journey's Frontiers which followed Escape, a one two puch! but there was too much time gone by when this music came out and Rosanna and Africa had become too familiar. Songs like Pamela and Mushanga would have seemed like retreads to the casual listener, but they are actually "older, more developed forms" of the same voice. Pamela went to #22 and was the only real hit here, but if you have "4" then you gotta have this one too. Stuff like "Home of the Brave" and "Stay Away" are like some of their best rock out stuff and even go back to their first and second albums for reference, It's obvious they ripened on this album and the original concept of "TOTO" burst into full bloom here. It's a crying shame it wasn't given the attention it deserved. I'm a long time Toto fan, from "Hold the line" to "Mindfields" and this CD is the one not to miss... especially if you already have "4". Definitive "matured" Toto. And it's an hour long too!

This album is the closest-sounding thing to the legendary pop/rock huge seller Toto IV that came out 3 albums and 6 years earlier. While the hits off of Toto IV are some of the best songs Toto has ever had, song for song this album as a whole is at least as good. "Pamela" was the only top 40 hit off this effort, however (Toto's last one ever). Numerous other songs could have been hits.

Take the sweet ballad "Anna", another great Steve Lukather-sung ballad. How about the catchy mid-tempo anthem "Stop Loving You"? "Straight For the Heart" and "Stay Away" are both catchy tracks that were released if I remember correctly, but they barely made a dent in the charts. "These Chains" is another sweet ballad that sounds like it should be a big hit as well. "Mushanga" has a drum beat that is as memorable as "Africa", and "Home of the Brave" is a remarkably uptempo ending to this terrific album.

This effort was truly the last hurrah for Toto as far as any commercial success in the United States goes. (They put out more fine albums in the 1990s that virtually no one payed attention to--which is a shame because they are still great.) For sure, it stands up musically with other Toto albums. It is a fantastic, variety-filled compilation of some of the highest quality melodic pop/rock you could ever hope to hear.

Every ten years or so an album comes along that reminds me of all things good in music. I bought this album in 1988. Only recently while going back through my CDs did I come across it again. In the 14 or so years that have past since this album hit the streets, many many bands have come and gone and tens of thousands of songs, good and bad, have been played but few albums that I have listened to over the years still give me goosebumps like The Seventh One still does. I'm not sure if it is hearing the brilliance of Jeff Porcaro on Mushanga or the impecable drive of Steve Lukather but what ever it is everyone needs to hear it.

If you can only buy one album this year, buy this one. If you have it already and haven't listened to it in a long time like me, pull it out and pop it in. Let the music take you back. You will be glad that you did.

Original Toto lead singer Bobby Kimball was with the band for their first four albums. With the release of "Isolation", the fifth album, Fergie Fredrickson was brought on board, but did not stay for another album. With the sixth release, "Fahrenheit", the band recruited Joseph Williams to take over. He would return for this album, "The Seventh One", and then he too would depart. Lead guitarist Steve Lukather would take most of the vocals for the next two albums. Bobby Kimball has since made a triumphant return on the superb "Mindfields".

Having said all that, it should be noted that while Williams was with the group the band would have a sound that would be different from anything they had done before....or since. This album, along with "Fahrenheit" are very top 40 popish sounding but in a good Toto way. If it were anyone else, I would probably trash the CD's, but these guys have enough talent to switch gears and pull off songs and sounds that others could not. "Pamela", "These Chains", "Stop Loving You", "Mushanga", and "A Thousand Years" are all solid. The band would make a radical turn with their next album, "Kingdom of Desire" (arguably their best and heaviest) but this album has a more relaxed sound. Perhaps kudos should go to Joseph Williams himself (wherever he is).

In my opinion, this is by far the best TOTO album ever released. It has that big, late-80's sound that I love more than anything. And it has nothing but great songs - well written, performed, arranged and engineered.
But most importantly - it has so much TOTO on it!
All the boys are at their best on this album. For me as a big fan of Jeff Porcaro it's nice to hear so many different, wonderful grooves by him on one album.

This album is really extraordinary and deserves way more credit than it ever got. Songs like "Pamela", "Stop Loving You" and "These Chains" are among TOTO's best songs ever.

A true classic that ought to be on every music lover's CD shelf.

I mean, man, TOTO VII !!! I have listened to this UNBELIEVABLE album for years and years, and never get tired of it. It is simply PERFECT. This album stands to AOR as Kind of Blue stands to jazz, or as Aerial Boundaries stands for acoustic guitar music! Perfect, perfect, untouchable! Now I listen to jazz mainly, but God, this album! It's such a masterpiece. What? You don't own it? And how do you call your bunch of cds? A collection? AHAI can't stop laughing! BUY IT, life is too short to hear bad music!

Listen to the first track "Pamela" and you'll know what I'm talking about. The arrangements on this album are so sophisticated it's a crime it didn't share in the praise Toto IV had. Listen to the drum pattern of Mushanga -- or the phrase trading throughout Pamela. No wonder these guys were (are) in such high demand for session work.

Do you get the feeling that the guys in Toto really get around? On their seventh album, the band gives us not one but two more songs named after women (no doubt breaking some unspoken AOR rule), adding Pamela and Anna to the harem with Angela, Rosanna, Lorraine, and Carmen. Hopefully the ladies in question don't mind sharing the honor.

Seriously, the Seventh One is a pretty good album. It may not live up to the standard set by Toto IV, but it's still a good example of the band's sound and style. It falls under the AOR/melodic rock blanket, but comes pretty close to being Peter Cetera-esque easy listening at times. In fact, Toto is probably the only AOR band that could make Journey and REO Speedwagon look like tough guys. Still, the album definitely has its moments. Album opener Pamela is catchy as hell, and songs like Stop Loving You and Home of the Brave are pretty rocking numbers.

The Seventh One is not the typical AOR album, with its emphasis on horns rather than flashy guitars, but it is still worth picking up. Fans of Journey, REO Speedwagon, Boston, Foreigner, and other 80's radio mainstays should find the Seventh One quite enjoyable.

After the wonderful Fahrenheit Toto had a lot to follow up. They did with a great job with the Seventh one. Released in 1988, It is Toto's second album with Joseph Williams. At this point Toto was down to a five man band, losing Steve Porcaro. However he is still credited as a guest musician here.

The album starts off with the Hit Pamela. Perhaps Joseph Williams Signature song with the group. It has a great mellow intro which turns into a jazzy tour de force. Great vocals from Mr Williams here, you can tell he's having a ball on this track. There's a great keyboard and guitar solo here, and as usual great harmonies here. a superbly crafted song. You Got Me follows. A Paich/Williams tune which is just pure fun. It reminds of George Michael/Wham song.

Anna follows. This song is my favorite on the album. As usual It's another Steve Lukather Ballad. Pure Beauty if you ask me. By this point Luke had ballads down to a science. This one may be my Favorite ballad from him. Great job. Paich/Lukather come at us next with the upbeat sing along, Stop Loving You. This one just puts me in the best mood. Must be played loud.....and do I even need to say it, another great passionate vocal from Mr Williams. Mushanga pulls me in with it's great African rhythm. It defiantly is interesting.

Other highlights include the fun duet Stay Away. In which Joseph Vocally battles it out with Linda Ronstadt. Home of the Brave is a great join together and love your country song. A nice closer to be sure.

I don't think this album is As strong as Fahrenheit, But it's still a Toto Classic, would have been five stars if not for Only the Children. Good Message but not a great song. Unfortunately, Drugs and alcohol would force Joseph Williams out and put an end to, what in my view was Toto's best Incarnation. Toto would go on as a four man group. With Luke on vocals.

Highly recommended album.

Mick

1988 was the year that vetran rock band Toto released their seventh album aptly named "The Seventh One". It was their first album not to feature keyboardist Steve Porcaro as a band member (although he did play on it) and was their last with lead singer Joseph Williams. It was also the final Toto album to yield any successful hits.
Musicially, "The Seventh One" was Toto's most progressive album to date. While it does have its share of pop-rock moments, elements of the '80s progressive rock sound heard in band's like Asia and Yes's 90125-era dominate this album. This makes for one of Toto's most adventerous albums to date without sounding too over the top or bombastic.
While previous Toto albums featured various members besides the lead singer taking the lead as vocalist, "The Seventh One" is pretty much Joseph Williams' show singing lead on all but two tracks - "Anna" and "These Chains" which are excellent ballads sung by guitarist Steve Lukather. Keyboardist David Paich is also heard singing on the epic closer "Home Of The Brave" which is otherwise dominated by Williams.
Standout tracks on the album are the three tracks mentioned above as well as the driving rocker "Only The Children", the Carribean-flavored "Mushanga" and the power-pop of the album's two hit singles "Stop Loving You" and "Pamela" which bears a strong resemblance to the band's all-time classic hit "Rosanna".
For many, "The Seventh One" marked the end of an era for Toto. It was their last album of the '80s as well as their next-to-last album with drummer Jeff Porcaro (who would pass away in 1992). It was also their last album with a bona fide front man (not counting the four tracks with Joesph Williams' replacement Jean-Michel Byron on the 1990 compilation "Past To Present") until original lead singer Bobby Kimball returned to the band in 1998.
Despite whether this was Toto's last great album or not (I personally think the latter), "The Seventh One" contains some of Toto's strongest music and is loaded with the band's continued strive for musical excellence. It is definitely excellence that dominates this album in every track from the arrangements to the musicianship and the production itself.
Seven definitely proved to be a winning number for Toto with this album.