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55 of 59 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Toto IV, January 10, 2004
One expects a backlash to anything that is overtly successful.One also expects a backlash when something is extremely polished and professional sounding. To all the reviewers who have lambasted or said this album is worth only two songs (which makes it better than the first TOTO album) -- think of songwriting like somebody building you a house. Now if you find a person who builds you a house, you move in, and you find it has charm but is built like c**p, you of course will be pleased with how it makes you feel, but disappointed that what you paid for, you didn't get. Now say you find another person who builds you an expertly crafted house, but it lacks a certain homely charm. Does that mean you race back to the cr***y house? Songwriting is a craft, like any other trade, any other thing you can do with your mind, hands or both. Like blacksmiths, carpenters, and farmers, the artist / musician is constantly developing and improving their technique and proficiency to present you (a person who may not be skilled in such a craft) a thing which is well presented and should suit your tastes in somehow,someway. Whether this is overall, or momentary is up to you as 'the buyer'. But if you're satisified at least once, then they have succeeded. And TOTO succeeded with TOTO IV in a major way. To fault them for finally honing a songwriting craft after 4 years of steady work, and 10 years of professional session work, and that people of all types responded to it enthusiastically, is more to do with you than them. I'm not trying to look at TOTO IV with rose coloured glasses, but one thing that cannot be found on here is bad musicianship. As a musician, I learned an immense amount of craft from TOTO, and I will always be thankful to them (primarily the Kimball / Hungate / Paich / Porcaro / Lukather / Porcaro lineup)and I find nowhere else in their first four albums where this craft is presented so refined and polished than on TOTO IV. To maybe a listener who is just looking for gripping songs, or dramatic flourishes, or fits of anger or paeans to love, they will not find it here. For me, what I look for is someone who cares about what they're doing, shows it, and walks away saying 'I did my best'. And TOTO IV delivers that. How anyone can say 'Waiting For Your Love' is a filler tune to the likes of Africa and Roseanne, I cannot comprehend. Have you actually heard the groove of this song? I hate to get all imploring, but have you heard the way Jeff Porcaro plays the hi-hat on this song? If it was jazz great Harvey Mason, you may say different, you might even listen, because its Mason and you're supposed to, but the playing of these musicians is almost perfect - the right amount of technique and feel. So it's alright if its Steely Dan, but not TOTO aye? 'Waiting For Your Love' and 'Good For You' are absolutely my favourite songs on here for the reasons stated above, the musicianship and playing skills of these people, and how much it adds to just a song. If you cannot find heart or soul in the playing of these musicians, or at least some passion for what they are doing, then maybe I can only suggest picking up an instrument and learn these songs, because you will find how 'on' you have to be to play them with as much 'feel' thats in them. I just think you have to be at a certain point where crash crash bang bang just doesn't hold as much interest any more, and funnily enough I reached that point at 20 years old. And I thank TOTO for showing me that being a musician is more than just flicking your hair, and drinking booze and talking about your car.
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by Toto 
