The Album
Anteater: So with
Fahrenheit, we arrive at Joseph Williams' debut in Toto's history. It's a pretty interesting album too, maybe their most progressive one since
Hydra.
Unknown Soldier: ...... and also their weakest
, I'll be honest right from the start and state that I don't really like this album. In fact Joseph Williams is the best thing about the whole album.
Anteater: Well, going experimental is a double edged sword for any band. I find that aspect charming in some respects. It's a very different beast from Isolation though
Unknown Soldier: I can remember that I was so happy when that album came out (back then no internet only music press which I seldom bought) but I was reduced to tears when found out that Fergie had left, so I had it in for the band and especially Joseph Williams from the beginning.
Anteater: So has your perception of
Fahrenheit improved at all since you originally listened to it way back when?
Anteater: Or do you feel like there's an emotional bias there
Unknown Soldier: There's no emotional bias there now and have listened to it a couple of times again recently. I find the ballads/singles extremely generic and contrived in a very Steve Lukather way. I think there are a number of bad musical experiments on the album that don't work. There are some good songs though of which I'll mention when we go into the album proper.
Unknown Soldier: I also like the album cover.
Anteater: Yeah, it's very L.A.
Side One
Unknown Soldier: So the first track is "Till the End" written by David Paich and Joseph Williams.
Anteater: Very upbeat track, kinda hi-tech
Unknown Soldier: Now this is a track that I do like, it's upbeat as you say and it has such a great funky thump to it.
Anteater: And some nice parping horns(?) synths
Anteater: Not a bad way for Joseph to make his debut
Anteater: I remember the music video had him and the rest of the band in bolero hats and such
Unknown Soldier: Yes the song is great but that ridiculous mariachi style costume that Joseph Williams wears in the video is a no no..... and his silly dancing doesn't help that much either.
Anteater: Oh that music video made no sense whatsoever
Anteater: I can kind of see from that why Lukather isn't a big fan of the band's mid-80's vids and such
Unknown Soldier: It's pure MTV at its worst, it's glossy and it's the kind of thing the general viewing public liked..
Anteater: 'Til The End' was the band's 3rd single
Anteater: so I'm sure the video didn't do it any favors
Unknown Soldier: Yes and certainly better than the two singles before it imo.
Unknown Soldier: Next up is "We Can Make it Tonight" and the first with an outside writer in Barry Bregman
Anteater: Well some of my favorite tracks on
Fahrenheit didn't even make it onto radio, and 'We Can Make It Tonight' was one of them.
Anteater: It was sampled a couple years ago on a popular Grum song, but I think it was done kind of tongue in cheek
Unknown Soldier: It's the kind of track that is perfect for Joseph Williams' vocal array, I also really love this song.
Anteater: It's one of Toto's best mid tempo AOR songs without a doubt!
Unknown Soldier: It also sounds very much like a film soundtrack song as well, it could've featured as a soundtrack from any number of American films from that era.
Anteater: Should have been on Miami Vice, hahahaha!
Unknown Soldier: Oh yeah it's real Miami Vice type material.
Anteater: In any case, I will be the first to agree with you that the ballads on
Fahrenheit in general are pretty pedestrian.
Anteater: None of them are bad songs per-se, but they lack the power of the band's biggest ballads we've heard so far.
Unknown Soldier: …which leads us to "Without You Love" a song and video that I really dislike and it's Steve Lukather at his worst and it was actually written by David Paich.
Unknown Soldier: It's only saving grace is its chorus and I guess David Paich thought that this was the type of song Steve Lukather would write anyway.
Anteater: I like Lukather's more laidback, exploratory jazz-fusion guitar work on the second half of the song, but it doesn't really do much for me either.
Anteater:Least as far as being a composition goes.
Unknown Soldier: ..... and the video has Joseph Williams standing around like a loose end, at least Bobby Kimball used to pretend to do something on the keyboards.i
Anteater: Lol, could Bobby even play keys?
Anteater: Though I digress…
Anteater: Our next cut, 'Can't Stand It Any Longer', is a really weird sounding song for Toto.
Unknown Soldier: The best song on the album for me, because it's the only song on this album that I can imagine Fergie singing but to be fair Joseph does a great job.
Unknown Soldier: It was always my favourite back when I got the album and is today as well. It's like a distant cousin of "Lion" in some ways.
Anteater: Lion's weirder cousin with a thing for Reggaeton I suppose
Anteater: It sounds like a Police song with Toto's usual dramatic flair on the chorus and main guitar melody.
Anteater: It’s one of those songs I wasn't into initially, but over time has grown a lot on me
Unknown Soldier: I guess so and sure there's a Police vibe to it, surprisingly that hasn't put me off the song as I really dislike the Police.
Anteater: Reggae and arena rock rarely ever crossed over even at their primes in the decade…
Anteater:…so I give it props just for trying. It's just icing on the cake that it's actually pretty listenable.
Anteater: On another note, we have now arrived at the "peak" (or perhaps valley) of the album...
Anteater:A certain power ballad we all know...
Anteater: It even has Michael McDonald on the chorus!
Unknown Soldier: Yes the cringe worthy "I'll Be Over You" and another video that I hate.
Anteater: Haha, I don't actually hate this song. It’s a good ballad, just nothing mindblowing.
Anteater: The video is pretty naff though, even for Toto.
Anteater: Surprised Kenny G didn't show up midway through!
Unknown Soldier: Exactly and boy was I glad it thundered and rained to drive them inside and cut short the song.
Anteater: Hahaha!