I found my entire Toad the Wet Sprocket collection. Wow. I was so grateful.
My friend Rick had blogged about one of the songs off their last full-length album, Coil. And it recalled to me how much I LOVE that album. It is, by far, my favorite album of theirs. Strongest songwriting, most aggressive (in a good way), most thought-out. Glen really found his stride, grabbed the microphone by the hand, and sang his heart out.Seriously. I think some of those songs were teachers to me about things I would not understand until later. When the album came out, some themes probably went right over my head, but a great many of them planted themselves into my psyche, my soul, to be borne later.
And so I am grateful. I'm not one of those "their most obscure record is their best one" type fan, but this album (probably the least recognized) is simply their best...I mean, in my oh so humble opinion.
7 comments:
Oh I loved this one and Dulcinea. Both stolen in the Honda Civic cd heist of 03'.
Its funny, this is one of the bands that symbolizes southern california to me. We must have listened to them when I visited you at Biola.
i completely agree. and like lisa, it takes me to Biola as well
all time best! sharon and i saw them play on this tour at the warfield....right before they "broke up"
i was going to chime in with a simple "underrated", but the above comments make me feel inadequate
i used to use their lyrics when i taught high school english. i remember trying to get high school students to "get" what they were saying...you know, throw it all away, burn your tv in the yard, etc. and they would just give me blank stares. i like to think their music got buried in their psyches and souls as well to reemerge later now that they are adults.
i am with you--this album was the beginning of my yearning for a simpler, more meaningful life. not that i have achieved it or ever will, but isn't that the struggle they demonstrate in their lyrics?
and i have my husband to thank for introducing me to the band as well!
my husband introduced me to toad also. they are one of my favorite bands... love coil and dulcinea.
My favorite band of all time... And while Coil may not be my favorite Toad album musically, it does has some really great lyrics related to life perspective.
I would also recommend two of Glen's solo albums in particular... "Mr. Lemons" is my favorite... very mellow, and a lot of people didn't like it, but I think it is an absolutely exquisite album... VERY beautiful (lyrically and musically). For Toad fans, Glen's album "Winter Pays for Summer" is more in line with the Toad vibe, sort of Toad with more of a grown-up, family man perspective (which makes sense at this point in Glen's life). The last song on that album, "Don't Need Anything" is it!
Finally, for die hard Glen Phillips fans, and something a little different... you should check out two recent Glen band projects: Plover, and RemoteTreeChildren. He's also continuing to explore his Nickel Creek (and others) connection with a project called WPA (Works Progress Administration).
http://www.glenphillips.com/
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