TOTO
TURN BACK (LIM. COLLECTOR'S EDITION) (ROCK CANDY)
Special Deluxe Collector's Edition / Fully remastered sound shaped from 24 BIT digital technology / Produced by Geoff Workman (Journey, Sammy Hagar) / Contains `English Eyes', Goodbye Elenore' and Gift With The Golden Gun' / 16 page full colour booklet - 2,500 word essay about the making of the album, enhanced artwork and rare photos.
YOU COULD SAY that `Turn Back' is the lost Toto album. Whilst their debut record achieved double platinum sales figures, producing two global hit singles, and it's follow up `Hydra', was eventually acknowledged as a neo progressive rock triumph, `Turn Back' flew beneath the radar and barely caused a blip on the charts before disappearing from sight.
The fact that their follow up album `Toto IV' has won an unprecedented seven Grammys and contained three top 10 hit singles only seems to emphasise the point.
But although it is the least well known early era Toto album, to die-hard fans of the band it is regarded as one of their creative highpoints.
Originally issued in 1981, it found the band taking a far more aggressive approach, dialling down the keyboards and upping the guitar quota by a considerable margin.
This was, for all intents and purposes, an arena rock album designed to stave off their detractors and emphasise that they could hold their own against meatier acts such as Foreigner and Boston.
Once again, much of the material was written or co-written by David Paich but the songs are tougher and far more dynamic than their previous work.
Much of this was due to the enlistment of renowned British co-producer Geoff Workman who provided a raw, heavy sound.
Highlights include `Goodbye Elenore', `A Million Miles Away' and the brilliantly arranged `English Eyes', a candidate for their greatest ever track.