Review Score:
A
The Unprecedented Times –
April 5 / 2023
Last year, I found a new band. The feeling of discovering a new song is one thing, but finding an established band with a discography to explore is like finding a $100 bill on the ground. Why didn’t anyone notice this before me? TOLEDO was that band for me in 2022. Still in their musical infancy, the pair of close, childhood friends have a handful of EPs and singles under their belt. Their debut album was one of my favorites of last year.
On How It Ends, TOLEDO paints an image of kids forced to grow up quickly. The first few lines of “Soda Can” begin innocently. The first sound we hear are of a faint, playful synth loop. It grows and gives way to that familiar (but refined) TOLEDO sound. It doesn’t take long before the evocative lyricism paints a broader, sadder picture:
Split frame, stick, and a rubber band
Driveway rocks at the soda can
Plastic dustpan, glass on the carpet
It was cool the way that they let it slide
Gave me a pass and I spent those nights
With you and your family like I was your cousin
The stories are told from the perspective of a quiet kid covering his ears to drown out parental arguments, or playing silently in his room to stay out of sight. “Keep It Down”, for example ends on a bittersweet refrain that can be interpreted as a quiet child’s attempts to stay out of trouble, or an older boy who’s been taught to keep his thoughts to himself:
We learn to keep it down
We learn to keep it down
We learn to keep it down
The title track tells a tale as old as time, detailing a divorced mother who has an unfortunate taste in men. After the initial string of songs, the album seems to ebb and flow from flashback to modern day, as our pair of musical narrators take us from their upbringing to their outlook as it stands today. All the while, the acoustic guitars ring out, beautifully and consistently flowing into each and every track. Despite this instrumental consistency, the songs never blur together. Occasionally, we hear subtle background noises: some voices, what sounds like a television playing from another room, maybe a soft fuzzy ambience. This is a TOLEDO staple and something heard on past work, like the swinging screen door on “Dog Has Its Day”. Just as it worked there, it also helps build a certain nostalgic aura around every song.
The album’s second half is just as strong as the first, even when the group begins to expand on their sound. “Leopard Skin” transitions halfway through into an instrumental groove that flows perfectly into “What Happened to the Menorah?”, which despite being completely without vocals still conjures the image of a family gathered around a shattered religious accoutrement and casting blame. The concluding tracks are some of the strongest. “Ghosty” has one of the best melodies on the whole album. It reflects on how your history effects you in adulthood. And rounding out the project, “Fixing up the Back Room” is as gentle and sweet as its lyrics are.
How It Ends feels like a post coming-of-age album. The songwriting is reflective and melancholy, with a musical tone to match. It feels like a mature approach to coping with a troubled past. Even where there is anger or frustration, it comes out as a breathing exercise rather than a fit of rage. TOLEDO’s first album is one of the best debuts I’ve heard in recent memory. I look forward to what’s next.
Review Score: A
Gubb wrote this review. You can’t get mad at Gubb.
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