Toto - Hydra

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I wasn't going to comment, but this asinine review from whoever is just the LAST straw. No, HYDRA was not the smash success Toto was hoping for, following their eponymous first album, but how COULD it be??? No less than three songs charted as hits from that album ("I'll Supply The Love", "Georgy Porgy" - with a guest boost from Marty Paich protege Cheryl Lynn, and "Hold The Line"), and even though HYDRA didn't produce the same end result, there are still songs here that are outstandingly arranged and played in a style that is UNIQUE to this group (the title song and "99" are my biggest favorites from this album). But for someone to suggest that there is no difference between Bobby Kimball, Foreigner's Lou Gramm and the late Brad Delp from Boston? That is the result of considerable hearing loss, unbelievably lazy writing or a sign that maybe a certain reviewer needs to have another hard look at his or her employment options and seek more 'meaningful' and suitable work for themselves...Hey, I hear KFC is hiring!

Toto is definitly not pop under any way possible, whoever wrote the genres better change it to rock and roll

I disagree with the ITunes journal that Bobby Kimbal was not a "distinctive" enought voice to be recogonized in the masses. Bobby Kimbal had a great range and before Steve Lukather arrived was the driving force that put Toto on the map. Toto has a unique and original sound unlike any other group from its time, however Hydra was not the album that put Toto in the "grammy" arena.

Anybody who doesn't think he isn't is a nutter! I'd recognize his voice in the background of any song he was part of let alone leading...crazy!

This album was the follow-up to Toto's hugely successful eponymous debut album. Given their background as session Musicians par excellence, it's little wonder so many musical influences of the time are heard hear (Styx, ELO, etc...) The rock critics of the day had their talons out for TOTO since day one and they savaged this album. That said, there are some fantastic songs and Moments on this album and live, songs like "hydra" and "white sister" come alive.

Bought this album and it’s epic, hydra and st George songs are my favorite...but I was surprised that I liked the whole thing.

This album is the "Empire Strikes Back " of Toto albums for me. Steve Lukather's lead on White Sister still makes what little hair I have, stand on end .... 70's were so great

Oh 99

A favorite of mine. I had this on cassette back in 79 and listened to it repeatedly. The music still holds up well. A tribute to the songwriting ability of this amazing group. Updated post, 12/8/11: The sample currently playing on Itunes appears to be a remix of the original album version. Although the vocals are more clear, their higher mix changes the structure of these songs. If you are used to the original mix, these new versions with the crisper vocals will sound a bit odd.

Members of Toto are like "professors" of popular music who thrive at a wide range of musical expressions. Their debut is a big rock album, while Toto IV is jazz-rock. On Hydra we hear songs crafted in the prog. rock mode embroidered with rich vocal harmonies and extended instrumental passages. Among Toto albums this is one of the four that is worth getting, since, the songs are not only well-crafted but they are also based on "interesting" musical ideas and draw you to come back to this album.

I also disagree with the official review here. This album is terrific and the sound is distinctly Toto. David Paich wrote (or co-wrote) each of these songs and he knows how to bring out the best in this band.

This is IMO the greatest Toto album of them all. Just the perfect blend of Prog, pop & jazz. Wow. Such an underrated band!

White sister rocks!! One the best ToTo rock albums.

First off, this has always been my favorite Toto album. As far as the iTunes review, I doubt this guy has ever listened to either Toto, Boston or Foreigner. I was a teenager during the '70s and those were three of my favorite bands. If the reviewer cannot tell the difference between those groups, I would suggest he go into another line of work. Bobby Kimball not distinctive enough? He contributed greatly to the early Toto 'sound', whether it was as a lead vocalist or backing vocals. Not to give the iTunes reviewer too much grief, but if someone were to base their choice of getting this album on his review, they would think this was just a boilerplate '70s rock album; and it's far from that. If you even remotely like Toto, get this album. It's one of their best.

Whoever wrote the official review for this album is a dumb#@* ! Whos is it Boston? Foreigner? I like Foreigner a lot but on their best day they couldn't play stuff this technical! Now I do prefer the Turn Back album over this but this one still has geat stuff like the title track Hydar and All Us Boys! Good stuff but get a better reviewer!

as much as i love metal, goth, and grunge music and artists, i like toto more than a lot of the artists

I'm not a huge fan of pop/rock music but I can tell you that Toto has several songs that are on my all time favorites list. I don't know what it is about the song "99"; it just takes me far away when I listen to it. I remember hearing it on the TV countdown show, "Solid Gold" when I was much younger and over the years, I've listened to it more and more. It gets a lot of play in my iTunes library.

When it was their turn to debut their own songs, these veteran sidemen lived up to their reputations with the first album, thus making Joe Porcaro a very proud papa. But for many, (this reviewer, too), the follow-up of "Hydra" was what dropped everyone's jaw. Indeed, this album set the bar for what many of the West Coast producers went looking for and helped to define the famous "LA Sound." Don't believe me..? Just look at the body of work these guys were hired for AFTER this album came out. One need look no further than say Quincy Jones or Michael Jackson to verify the amount of influence these guys commanded. Need state-of-the art Baroque synth done right the first time? Call Marty Paich. Want just the right amount of fire and plenty of grease tastefully executed for your guitar solo? Call Lukather! Want to print the perfect groove with a creative edge second to none for your drum tracks...get Jeff Porcaro...pay him whatever he wants! ...and so on it went. If the iTunes Reviewer knew anything about the Pop R&B music of that time, he would surely take back the line about comparisons to Boston or Foreigner...those guys should be so lucky!

My favorite album from this group.

Toto stands out from all the rest! This is one of the best. Whomever first reviewed this album probably didn't listen to it. It's a five star album all the way. From someone who got the song, 99.

If I could describe in two words about Jeff Porcaro and his drumming talent it would be Wow! Simply awesome. He knew how to utilize all of his drums and cymbals. Pick any song by Toto and you'll understand why he had such a complete mastery of his instrument. All that is evident in hits like Rosanna.Hold the Line and many more. Even though he is gone. His legacy lives on forever He will always remain the number one drummer who appears every night in my dreams playing drums on my heartstrings forever and ever. Meow . I love him

While not every Toto album/CD was a commercial success, the musicality of this largely session-trained group is unmatched in the rock genre. Hydra is one the most eclectic arrangement of songs put out at that time and, even today, the energy and feeling expressed in songs like 99, All Us Boys and White Sister are compelling to listen to. If you are a musician, Toto provides some of the most interesting and complex rock arrangements, vocal harmonies and depth of musicianship of any band I've heard in the last 30 years. If you are not a musician, you'll just dig the wide range of musical styles Toto has become legendary for. Anyone who thinks that Boston or Foreigner in any way resemble the music Toto has produced should probably find a job selling cocktail umbrellas or jelly bean dispensers...... they clearly don't understand what professional musicians sound like.

I'd totally forgotten about this album. I know I had it on cassette when I was a kid. I agree with everyone else here, the iTunes reviewer got it totally wrong. Toto only sounds like Toto. Yes, they were one among many power pop bands from the time period, but they had a style all their own, distinctive vocals and went places in their music most other power pop bands couldn't go. These qualities made Hydra, their 2nd album, a breath of fresh air and an interesting shift from their first. It definitely was not re-tread and so, didn't do well with people who wanted more of the same.

This is a great listen. It provides a growing up period in relation to the first album but keeps the true Toto sound in tact. I am a heavy metal Iron Maiden kind of guy but I love to listen to this album when I'm ready to mellow out. Agree, let's not put Toto in the Boston/Foreigner category of listening. Not even the same style.

This has always been one of my favorite albums. It comes off mixed a little weak, but the music is inspired and well written. Actually, it's the only album by Toto I'd ever own, and I wish they would have followed the path they'd started with this album.

I agree with the other guy that commented on whoever wrote the review for this. Toto was the band everyone in the music industry hated. Why? because they could actually play there instruments, and could arrange, write, and actually knew what a pocket was( God Bless Jeff Pocarro) And everything they did just fit together and worked musically. And L.A. knew it , that why those guys played on everyone's albums. Because they were accomplished musicians in every sense of the word. Today's music has nothing to do with musicianship, it what is hot and what will sell and make us the most income. I wish there would be a grassroots uprising and artists could bypass the labels. And sell outright to the pubilc. Little sidetrack there, God bless all the guys of Toto from the past present and current. I'm saddened by the announcement that they are calling it quits. But what an incredible run they had....

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