www.needleinthegroove.co.uk: Toby Hitchcock

Tuesday, 22 January 2019

Toby Hitchcock - 'Reckoning' Album Review

Toby Hitchcock – Reckoning

Toby Hitchcock, he of Pride of Lions fame and the proud owner of a 2011 solo album “Mercury’s Down” is a singer. When I say a singer it’s like saying Leonardo Da Vinci was just a painter, Mr Hitchcock has a voice that stops you in your tracks.

Reckoning is an AOR/melodic rock gem, the music is power ballad, keyboard supported, energetic, thoughtful and a showcase for one of the best vocalists I’ve heard in many a year.

Due to work commitments, New Year celebrations that were a bit more full on than planned I only had a chance to listen to snatches of the album until last week when it became my choice of listening at work and I’ve played it multiple times since.

The album kicks off with “No surrender” – No this isn’t a song sung by Rangers fans on the terraces of Ibrox Stadium* but instead a high tempo melodic rock starter with a real Scandinavian feel plus the added benefit of a strong vocal. And yes the vocals are stronger than a Icelandic competitor in The World’s Strongest Man.

*For non sports fans the song at Ibrox is goes along the lines of “The cry was No Surrender, surrender or you’ll die”.

“Promise me” has that classic AOR feel and sound that brings up memories of Survivor and such like. The catchy keyboard synth and a bouncy chorus that TH leads the verses into effortlessly. Again it’s fast, melodic and has the statutory layered backing vocals.

“Show me how to live” – a mournful, emotional slow ballad that demonstrates what a simply stunningly powerful vocalist TH is. OK this is the ultra-soft end of the spectrum and the song is one that would be a superb X-Factor final song to test the vocals of the finalists.

It has a keyboard intro and feel so soft that Smooth radio might make it their record of the week. However this is master class on how to hit and hold a note and demonstrate a magnificent vocal range throughout a ballad. Stunning.

“Behind the lines” – Magnum-esque keyboards with accompanying pomp and restores the high tempo but with an angst ridden story line of break up.

“Fighting for my life” – some classic AOR immediately from the keyboards, a swirling guitar sound and layered backing vocals. A song of being alone and trying to move on and then the power of TH’s vocals and upbeat chorus lift this track

Serenity – one of the catchiest choruses of the record and the pre-release of the album and it’s obvious why. “I’m gonna take my chance and live my dreams, cos it can change in a heartbeat”. Wise words Toby and a superb piece of AOR magnificence.

Queen Untouchable gets a bit rockier but in keeping with the whole vibe of the album. By now there is definitely a distinctive Toby Hitchcock feel to the whole album.

For me the track that stands out is the rocky but emotive “This is our world”. The strength of the vocal (did I mention before that Mr Hitchcock has one hell of a set of pipes?) lifts this song above many contemporaries.

Someone like you – the vocals are very Dio-like for the verses, think Rock and Roll Children with a more melodic, softer yet strong chorus. The guitar solo is a belter and this one superb way to end the album. The last few moments of Toby holding notes like they are million pound notes sums up the whole album ending it on a high.

I had no idea what Reckoning would be like, I feared a bland melodic rock by numbers effort, I was way off the mark. This is an AOR fan’s dream.

OK so hard rock fans might not like it as much as I do but life is all about diversity and differences.

The band are tight, the keyboards underpinning the whole sound, and professional throughout.

One thing that can’t be denied is the fact that Toby Hitchcock can sing as well if not better than many so called established stars. He could sing in any manufactured super group in a heartbeat.

One not to be missed playing live.

Overall album – 7.5

The Toby Hitchcock vocals – 9.5

Review by Lawrie Willcox

Tracklisting:

1. No Surrender

2. Promise Me

3. Show Me How To Live

4. Behind The Lies

5. Fighting For My Life

6. Serenity

7. Queen Untouchable

8. Gift Of Flight

9. Don’t Leave

10. This Is Our World

11. Someone Like You

Lineup:

Toby Hitchcock: Vocals

Daniel Flores: All Keyboards and Drums

Michael Palace: Guitars and Bass

Yngve "Vinnie" Strömberg: Drums and Percussion

1 comment:

Anonymous23 January 2019 at 13:32
This reviewer has also gone by the name the Wembley Waggler. Just so you know.
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ABOUT ME

I was brought up on my dad's record collection of rock 'n' roll greats. He was a Teddy Boy and had all the gear (and hair) - drain pipe trousers, jacket, crepe shoes. We listened to Elvis, Bill Hailey, Eddie Cochran, Johnny Kidd & The Pirates, Fats Domino, Tommy Steel, and the big names from the sixties such as Dave Clark Five, Wayne Fontana, Dave Dee (etc.,). This music was the kind that you would listen to to rebel against and annoy your parents; it was rough, wild, and the Ted's had a reputation.

So, fast forward to the end of the 70's. I was about 12 when it was the thing to choose your musical stance. It had to be a good choice as there was no going back. You had to be a mod, or a rocker back around 1980. I had a mate (still do, just the one mind) and he was an influence with regards to my musical tastes (and we still go gigging together to this day), and what with my dad's influence I chose the rocker route. I've never looked back. We (me and dad) both started a musical journey where our parents hated what we listened to! In fact, being a teenager in the mid 50s, it wasn't any different to being a teenager in the late 70's/early 80's with regards to rebellion. Although in my era, you couldnt get rickets.

I was fed strictly on a cassette diet of Deep Purple, Thin Lizzy, Whitesnake, Rush and Rainbow. From there it expanded into melodic rock and hair metal - Journey, Foreigner, Stryper, Ratt, Motley Crue, and Dokken. And Prog!

I absorbed all I could. I was a human sponge. The internet was eons away, so I got my fix via a wonderful weekly paper called 'Sounds.' It covered a lot of genres, but they specialised in Rock! I read it every week without fail for about three years. I loved the way their reporters wrote articles. It was like they were talking directly to me. It's how I try to do the same today. When it stopped, I moved with the crowd and subscribed to 'Kerrang!' A lot of the 'Sounds' crew moved across, and it felt like home. I wanted to know more about what was happening over in the U.S. So I subscribed to 'Hit Parader' - it was shite really, the articles weren't great, but the pictures were good. Plus I could follow the Dokken feud between Don and George. Thirty odd years later, they still hate each other! Today, its a diet of 'Classic Rock' Mag, sometimes 'Prog Mag', 'Fireworks' and 'Planet Rock' mag.

My enjoyment of this music has never waned. I see the same people time and again and its a great community. I try to get to as many gigs as I can still as its much better than sitting on your arse reviewing. I hope you enjoy the blog!

Paul Chesworth