Toad the Wet Sprocket
Rings: The Acoustic Sessions
Abe’s Records
Led by singer-songwriter Glen Phillips, Toad the Wet Sprocket burst onto the scene in the early ’90s with a melodic alt-rock sound that garnered a number of hits before a hiatus in 1998.
Despite the punchy, guitar-led production of original versions of songs like “Walk on the Ocean,” “Fall Down,” and “Something’s Always Wrong,” there was always a hint that there was a mellower side to the band, and that’s beautifully brought to life on Rings: The Acoustic Sessions.
“All I Want” opens the record brilliantly, with Phillips’ vocals sounding as warm and true today as they did 35 years ago. Intimate acoustic riffs and gentle percussion accompany the instantly recognisable melody, but the re-imagined song loses none of the original’s vibrant potency. And that’s true for this collection of classics from the Toad discography.
“Nanci,” “Little Heaven,” and “Woodburning” have a gentle, folkier twist, while “Fall Down” still retains its anthemic quality in acoustic form. All eras of the band’s catalogue are represented on Rings: The Acoustic Sessions, from the classic “Walk On the Ocean,” to the breakout Dulcinea album, and the lesser-known “Scenes From a Vinyl Recliner” from debut record Bread and Circus.
Toad reunited in 2010, and some of their later output stands up well against their earlier material, such as the poignant “Transient Whales” and the melodic “California Wasted.”
But the highlight is the reworked version of “Jam,” from the 1990 album Pale, which marks Toad’s renaissance superbly with some graceful mandolin and acoustic guitar framing the story told through Phillips’ heartfelt lyrics.
Rings: The Acoustic Sessions is a masterful example of how a band can endure and evolve over a 40-year period, yet find new relevance while remaining true to their roots.
