Toploader - Only Human
Underdog Music
Release Date: 30th May 2011
Underdog Music
Release Date: 30th May 2011
Flashback Spring 2000. Anyone listening to the radio would have been unable to escape the deliciously catchy sound of Dancing In The Moonlight by Sussex band Toploader. Scoot forward eleven years and the line up for the band has remained almost intact with just one personnel change, the recent departure of guitarist Julian Deane.
Spokesman and guitarist Dan Hipgrave remains together with the more recognisable vocalist Joseph Washbourn. Matt Knight on the bass and drummer Rob Green completing the line up.
The album entitled "Only Human" features a poignant image of a tearful robot on the cover and is will be issued on the Underdogs Music label on 30th May. The band have signed a one off deal for this release, which was preceded by a series of intimate live dates, and will be followed by a healthy selection of festival appearances through to the end of what hopefully will be a long hot summer of renewed success.
Production for the release is by the fantastically named Danton Supple who in a long career has worked with artists such as Seal, Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen Jnr, The Pet Shop Boys, Coldplay, Bush, Hurricane #1, Morrissey and Starsailor [phew...].
The album is a polished affair with many of the songs possessing a huge anthemic quality. After the scene setter Marrakech, follow A Balance To All Things, Sound Of Your Soul and Never Stop Wondering all of which hold your attention and stand the test of repeated listenings. Things slow a little for Paradise and then pick up again very quickly for Only Human and an accelerating Paradise. Weight Of The World follows on and keeps reminding me of the old Searchers hit Needles And Pins. This would be an obvious third single [after A Balance To All Things & Never Stop Wondering]. The album is rounded off with an urgent She Said, a string lead Shifting Sands and a steady Numb. A remix of A Balance To All Things by Ash Howes is added as a bonus to complete the twelve tracks.
Musicanship never would be an issue here and everything about this album oozes class. Whether it's a comeback or an extended break or both, I'm not sure, but Toploader are around again and I'm certain that with the pedigree of these new songs, that they'll be here to stay.
Rob Pope
Guitarist TV
Spokesman and guitarist Dan Hipgrave remains together with the more recognisable vocalist Joseph Washbourn. Matt Knight on the bass and drummer Rob Green completing the line up.
The album entitled "Only Human" features a poignant image of a tearful robot on the cover and is will be issued on the Underdogs Music label on 30th May. The band have signed a one off deal for this release, which was preceded by a series of intimate live dates, and will be followed by a healthy selection of festival appearances through to the end of what hopefully will be a long hot summer of renewed success.
Production for the release is by the fantastically named Danton Supple who in a long career has worked with artists such as Seal, Adam Clayton & Larry Mullen Jnr, The Pet Shop Boys, Coldplay, Bush, Hurricane #1, Morrissey and Starsailor [phew...].
The album is a polished affair with many of the songs possessing a huge anthemic quality. After the scene setter Marrakech, follow A Balance To All Things, Sound Of Your Soul and Never Stop Wondering all of which hold your attention and stand the test of repeated listenings. Things slow a little for Paradise and then pick up again very quickly for Only Human and an accelerating Paradise. Weight Of The World follows on and keeps reminding me of the old Searchers hit Needles And Pins. This would be an obvious third single [after A Balance To All Things & Never Stop Wondering]. The album is rounded off with an urgent She Said, a string lead Shifting Sands and a steady Numb. A remix of A Balance To All Things by Ash Howes is added as a bonus to complete the twelve tracks.
Musicanship never would be an issue here and everything about this album oozes class. Whether it's a comeback or an extended break or both, I'm not sure, but Toploader are around again and I'm certain that with the pedigree of these new songs, that they'll be here to stay.
Rob Pope
Guitarist TV
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