Toby Hitchcock is one of the voices of the last decade or so. Since his Pride Of Lions debut, his powerful tenor has been front and centre for some of the genre’s best anthems and most epic ballads. Any Toby Hitchcock is good Toby Hitchcock.
And for the most part, this album is no different. Songs are delivered by the who’s who of the AOR scene, with at least another 4-5 classic songs here – Queen Untouchable, Promise Me, No Surrender and This Is Our World. Man, the guy can sing.
I like that a lot of the album is uptempo and flows at a pretty hectic pace. I don’t think this is as strong as Toby’s Erik Martensson helmed debut. Even though this album is also a Swedish production, the differences are quite stark. Reckoning sounds firmly planted in the 80s, with the keyboards and production style a more distinct European in flavour.
The songs are enjoyable but not to the same level as the debut or Pride Of Lions.
There is one issue that desperately needs to be addressed. The keyboards. We need to talk about the keyboards.
As has been the case with all Daniel Flores productions, the keyboards dominate. They are the highest element in the mix, aside from vocals and there are just way too many layers of them. There is no letup in the sonic bombardment. There needs to be more space for the rest of the instrumentation to breathe. Even during guitar solos the keyboards still dominate.
I like Daniel a lot – very talented and sweet guy – but there must be an intervention. The keyboards are simply overbearing, and the production style is becoming very repetitive. Find Me (all 3), the second First Signal album, the Palace debut, Cry Of Dawn and now Toby Hitchcock – largely all sound the same. So moving forward I hope some individual personality can be infused into these projects. And that's the main essence of what's missing here - its own personality.
That said, there’s still plenty to enjoy and Toby’s vocals are powerful, emotional and totally immersive. Fans of Find Me, Daniel’s other AOR work and 80s keyboard melodic rock will enjoy.
Frontiers Music Srl announces the release of TOBY HITCHCOCK's second solo album, “Reckoning” on January 25, 2019.
First single and music video, "Promise Me" out now!
Powerhouse American vocalist Toby Hitchcock is back with a brand new solo album, “Reckoning”. The album was written and produced in collaboration with Swedish producer Daniel Flores (Find Me, The Murder of My Sweet). Toby first came to the attention of melodic rock fans when former Survivor founding member Jim Peterik hand-picked him to be the lead singer for Pride Of Lions, the band that would mark Jim's return to the rock scene.
With Pride of Lions, Toby has sung on five studio albums which are considered true classics among the melodic rock/AOR faithful. Often compared to Bobby Kimball (Toto), Jimi Jamison (Survivor), and Lou Gramm (Foreigner), Hitchcock’s voice has the depth, feeling and the feel of each of them, while still keeping his own identity and trademark.
When Pride of Lions took a small hiatus in 2011, Toby took the opportunity to hook up with Swedish songwriter/producer Erik Martensson (Eclipse, W.E.T., Ammunition) for his first solo album, “Mercury’s Down.” The album was a display of the talent of the two young guns, with Toby showing an unbelievable set of pipes on some heavier material, specially penned for him by Martensson.
In 2017, work on a new solo album started with Toby once again looking to Sweden for another exciting collaboration. Swedish producer Daniel Flores (Find Me, The Murder Of My Sweet) crafted a superb set of songs that are an absolute AOR gem of an album.
Toby Hitchcock says: “Being able to record my second solo album was a big step for me. I didn’t want to be a “one hit wonder” type of artist. So I’m very thankful for the opportunity to record a sophomore album. Working on my own solo record is really a great way for me to be creative on my own, so it’s very satisfying, and I love the feeling. Both of my solo projects were produced by different artists. So they feel completely different. This is a great thing for music lovers, as it brings a different vibe. This allows me to really explore my vocals and just have a great time doing it. Both albums have been amazing to work on and I couldn’t be happier."
“Reckoning” is a must hear release for all melodic rock/AOR fans out there. Buckle up and enjoy the ride!
