The Toms - Make My Day

I have been a fan of The Toms since I was 16 when the UK New Wave led me to explore what was happening in the States and finding albums in those days was far from easy. People may bemoan the internet, rightly so for what it has done to the value of music, but you can find anything these days as the output of IDHAS shows.

That 1979 self titled debut album was Power Pop at its very very best and it is amazing to find Tom Marolda still making relevant music 47 years on. Those that are still around rely on touring on the previous songs and reputation, not Marolda

Rather than sticking to recording the same old thing, The Toms have moved on through many directions that are very different to the start. I urge you to look at previous reviews here to see that movement. At times, songs have been more akin to Modern Pop, taking advantage of modern recording techniques.

There has been the addition of synth and treading into Indie Pop and Pop Rock. There are examples of this here, but Make My Day sounds more like a return nearer to that Power Pop that started it all. The whole album is basked in catchy melodic joy.

All I Need Is You mixes Bubblegum with Pastoral Psych Pop, Magic Carpet Ride sounds very 60s Pop, wonderfully so. Apple Tree sounds like 1968 Beatles, Psychy, very hippy trippy. It Just Doesn't Matter At All closes the album with some great 70s Pop Rock.

It is hard to pick out stand outs in an album as strong as this, but I'll risk two. The title track is a superb opener that is extra-ordinarily fine Pop Rock, close to Power Pop. 15,000,000,000 Years Of Evolution is wonderful Psych Pop as heard on a recent LTTW Playlist.

For an artist to be so effective, almost 50 years on, is a massive achievement and still be able to release an album a year, ditto. Tom Marolda has constantly moved on without ever losing what he's great at. This album feels as close to 1979 as he's ever been, yet sounds incredibly modern.

You can listen to and buy the album here. 

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