ALBUM REVIEW

Toby Walters:
Somewhere to Begin

Once in awhile, you hear an artist that you just know is going to be big. Toby Walters is that somebody. Somewhere to Begin is nearly flawless. Somewhere is his third release, and that experience shows with a considerable level of intellect, artistry, and polish.

The album starts off with Heaven Waits, the perfect opener with a lot of energy and power. His voice seems almost retro at times, remeniscent of Hootie and the Blowfish (but better), and the variations in style mean Toby is appealing across many genres. The choice of openers is a very smart decision, the first of many.

Walters has a wonderful gift for hooks. Nowhere is that more evident than on Light My Way, the most radio-friend track on the album. It's only the length that will keep more tracks from radio play though FM stations would be wise to spin some of these quality-laden tracks. Light My Way could also have crossover appeal as well with the hook, "So in love with you."

In the power spot is Harlot's Prayer, well placed for continuity. There's a lot of theology here, wrapped up neatly and concisely in a moving piece. We've all played the harlot. Molly Jenson's backups certainly lend a sweetness to Toby's edge which comes across quite effective production-wise. This is "now" sound praise & worship style, and Prayer could be an excellent special music offering at a contemporary church service.

Ten Miles shows off the more alternative side of the band, with an ethereal vocal backed up by some incredible guitar work. You get the feeling that this is the inner-Toby, letting loose. This is not a filler and this song will stand out as ahead of its time. It's one that bears listening over and over again to get the full impact.

Walters manages to maintain continuity while giving the album plenty of variety. It's a delicate balance that is the undoing of so many; Somewhere to Begin has a "complete project" feel from beginning to end, with no hiccups.

The title track teases us that it's going to be a rock song, but it tapers off to Toby's excellent lead vocal with great tone, especially in the upper range. His storytelling in song shows a deep understanding of the Christian walk and a high level of intelligence. To interlink it with such a strong melody is just icing on the cake. Toby's songs so well capture the walk of those beyond that first love - they reflect the struggle to grow and mature. Somewhere to Begin leads well into the deeper Busy Man.

Busy Man is a song you ought to be listening to alone because it's very convicting. We can all relate to putting God into a box, not giving Him the proper time or Lordship of our lives. It's a message of depravity and redemption with guitars telling the story as well as the words. The falsetto at the end echoes the cry of the listener's soul; a cry of guilt and of gratitude. It ends with everything faded out but an acoustic guitar and the only lyrics that truly matter: "You cleanse me with Your Son's blood... again." Simply brilliant.

Coming off a song so deep and emotional as Busy Man is Everything to Jesus. This is one of the simpler tunes on the album, catchy and uplifting. It's radio-ready, with another strong hook and a steady beat that will have listeners singing it over and over. Different Day envelops the listener with a building wall of sound as the music captures you. The words are a bit engulfed at times, so you'll need the CD insert at first, but I promise you that you will enjoy the song more each time you replay the project.

Grace is a musical affirmation of the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice; it reminds us that His grace is more than enough to cover us. The album closes out with Faces, a beautiful alternative ballad that leaves you anticipating their NEXT project. This one will be difficult to top. Toby has a very unique sound, current but without sacrificing melody for the edge. Most of the songs are heavily produced, with great attention to detail. Even with the heavy production, they're not busy, but instead come together like a fine orchestra.

I don't know where to begin for any criticism of the album, but if there is any, it's that it's self-produced. Toby is a gifted producer and that shows, but producing yourself means that your perspective is a little different. Once in awhile, he drifts into a vocal tone that an outside producer probably would've made him reconsider. This is minor and nit-picky. The album is so close to perfection that it's difficult to find any areas for improvement. Somewhere to Begin is fresh and timeless at the same time. It's an album that won't gather dust on anyone's shelf.