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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Toyah

Live at the Rainbow (CD/DVD Edition)

Review by Gary Hill

Toyah has had a recent resurgence in name recognition and fame in a large part due to her videos with husband Robert Fripp that started during the pandemic. That has brought her to a new audience. This concert from 1981 shows that she was rocking it decades ago. This music is not progressive rock, exactly, but it does have definite proggy elements. There is plenty of art rock and space rock in the mix, though. It all works well here. This includes both a CD and a DVD of the show. It should be mentioned that the DVD doesn't include all the songs. I don't think the sound is as good on the DVD, either. Don't get me wrong, it's fine, but just not in direct comparison to the audio CD. The video looks good for the time period, and this whole release is so cool.

This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2023  Volume 1. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2023.

Track by Track Review
War Boys
Percussive, this has so much art and even space rock built into it. It's punky, but also very creative and intriguing. This gets so proggy as it drives out later.
Neon Womb
For some reason this makes me think of David Bowie to some degree. Add in some Kate Bush, and you are in the right territory here. The tune is tasty, artsy and just so cool. It has some great twists and turns, too. This turns seriously rocking later.
Waiting
Driving, hard rocking sounds are on the menu here. This has a real punk art vibe. That said, it really makes me think of the punkier side of Hawkwind to a large degree. The synthesizer brings so much prog class to this.
Race Through Space
While not a big change, this has a bit more of a mainstream rock vibe to it. Yet, the space rock elements are certainly more pronounced. Of course, you would expect that given the title.
Angels & Demons
This has a lot of that Kate Bush thing at play. The track works well.
Love Me
Bouncy, driving and classy, this merges proggy elements with punky ones in a very stylish way.
Mummies
More punky, this still has enough art music in the mix to keep it from landing firmly under that heading.
Insects
There is a bouncy Pater Gabriel meets King Crimson element here, but it's delivered with more of a punky energy and texture.
It's a Mystery
The punky art music is in the driver's seat here. This is more of a mainstream cut in many ways, though.
Computer
This has great bass work and some cool guitar playing. This is another with lots of space rock in the mix. It's decidedly proggy, too, though.
Tribal Look
Driving, punky concepts are at the forefront here. Yet, this still gets plenty of artsy angles and some space rock blended into it.
Ghosts
I dig the groove and energy on this number. It is still artsy and spacey.
Bird in Flight
Missing Persons combines with Kate Bush and more on this tune. It's another fun one.
Victims of the Riddle
Another driving rocker, this is more art rock than anything else. It does move out to more proggy space rock on the closing instrumental section.
Danced
This starts with a real electronic space rock sound. This works out after a time to a real driving punky jam. This thing has a killer instrumental movement that gives way to a rather Hawkwind like section to close it.
Ieya
Keyboards bring this into being with a lot of style and charm. It drives out to some decidedly prog music from there. There is a rather symphonic vibe to some of this. The keyboard section later really brings the space concepts to bear with style.
Bonus Tracks:
                     
Mono Only Audio
                  
Our Movie

I dig this bouncy rocking number.

Revelations
While no big change, this driving tune is strong.
Indecision
We get another slab of driving, punky art rock here.
 
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