Fall Downby Toad The Wet Sprocket

This is a mix of hits for Toad the Wet Sprocket. The single "Fall Down" was from the album Dulcinea, the band's fourth, and was number one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart for six straight weeks. "Walk On The Ocean" was actually from the album before that, "Fear". These songs are very different, and show the range the band has. "Walk On The Ocean" is a slower, sort of deliberately toned song. "Fall Down" is a a livelier song, in contrast with it's lyrics dealing with struggling life and relationships.

The band is comprised of lead singer/guitarist Glen Phillips, lead guitarist Todd Nichols, bassist/keyboardist Dean Dinning and drummer Randy Guss, the lineup throughout the band's career. They started off as an alt rock band before the commercial success of "Fear" brought them a little more into the mainstream. They toured heavily throughout, gaining a lot of popularity in the college and club scenes. One live track is included here, "Nightingale Song", which was very popular in their live sets. The studio version came from "Fear" as well. "Fall Down" is probably the best example of their commercial success, very melodic, tight arrangement, a chorus that's easy to sing along with. "Nightingale Song" is the best of their other side, that sort of indie rock feel, poetic lyrics, a more subtle tone. Even moreso perhaps is the inclusion of "One Little Girl", a track from their very first release, "Bread and Circus". This one has a little bit of energy, but very much shows a band in the early stages of making music.

This is sort of an odd mix, as it crosses albums, but it makes for a good sampler. It covers a lot of the different sides of the band. If you are not very familiar with Toad the Wet Sprocket, this is a good way to sample them. If you enjoy any of the four songs here, there is more for you to discover.