The final cut.
Coil is Toad's parting words, and in my opinion their best album. Though Fear, Dulcinea, and In Light Syrup (the B-Sides Album That Felt Like An A-Sides Album) are all excellent, Coil outdoes them. Highlights include "Rings" "Whatever I Fear" "Throw It All Away" and "Crazy Life." However, the song that crowns this entire album is "Amnesia". Someone in an earlier review compared it to the kind of empty noise that fills the radio these days, but they miss the mark entirely. If you look past the fact that it is hard rock, a genre that Toad has not approached before, it is entirely a toad song: guitar-based, excellent drumming, thoughtful lyrics and heartfelt vocals, with just a touch of varied instrumentation in the form of a distant organ heard playing in between thunderous guitar chords (in the past they have used mandolins and the like as well). In fact, the only song that does not meet the mark is "Desire", which is too weak to justify the simple, blazing guitar that accompanies it. However, that in itself is not enough to weaken Coil, a definitive five-star album.
Classic Toad
This is the best CD Toad has come out with. It's so sad that it's their last (besides the Retrospective). Toad just has a classic, beautiful sound, and this CD captures it like no other Toad CD has. All the songs are a little different - it's not like some CDs where every song sounds just a little different than the one before. It's a real shame that these guys weren't more popular - I miss them!I would recommend this if you like bands like Matchbox Twenty. They write similar lyrics - very heartfelt, often emotional, always poetic.
If you collect Toad CDs, then you absolutely have to have this. If you've never owned a Toad CD before, get the Retrospective (a "Greatest Hits" CD), then get this one. Most of their other CDs have songs that I could do without - that's why I recommend the Retrospective - it's got fantastic songs that even people who aren't crazy about Toad can love.
Coil, however, is great beginning to end. If you get the Retrospective, you'll get the hits that you've heard on the radio like "Whatever I fear" and "Come Down" but you'll miss the really great ones like...
"Dam Would Break" - this is a very very intense song. "Desire" - very catchy tune that you'll love to sing to if you can learn all the words! "Don't Fade" - beautiful sound. "Throw it All Away" - I don't know what to say about this song, I just love it. It's a real "feel-good" song.
If we have to lose Toad, at least they gave us a great going-away present.
The last and best
If there is one Toad album to have, this is it. Their last and best. Every thing that is good about their music is here, great music and lyrics. It's a shame they broke up recording the next album, but then again, maybe it's best to stop when you're at the top, and this is the very top of their output.
Toad's most energizing, amazing work
Magnificent musicianship all through this album (and the band) make Coil quite possibly their best work of art ever produced by the band. Flawless vocals add to the mystique and message of the album's depth. Rock music with a slight touch of mellow notes makes Coil so wonderful. As mentioned here, there's not one song you can choose to be your most favorite due to the magnitude of effort put into each 12 tracks. Edge, charisma, & one hundred percent pure Toad the Wet Sprocket is what Coil offers.
toad rules-
I keep coming back to this CD because it is so consistantly good- track to track, every song is a great one and it's one of those CD's I can't get enough of. Toad still remains my favorite band even though they are disbanded because they write such great material- their songs are so singable and infectious. You can't really pick a best song from "Coil" because every song is great. And here's the best part- for as good as it is, it still isn't Toad's best album! It is however a must-have for any Toad fan-
