Review: Maureen Toth

Maureen Toth - Shine (Spinout Records)
“Shine” is the sophomore album from Maureen Toth, an LA based singer-songwriter, and she dedicates it to her deceased mother. "Mom's Song" is the obvious tribute here, upbeat rather than maudlin, a celebration of her contribution to Ms. Toth's life. And that mood is basically what we get throughout, an overall upbeat affair, but a rather mixed bag of songs. What knits it all together is the production by Bernie Larsen, who’s worked with Toth before, even accompanying her at live shows. He also provides the multitude of instruments that accompany her vocals, as well as adding his own voice to some of the backing. "Let It Shine", with more buoyancy then many a boat, is a spotless example of this mutually beneficial collaboration. I doubt the album would be anywhere near as cohesive as it is without his input; they do compliment each other rather well.

So, how good is it, then, and how successful might Ms. Toth become? Well, the songs are generally a little too lightweight, and occasionally a bit wordy. The lilting melody of "Light Of The Morning" gets almost clogged with the numerous words in some of the lines, at times just about becoming a quick 'reading' of the lyrics. Her voice is pretty good, and it’s enhanced by the settled nature in which the album was made, which gives easy access to the material. Still, in trying to pick out individual high points within the album I could only come up with the Joni Mitchell-esque "Just Like You", which has a great arrangement giving it underlying gravitas, and "Dog", a gentle and simple song, that’s a minor treat for the ears.

I doubt that there are enough extraordinary moments on this album to suggest that you must have it, but there’s probably enough for you to make a note of its existence, and check it out at a later date.
Kev A.