Steve Lukather's 'Bridges' - Album Review

Considering what a huge fan of Toto I am, and how great it is to hear him whenever he turns up on someone else's album, which has happened extremely regularly over the years, to my shame I have never really delved into the solo catalogue of Steve Lukather - Toto's guitarist and only consistent member. His solo catalogue may not be as vast as some - but he has now released nine solo albums (including his Christmas album Santamental from 2003) so there is more than enough to satisfy anyone curious at this point. I think that possibly the reason for me not being overly familiar with his solo works is partly the fact that his solo albums tend to exhibit more of a bluesy, harder rock sound than I tend to associate with him. Whilst this side of his writing and playing has certainly crept into Toto's sound over the years, it was always part of a wider melting pot of ideas within the band's canon. Toto's variety is one of the reasons why I love the band so much, and I have often felt that what I have heard of Lukather's solo catalogue lacks that for me. This is certainly an overly simplistic take, but it is partly why I have never truly taken the plunge - and it is also why what I call Toto's 'no frontman' period from 1990 to 1998, where Lukather really became the overall driving force within the band, is my least favourite Toto era. This probably makes it sound like I am not a huge fan of Lukather's singing or songwriting, which could not be further from the truth, but to me that bluesier sound is only a part of what he can do - and I have always preferred him in the context of Toto. Despite having heard a few of his solo albums, the only one which I ever truly digested was 2013's Transition (which was one of the first albums I reviewed on this blog - and the rather amateur results of that reviewing can be read here) - which I remember enjoying somewhat at the time, but I have not returned to it much at all in the past decade. I had every intention to pick up his next solo album, 2021's I Found the Sun Again, which was released on the same day as his Toto bandmate Joseph Williams' Denizen Tenant as something of an unofficial double album, but it came out during a busy period and it I never got around to buying it. As such, then, when a few months ago he announced that his ninth solo album would be released in June I made sure to take notice. What also made me sit up, too, was the fact that he described the album, Bridges, as the closest to a new Toto album that we were ever likely to get. The band have decided to stop releasing albums following a recent costly lawsuit brought against them by the widow of the late Jeff Porcaro - so Lukather instead approached Bridges with his Toto head on. Unsurprisingly, then, Bridges is a bit more varied and less bluesy - and there are a number of Toto alumni featured throughout. Williams co-produced the album, co-wrote a number of the songs here, and also contributed keyboards and backing vocals throughout. Toto's other core pillar alongside Lukather, David Paich, also co-wrote and played on a number of the songs - meaning that the album has Toto's DNA running through it. Other Toto alumni to feature here are bassist Leland Sklar, drummers Simon Phillips and Shannon Forrest, and current era keyboard player Steve Maggiora.

The album is easy to digest, too. Its eight tracks clock in at under 40 minutes - so again there are parallels that can be drawn to Toto's early output. The album really flies by, then, and there is a lot of strong material here despite the short length. The album opens with Far from Over, which was co-written by and features Lukather's son Trevor (Levara) and he is one of only two people to contribute to the album who have not previously been associated with Toto. Opening with a synth-backed riff, Far from Over is a pretty energetic opening cut. Nothing here really roars out of the blocks, though, and there is a smooth, laid back groove throughout the song which is generally typical of the rest of the album. The riffing is infectious, but tempered by synths and an overall whimsical approach, whilst Lukather's vocals are easy-going and somewhat summery for him. As is case throughout this album, the keyboards provide an atmospheric and melodic backing - whilst the ever-present backing vocals of Williams adds a dynamic which would otherwise be missing. Lukather is a fine singer, but he is not blessed with the greatest of range - so Williams helps with that, filling out the smooth chorus nicely, whilst Lukather later showcases his primary talent with a brief and tasty guitar solo. The riffy, groovy track gets the album off to a fine start - and is certainly a taste of what is to come. Not My Kind of People is tougher-sounding, and is the album's heaviest piece. The big opening riff is more what I expect from Lukather as a solo artist, and this strutting, bluesy riff is pretty catchy from the off - and it punctuates the verses throughout, sitting nicely in between keyboard-backed vocal passages. Williams and Paich add their keyboard talents to the track, whilst the smooth bass playing of Sklar creates a groove typical of the bearded session player's talents. The bass groove offsets the bluesy riffing perfectly, and the song has a real Toto-esque vibe as a result - despite the harder rock approach. The chorus is hooky, with Williams' vocals again adding depth, whilst the occasional blistering lead guitar barrage sees Lukather adding some anger to the track with his instrument. Someone then moves away from the riffier sound of the album's opening numbers and goes for something smoother and more atmospheric overall. Lukather's snappy guitar melodies and subtle bass playing sits perfectly against the big keyboard backdrop as the track builds up - and the smooth piece certainly has some yacht rock vibes as it moves along. Despite the smoother sound the track is not really a ballad, and it still feels pretty energetic throughout thanks to Forrest's busy drum approach and some typically-melodic piano and keyboard playing from Paich. The chorus is hooky thanks to Lukather's smooth vocal delivery, and it is enhanced by some off-kilter drumming. Sound-wise, then, the sound is a bit different from the norm for Lukather as a solo artist and it very much has that Toto vibe overall - and the prominent keyboards recall the breezy sound of Lukather's day job, whilst his slow-burning closing guitar solo is full of feeling.

All Forevers Must End is the album's first ballad, and it is very typical of Lukather's ballads of the past - re-capturing the spirit of Toto's I Won't Hold You Back nicely. Lukather handles the piano here as well as the guitar playing - whilst Williams harmonises with him during the chorus and plays the rest of the keyboards. The subtle rhythmic grooves from Sklar and Forrest back the other two perfectly - and the song has a shimmering power thanks to the rhythmic approach, whilst Lukather's playing becomes more intense as the song moves along. The piano dominates early on, but the song becomes more guitar-focused - adding more crunchy power chords before a short guitar solo explodes from this emotional weight. I would have actually preferred the solo to have lasted longer really, as it seems to end just when it gets going. There are some more leads as the song closes, but I really feel like a lengthier central solo would have taken the song to the next level. It is a great melodic ballad as it is, but it could have been something a bit more in my opinion. When I See You Again returns to something more up-tempo and rocking - and the song feels like a more amped-up version of Someone. It is not all that riffy, but the poppy rocker is brought to life by Paich's driving keyboard work and a smooth vocal from Lukather that showcases all of the character in his voice nicely. This is the sort of song that would have likely been sung by Williams had it appeared on a Toto album, but Lukather does a good job of the poppier material here - and Williams makes his presence felt regardless with some strong wordless vocal hooks which act as something of a riff. As such, this is likely the most Toto-esque song here. Paich's keyboards take on a prominence later, with a short instrumental section which really showcases his pomp side, whilst a blistering guitar solo injects a little grit into the poppy track. There is a lot for Toto fans to love here as a result, so unsurprisingly it is one of the album's overall highlights for me. Take My Love is another more ballad-esque piece, and it is the only song here not written by Lukather. Instead, the song was written by and heavily features Maggiora - whose expansive organ playing and backing vocals alongside Williams help the soulful piece shine. Lukather's guitar playing is somewhat mixed into the background here, despite his occasional bluesy lead, and this is very much a song built around the keyboards. Pulsing piano melodies and organ swells - whilst Jorgen Carlsson (Gov't Mule) adds some smooth bass grooves. Lukather does let rip a bit more during a solo section which is lengthier than is typical for this album - and his bluesy melodies fit the organ-drenched track perfectly, before a final reprise of the soulful chorus brings the song to a relatively delicate close.

Burning Bridges maintains a somewhat similar overall sound, but with a bit more of a harder, bluesy rock side added. The song feels soulful and smooth, but the driving electric piano throughout creates a strong groove, whilst Sklar's bass is high in the mix to create a rumbling feel that contributes significantly to the overall bounce. Despite the fact that the song is not all that heavy, the guitar and bass tones throughout are quite gritty - and this helps the track to stand out. Crunchy chords and the occasional bluesy lead characterise the song, then, whilst Paich's electric piano underpins everything. Williams also takes the lead vocally during a bridge section, which helps to give the track a different vibe. He still sings alongside Lukather, but the mix favours his delivery which gives the bridge a poppier feel - helping it to stand out before Lukather launches into a cutting solo. The song is a real mix of vibes, then, but the smoky, smooth piece is another strong cut for me - and the closing moments which feature a meandering and improvised guitar solo only add to the song's mish-mash of vibes and overall feel. The album then comes to a close with I'll Never Know, a more atmospheric overall piece which opens slowly. Lukather's guitar playing is quite low key here, gently picking a pattern against a dominant keyboard backing - before he launches into another bluesy solo after the opening vocal section, which sees the song move up into the next gear. The track is essentially another big ballad, but it feels a bit more epic in scope this time, and everything which follows that opening solo feels bigger and more strident. Later verses are still based around that guitar picking, but the keyboards are busier and the groove created by Carlsson and Forrest gives the song weight. The highpoint here, though, is the chorus - which is extremely melodic despite its quite mournful overall sound. Lukather excels at singing songs like this, and his characterful voice perfectly suits the darkness around him - whilst Williams' subtle harmonies adds plenty of depth. It is one of those choruses that sticks with me for quite a while after the album has finished. There are certainly poppier moments here, but the haunting melodies and overall sound of the song helps it to stand out - and Lukather's closing solo is another excellent example of his guitar playing as the album fades to a stop. Listening to Bridges over the last month or so has been the most that I have really engaged with Lukather's solo catalogue in a long time, and I have really enjoyed my time with the album. Possibly the strong Toto links have made this album speak to me more than the others of his which I have heard, and there is less of the more riffy, bluesy rock sound which I tend to associate with him. That being said, though, listening to Bridges has made me realise that I have generally neglected his solo catalogue - and it is very much time for me to revisit all of his albums and pick up the ones which I am missing, as my broader tastes now mean that I am more likely to find things to enjoy.

The album was released on 16th June 2023 via The Players Club. Below is Lukather's official lyric video for When I See You Again.