I took my time with this one.

I wrote most of the original form of this somewhere around the end of July, then made tweaks here and there. I rewrote some parts, made more edits, then got to a point tonight where I decided to finish it off, and it was easy enough.

Not exactly a good bit of writing, but I think it works well enough. I think choosing to take my time with this one paid off, but I’m not sure I want to do so again, because I thought I’d be done sooner.

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Alright, it’s toe’s NOW I SEE THE LIGHT. I’ll cut to the chase: it’s good.

So toe aren’t the loudest band, and that’s fine. They rely a lot on clarity to convey their sound, and considering their music often feels like it holds balance between simple and complex, having that clarity is a boon. It allows their liveliness to come through when needed, as well as gentle moments to speak more effectively. In that regard, the songs here seem “quieter”, or perhaps more “reflective”; that liveliness is still there, but it’s a bit more restrained than usual.

There seems to be less interest in knotty guitar work – though that is there – and less interest in establishing a sense of progression and flow-through – though that also is there – and instead the songs sort of simmer on a moment, though not always. In lacking hands this can make for boring music, but toe deftly handle what they’ve put forward. Their focus seems to have always been reflective of where they are in life, and in that regard NOW I SEE THE LIGHT is no different to previous releases. It might be less “dancey” than some of what they’ve previously released, but it’s an album no less considered.

Still, whilst it’s a little diminished, the sense of dance and rhythm remains strong. The percussion keeps that nice flow and groove going, and they also have striking sense of precision, even in quieter moments. Meanwhile, the guitars and bass (and other sounds here and there) sound crisp and clear, whilst efficiently building on rhythm.

Vocally, the… vocals are a bit more quiet than usual, or at least they feel that way, but they carry a tune well enough. Do they sound different from what toe have made use of before? No; at least, not overtly, and that’s fine. However, their use here treats them more as a sound to blend with the other instruments than usual. The voice is still there and it’s still carrying words, but it’s a bit less at the forefront.

Throughout NOW I SEE THE LIGHT a sense of the reflective and melancholic comes through, but it’s not all that; there are occasional moments of joy too, and toe don’t seem to want to lean one way or the other. There’s an obviousness to the songs, but it’s not overt and it’s clearly one aspect rather than a defining trait. There remains plenty of room to let things sink in and explore. There’s intention here, and restraint, and perhaps it’s why the album feels like it goes by quickly.

On one hand I don’t want to claim this album is background music. On the other, I don’t want to say it’s present and right there. NOW I SEE THE LIGHT is appreciable as both, and how you approach it does change the listening experience in this instance. I do think, however, that toe intentionally straddle a line here. The energetic thrust found on previous releases isn’t as pronounced here, but there still is a sense of energy. Whilst some moments of the album feel more upbeat and, at times, drifting, the album still feels emotionally weighted without being overt. The album’s a more muted affair, even when it implies a loudness. It feels and sounds simpler than usual, but that works in the album’s favour, and it’s quite likely deceptively so.

The songs carry fine, there’s clarity, there’s space and the vocals are on the quieter side of things, and a little more fragile-sounding than usual. It works, and so does the album as a whole, really. Is it toe at their best? I’d like to argue that it is but I don’t know if I could say for certain, and anyway, who cares? It’s good music.

NOW I SEE THE LIGHT is available here.