Toad - Open Fire: Live Basel 72 (CD)

All Music Guide

For those new to the Toad, Switzerland's most celebrated hardrock band, and thoroughly confused by the eclectic music encased within Akama's recent release Behind the Wheel, all things are made clear here, with the solid slab of stage sound emanating from Open Fire Live in Basel 1972.The sleevenotes are equally upfront about the source of this release, a tape bootlegged at the gig. But one, judging by quality of the sound, presumably taken straight off the mixing board, a tad muddy in places, but overall surprisingly good. The CD seems to pick up some way into Toad's set, as they launch into the epic, almost 15 minute "Tomorrow Blue", and rhythm and blues was where the trio's hearts were, even as the rhythm section boogied straight into hardrock and guitarist Vic Vergeat flickered into metal. "Blues", too, heaves its way from undiluted 12bar blues into the power raging RB inflected rock that defined the likes of Cream, early Led Zeppelin, and other Britrockers raised on the blues, but ...determined to drag the genre into the modern age.Sometimes they squall into a bit of an ominous noisefest, a la Black Sabbath, as "Thoughts" illustrates, or into virtuoso braggadocio, as on "Pig's Walk", where Vergeat attempts to outflash Jimi Hendrix, a delusion shared by every guitarist of the day. Toad could never beat Hendrix at his own game, but they definitely show they're experienced across the two Hendrix covers that close out the set. "Red House"'s RB roots are showcased to a shine, while "Who Knows" gets equally sumptuous treatment, and although neither is that far removed from the original, both give the band members plenty of opportunity to strut their stuff.Being Swiss, Toad would never garner the success of their British counterparts, but in many ways the trio more effectively melded the blues to rock than any of that island's more favored sons. - JoAnn Greene, All Music Guide Read more Less