Toto
IV

Bobby Kimball: vocals.

Steve Lukather: guitar and vocals.

David Hungate: bass.

David Paich: keyboards and vocals.

Steve Porcaro: keyboards and vocals.

Jeff Porcaro: drums and percussion.

Tracklist:

1) Rosanna; 2) Make Believe; 3) I Won't Hold You Back; 4) Good For You; 5) It's A Feelin; 6) Afraid Of Love; 7) Lovers In The Night; 8) We Made It; 9) Waiting For Your Love; 10) Africa.

In 1982, Toto released their fourth album, simply named "IV", which followed their stunning debut "Toto" (1978), the incredible "Hydra" (1979), and the transitional album "Turn Back" (1981). However, "IV" proved to be their best album, and will remain so to this day, showcasing a band in peak form technically speaking, with compositions of the highest level.

The album opens with the indescribable "Rosanna", led by the great Jeff Porcaro and driven by the virtuosity of Lukather, Paich, and Steve Porcaro, with great choirs from Kimball, Paich, and Lukather providing a backdrop, leading into the beautiful "Make Believe", which still heavily relies on the chemistry between the two keyboards, taking the spotlight. In the third position is "I Won't Hold You Back", a classic slow, melodic rock in a crescendo, with a moving solo from Lukather, truly in top form, continuing to demonstrate this in the incredible "Good For You", where the guitar is showcased only at the end, since the piece is set upon the melodies of the two keyboards, splendidly accompanied by a great Jeff Porcaro, perfectly framing the piece, with Kimball showcasing a tremendous vocal ability, both as a soloist and in the choirs. "It's A Feelin" is a slow track, complementing the rest of the album, not deserving special mention, followed by three tracks in perfect "Toto" style like "Lovers In The Night", "We Made It", and "Waiting For Your Love", characterized by the perfect union of rock rhythms, '80s pop, and beat choirs. The closure is incredible, entrusted to the single "Africa", characterized by a tribal rhythm from a great Jeff Porcaro on percussion, the sweetness of Steve Porcaro's keyboards, the warmth of David Paich's voice, and the great chorus refrain of Kimball, Lukather, and Paich.

The album quickly flies to the top of the charts around the world, while the singles Africa and Rosanna soon become the most listened to, both in America and Europe. In no time, it garnered a platinum record and even six Grammy Awards: best album of the year, record of the year ("Rosanna"), production of the year, best instrumental arrangement and vocal backing ("Rosanna"), best vocal arrangement ("Rosanna"), best recording instruments.

For a group thought to have lost inspiration after "Turn Back", there comes an album that delivers the five musicians to history, with one of the works that will remain among the best albums in history, in an absolute sense: quality of the tracks, non-gratuitous virtuosity (a risk many bands fall into), perfect harmony among the five (all in a state of grace) and a magic formula that the five decide not to unveil, but which they themselves will only rediscover at times, failing to produce a complete work like this again, only approaching it with the subsequent "Isolation" (1984) and "The Seventh One" (1988).