Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *

Following up from the 2010 album All’s Well That Ends Well, Steve Lukather once more comes up with guitar gold in his latest release Transition.

Transition is perhaps an apt title for the album for the former Toto man. It is by far his most biographical release and as each track flows over the listener thoughts and nestles into the conscious, the songs hit home hard that this is a man, a musician, who is looking back at his life and taking issue with the past fall outs and people and who acknowledges that he is bigger and better than any argument.

Much of Steve Lukather’s charm and appeal has come from his tremendous ability to lay down in music form exactly what he is thinking. Whether it is lyrics that make a fan or listener weep at possible indiscretions or through his guitar, in which he still has to be rated as one of the finest exponents of his craft. On such songs as the opening track Judgement Day, the Joe Walsh inspired Last Man Standing and the grinding Do I Stand Alone the feeling of bitterness being abandoned and with hope being replaced is tangible. There are also the first signs of anger from this talented musician who now begins to take stock of the world and some of those that allegedly are doing things in their people’s name.

There is also a great deal of humour to be found in the music. The excellent Creep Motel is a stand out track which sees Mr. Lukather vent his spleen in a timely and great fashion. The words may sound harsh and guttural but there is something in his voice that suggests he is really enjoying being able to rid certain demons off his back.

Transition is on a musical par with All’s Well That Ends Well which is great news for his fans and lovers of great guitar music. Steve Lukather proves time and time again he is one of the all time greats.

Ian D. Hall