Album Review — Toby Hitchcock

Toby Hitchcock — Changes

Toby Hitchcock released his latest record, “Changes”, on July 9 via Frontiers Music. Hitchcock is most known for fronting Jim Peterik’s Pride of Lions. Hitchcock has teamed up with Frontiers house producer Alessandro Del Vecchio, who has written and produced for many of Hitchcock’s label mates at Frontiers.

“Forward” opens the album and is what you would expect from the powerhouse vocalist. It’s a driving melodic rock track that shows off Hitchcock’s vocal range. If Survivor was still together and producing music I imagine this is what it would likely sound like.

The title track has a similar feel. Hitchcock has almost a theatrical delivery to go along with his monster range. I have to think he has some theatre in his background and I hear a lot of that drama in his vocals.

“Garden of Eden” and “On The Edge of Falling” are both upbeat tracks that continue that melodic rock sound.

The two tracks that stand out the most to me are “Say No More” where we hear Hitchcock’s vocals range from gritty to stratospheric. And the very 80s sounding “Two Hearts On The Run” which brings backs memories of Survivor at their melodic rock peak. Both tracks features Hitchcock exploring a more gritty vocal at times which is a nice break from the ultra high range Hitchcock explores.

Overall, “Changes” is much of the same from Hitchcock’s previous efforts. A couple of ballads but mostly upbeat melodic rock, usually with a positive message. There are a couple of really good songs here but other than those I find the songwriting a little underwhelming. The performances and production are high quality and Hitchcock still sounds like a vocal superhero, it’s just lacking the high quality songs.

If it were up to me I’d love to see the Survivor songwriting duo of Peterik and Sullivan get back together and write a new record with Hitchcock on vocals. But it doesn’t sound like the two former partners are interested in such a venture.

Fans of Hitchcock and the melodic rock genre will likely want to check this record out. For me, it’s good, not great. The songs are just a little lacking this time around.

85 out of 100

Track Listing

1. Forward *
2. Before I Met You (Xano Esena)
3. Changes *
4. Tonight Again
5. Garden Of Eden
6. Don’t Say Goodbye
7. Say No More *
8. Run Away Again (From Love)
9. Two Hearts On The Run *
10. On The Edge Of Falling
11. Losing You

*Best Songs