Music reviews. CD reviews. Critically hip!

I always love when live CDs start with the audience cheering in anticipation of the rock gods about to take the stage. In their frantic yelps, you can almost imagine what is happening. First there’s the acknowledgment that the lights just went out in the arena (WOO-HOO!). Then there’s the acknowledgment that the band just came on the stage (WOO-HOO DOUBLED!). And then there are the first chords of the opening song (WOO-HOO TRIPLED!)

Toto’s Falling in Between Live, which was recorded at the Zenith in Paris in March 2007, does not disappoint in this regard. The band kicks off their set with Falling in Between, and it serves as a superb opener. Surprisingly the guitar work and vocals of Steve Lukather, the drums of Simon Phillips, the vocals of Bobby Kimball and the work the rest of the band displays is spot on. They meld together nicely on this first track, creating an unusual rock song – one that includes deep guitar riffs and Indian-influenced backing vocals.

The key to any live CD is how well the sound is captured. If it’s not great, there’s no point in purchasing. I look toward the standards out there, such as modern classics like Queen and Paul Rodger’s “Return of the Champions” and Cream’s “Live at Royal Albert Hall.” Toto’s Falling in Between Live doesn’t match the excellence and quality of these live concerts, but it comes close. One needs to understand that a live CD is completely different than a studio album. A live CD is meant for those fans who want to experience the energy of a concert over and over again. And with that energy comes un-studio-like quality, with vocals that are good -- not great, guitar riffs that sometimes trip over a chord and, most important, the influencing shouts of the audience’s captured sound. In this regard, Toto hits a home run with this CD.

For Toto enthusiasts, all of the standards are there like King of the World, Caught in the Balance, Hydra, and Drag Him to the Roof. The band’s most popular song – and their only mega-hit, Hold the Line, – is there, but for some reason I didn’t like the quality on this one. The song requires high vocals and a crisp pitch. The band only marginally achieves this. The guitar solo in the middle though is wicked. Unfortunately however, I also didn’t like how they turned this standard into a karaoke-style sing-a-long with the audience.

Overall, the CD is exhaustive in its reach. There are 23 songs on two discs. There are several solos (one for Greg, one for Luke, one for Simon). These tend to be the strongest part of the album because, let’s be honest, Toto’s lyrics have always been rather cheesy. But their guitar work is stellar. I hate to say it, but less words and more chords are better.

Africa, a truly original song and another hit for Toto, finishes out the album with Drag Him to the Roof. It’s a great ending to a decent live CD.