Dulcinea (studio album) by Toad The Wet Sprocket (US)

A good Pop record. I still occasionally give it a listen.

Wonderful power pop from a band that never did anything this good again. The two hits, "Something's Always Wrong" and "Fall Down," are the highlights, but there's plenty more to recommend, particularly the two openers and the lovely ballad, "Begin." paladisiac is right; they could have left off the closing dirge and I wouldn't have missed it.

From paladisiac 12/13/2011 21:04

Toad the Wet Sprocket is one of those perfect artists for the void left between Kurt's passing and "what came next". Tortured, introspective, conflicted and yet melodic, i'd consider this alternative album near-great if not for the over-extended, non-hooky closing dirge. If you want a good example, start with "windmills" or "fly from heaven". In "windmills" he delicately divulges: "there's something that you won't show / waiting where the light goes / maybe anywhere the wind blows / it's all worth waiting for". The drums are wide but hit soft, like a phil collins signature drum song muted in the distance. And "nanci" is a bit of chick-swapping fun that has one of the neatest lines: "I can't believe you / You bend your words like Uri Geller's spoons". "Fall Down" was the hit.