Hydra＜完全生産限定盤＞

TOTO 1979年発売『Hydra』のアナログ盤 (最新リマスター盤)

メンバー各々がアダルト・コンテンポラリー・ブームを支えた立役者でありつつも、バンドの2作目の方向性として打ち出したのはロック・バンドとしての姿だった。ギリシャ神話をテーマとした本作はテクニカルなプログレッシヴ・ロックを彷彿させる超絶の作品。ヴォーカル以外は一発録りとされており、それは彼らがいかに卓越した才能を持ったミュージシャンであるかを証明している。いまも多くのファンから支持され続ける名作。
今回発売されるアナログ盤は、2018年にTOTOのオンラインサイト限定で発売された豪華BOXセット『All In (Deluxe Box)』に収録されたアナログ盤と同様の最新リマスター音源を使用している。

If Toto's musical advantage was that, since its members continued to play on many of the successful records made in L.A., its own music was popular almost by definition, its disadvantage was that it made little attempt to seek an individual musical signature -- a particular style, say, or a distinctive singer (Bobby Kimball was not it) who could make its records immediately identifiable. "Hold the Line" had been a big hit, but who did it? Boston? Foreigner? As a result, Toto was less well positioned than most to come off a big debut album with the follow-up, and Hydra was unusually dependent on its leadoff single, "99." Maybe it was a tribute to the female lead on the old Get Smart TV show, but many listeners didn't get a song with a chorus that went, "Oh, 99, I love you," and the single stalled in the bottom half of the Top 40. The album went gold on momentum, but the songs, however well-played, simply were not distinctive enough to consolidate the success Toto had achieved with its debut album. ~ William Ruhlmann