Toadies’ eighth studio album continues the band’s throwback alt-rock sound and stays true to the raw, aggressive roots of their early work. The Charmer was one of the last albums produced by the late Steve Albini, with whom the band had always wanted to work. As is typical with Albini albums, The Charmer has a no-frills sound and an uncompromising intensity. It was recorded in an analog style, as a live band with minimal overdubs, to capture the band’s aggressive live sound. For the most part, it works.
Most of the album was written during the COVID lockdown, and for the first time ever, Toadies went into the studio with completed songs. The material has that familiar Toadies feel – aggressive punk-rock energy paired with classic-rock riffs…