Mindfields is the tenth studio album (though counted as the 11th album overall — see Toto XIV) by the American rock band Toto. It was released in Europe and Japan in March 1999, followed by a US release on November 16, 1999. Mindfields saw the return of vocalist Bobby Kimball, who had departed the band in 1984 during recording sessions for the Isolation album.

Recording

The band began recording the album on August 10, 1998. This came after a reunion tour with former lead singers Bobby Kimball and Joseph Williams earlier that year to celebrate their 20th anniversary and Toto XX album. Although the band decided on Kimball, Williams did contribute as co-writer of the song "Mad About You". As of December 3, 1998, the album was being mixed and the cover art was being designed. Release dates were also set but pushed back as they grew closer. The album was eventually released across Europe beginning the first week of March 1999.

Reception

The album received mixed reviews from critics. Michael Gallucci of AllMusic wrote: "Overlong, overwrought, and devoid of personality, this incredibly dull world-view update of Toto's crassly professional sound manages to pillage several cultures at once without contributing a single song worth remembering. The playing is tight—as you would expect from a bunch of studio session musicians—but all the skills in the world can't liven these 14 plodding tracks."

Track listing

1999 Release

1999 Bonus Tracks

1 On some copies of the album, a longer version of "High Price of Hate" was used with a length of 9:49.

2018 All In Remaster

3 Track 1 ("Cruel") and 12 ("After You've Gone") switched places 4 Track 13 ("Better World") was originally titled "Better World (Parts I, II and III)" 5 Track 14 ("Spanish Steps") was originally titled "Spanish Steps of Rome"

Personnel

Adapted from album's liner notes.

Toto

• Steve Lukather – guitars, lead vocals , backing vocals

• David Paich – keyboards, horn arrangements , backing vocals , slide guitar solo , lead vocals

• Mike Porcaro – bass guitar, cello

• Simon Phillips – drums, tabla , percussion , loops , backing vocals

• Bobby Kimball – lead vocals backing vocals

Guest musicians

• Steve Porcaro – keyboards

• Clint Black – harmonica and backing vocals

• Lenny Castro – percussion

• Jim Horn – horns

• Tom Scott – horns , horn arrangements

• Bill Reichenbach Jr. – horns

• Chuck Findley – horns

• Gary Grant – horns

• Mark Hudson – backing vocals

• Timothy B. Schmit – backing vocals

• Phil Soussan – backing vocals

• Richard Page – backing vocals

• Chris Thompson – backing vocals

• Maria Vidal – backing vocals

Production

• Producers – Toto and Elliot Scheiner

• Recorded by Eric Cowden, Steve Genewick, Steve MacMillan, Charles Paakari, Elliot Scheiner, Al Schmitt, Jess Sutcliffe and Jeff Thomas.

• Mixed by Elliot Scheiner at Capitol Studios (Hollywood, CA).

• Mastered and Sequenced by Ted Jensen at Sterling Sound (New York, NY).

• Editing by Steve MacMillan

• Production Coordination – Shari Sutcliffe

• Copyist – Dan Ferguson

• Creative Director – Doug Brown

Singles

• Melanie / Spanish Steps Of Rome

References