Toad the Wet Sprocket announces ‘Starting Now’

Highly anticipated studio album available Aug 27th

Toad the Wet Sprocket is set to release their first new studio album in eight years called Starting Now on August 27th via The SRG/ILS Group. The ten song collection explores finding hope after life’s uncertainties force us to change and learn how to survive on a new path.

“Some time around the end of 2019 it became clear that it was time for a new Toad record. We’d taken a long break from recording together and it felt like we had the right songs and the right energy again.” says lead vocalist, Glen Phillips. “If there’s a theme to these songs, it’s hope. We’ve all been through a crazy couple of years and I wanted to take a deeper look at what it’s like to be thrown far off center and find a new way of living on the other side. How do we not just survive but actually ground ourselves in such unusual times?”

“Even in the lowest moments of the pandemic we knew that whenever Toad was able to safely play again, our fans would show up,” comments Dean Dinning. “Our fans have been supporting us faithfully for the past 30 years, which makes for a lot of familiar faces in the crowd each night. We do want our fans to know that we see and appreciate them, and that when we get together, we are all among friends.”

“The process of making this album over the past year was a little unusual for all of us, and recording the guitar parts in my home studio without anyone around was such a different experience,” adds Todd Nichols. “The collaborative process was done by emailing tracks back and forth without ever seeing each other in person. It’s definitely going to be a blast playing these songs together for the first time.”

“One of the most difficult things to do in the music industry is to find your voice,” states Claude Villani, CEO The SRG/ILS Group. “ Toad The Wet Sprocket had that solved from the beginning. Glen Phillips’ vocals and songwriting set a very high benchmark and the bands atmospheric arrangements are second to none. The new album follows directly in the legacy they have set for themselves. I know old and new fans alike will love the new album as much as we do.”

Leading into 2021, Toad the Wet Sprocket released the title track of their forthcoming album, “Starting Now.” The thought-provoking track about hope for the future in the face of life’s uncertainty not only mirrored what many were feeling and thinking during this past year but also encourages us to make sure that in the present moments, the ones we do have control over, we are doing the good work to lay the road ahead.

Toad the Wet Sprocket will also be hitting the road this summer for their first live tour since 2019. Tickets for the Starting Now Tour are available now for pre-sale and kicks off in September.

Buddy Iahn
Buddy Iahn

Buddy Iahn founded The Music Universe when he decided to juxtapose his love of web design and music. As a lifelong drummer, he decided to take a hiatus from playing music to report it. The website began as a fun project in 2013 to one of the top independent news sites. Email: info@themusicuniverse.com