The similarities between Sedona and Toto are plain for everyone to hear, but for this reviewer their fascination revolving around Steve Lukather seems decidedly unhealthy. From the trade mark Lukather guitar solos to his style of balladic yearning vocals. This shouldn't be a problem. I've got nothing against Steve Lukather but after a while this hero worship becomes a distraction rather than a pleasant and flattering compliment.

The production on 'Golden Valley' is a little woolly to say the least, which makes me feel like I'm several steps removed from this reality, and under the influence of some mystery drug. I can only come to the conclusion that this drug is cleverly marketed as Sedona and is taken aurally.

The bass drum on second track 'Surfing State Of Mind' is booming and boxy rather than grooving and foxy. It only goes to show how important production is to me in that this is a good song with a great vocal, catchy chorus, the works, but it gets bullied into submission by the mix.

'Golden Valley' is another case in point. The pedal steel and Crosby, Stills and Nash vocals recalls that classic era of LA rock which I prefer to listen to stripped clean of cloudy reverbs and precocious drums that insist on taking centre stage usurping the vocals. On 'California Ballad' Patrick Liotard sings "I will never forget the fee-ling" and the stress on the "ling" bears an uncanny but ghoulish resemblance to Michael McDonald singing through Steve Lukather's throat. 'Sweet Wave Of Sunset' is another reminder that somehow I'm stopped from really getting into this album because it's another good track, a big ballad and contender for the best song on the album.

'Laguna' provides the perfect relaxing break from my ambivalent feelings about this album. This soothing instrumental is so successful in carrying me away that when the next vocal song comes in I'm thoroughly annoyed at the imposition. It slams rudely back in totally insensitive to my comfortable state of being.

Up until this point Sedona have been getting away with it pretty well. And by 'it' I mean singing in English. They do a pretty damn good job. But on 'Southern California Dream Space' the game is given away and I can only think of Klaus Meine singing the worldwide Scorpions smash hit 'Wind Of Change' and the immortal line "I fallow the Mosque-Wa down to Gonky Park".

Final instrumental 'Sedona' provides a refreshing change of pace albeit via another one of Steve Lukather's friends, this time it's Larry Carlton. It's a slick, smooth jazzy track with some great soft bluesy bends.

To be fair this album was recorded back in 1995 but is now only just getting an international release. The band have added a vocalist to their ranks and their fourth album is scheduled for release later this year. Sedona five years on sound fresher and fitter and far removed from this Lukather-esque appetiser.

Sedona are moving on. 

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