Rock Regeneration

Acclaimed British singer-songwriter Toby Jepson from Wayward Sons, Little Angels, & Planet Rock DJ is set to release a brand-new mini-album, “Look Out! (Vol.1)”, this November. His first solo release in 11 years, it marks a return for his post-Little Angels group, “Toby and the Whole Truth”.

Featuring tracks exclusively available on three carefully curated recordings, Toby introduces listeners to the eclectic nature of the entire endeavour. The first six songs of a 20-song catalogue explore themes associated with mental health struggles, their impact on him over the years, and how he sought to overcome them.

“I’ve called the album collection “Look Out!” as it seemed to focus on the idea of recovery in a very specific way – be aware, take care, be warned, but be open and always on the look out for the truth, the love and the light”, explains Toby. “It is an interesting phrase, it means many things. It is inherently a WARNING, a shout, a declaration or a written announcement. Secondly you can BE the Look Out, the one seeking something, taking care to make sure your eyes are open and observant, and thirdly it’s a place, an actual physical structure or possibly an imagined vantage point from where we observe and watch. All of these definitions I feel sum up the record – it’s a collection of songs that hope to enlighten, inform and give you information that might help you to see from a different perspective.

From the opening notes of lead track “Alone With You”, and “Throw It Away”, listeners might think this is a full-bloodied rock record for which the singer-songwriter is well-known for producing. However, “Look Out!” showcases Toby at his most eclectic and experimental, as he dives deep into a cavernous melting pot of influences. From “Sweet Smell Of Success” (“northern soul, southern eyes”) to “What Will It Take”, “One Track Mind”, and the reflective closing track, “The One That Turns Out The Light” (“no matter how old we both get, I hope we ain’t seen nothing yet”), this is Toby most inspired and personal collection of songs to date.

“It’s an album unlike any I have made before,” says Jepson. “The songs are—in part—gentler than before, and have more to say. It’s about as honest as I’m ever going to get, and the approach I’ve taken on each of the songs has been driven by the needs of the song—I’ve let the atmospheres lead me rather than imposing my will. The results are an eclectic bunch of songs that all exist in their own worlds—there’s some familiarity, but there are also some surprises, some of which I wasn’t expecting, but I went with because it couldn’t be any other way.”

Born in Lincoln and raised in Yorkshire, Toby started his professional career in the rock band ‘Little Angels’. The band released three acclaimed albums on Polydor Records; the last one, ‘JAM’, became a number-one album in the UK album charts in 1993.

Little Angels enjoyed ten top 40 hit singles in the UK, as well as chart success all over the world, and embarked on extensive touring as a headline act as well as opening for artists such as Bon Jovi, Van Halen, Marillion, Guns N’ Roses, Bryan Adams, and ZZ Top. The band bowed out in style at a sell-out concert at the Royal Albert Hall in London in 1994.

Since 1995, Toby has toured as a solo artist as well as a singer for hire with bands such as Fastway, GUN, and Dio’s Disciples. His most recent musical adventure has been the rock band Wayward Sons, who have released three critically acclaimed records through Frontiers Music.

Aside from being a successful writer/performer, Toby is a record producer, runs an independent film company, is a screenwriter, and a radio presenter on Planet Rock Radio.

Track List
1. Introduction
2. Alone With You
3. Sweet Smell Of Success
4. What Will It Take?
5. Throw It Away
6. One Track Mind
7. The One That Turns Out The Light

Look Out! (Vol.1) credits:

All songs written by Toby Jepson except where stated.
Produced by Toby Jepson. Arranged by Toby Jepson, Dave Kemp and the band.
Engineered by Chris D’adda and Toby Jepson.
Mixed by Chris D’adda. Mastered by Simon Francis.
Recorded and mixed at Vale Studios, Worcestershire, U.K.
Additional recording Strangeplace studios, Somerset U.K. and Bath Spa University, Bath, U.K.

All songs performed by:

Toby Jepson – guitars, all vocals, Pro Tools programming and percussion
Dave Kemp – all keys, saxophone, and horn arrangements
Matthew Eldridge – drums
Chris Blanden – bass, cello
Jason Barwick – lead electric guitars
Sam Wood – additional guitars
Strings arranged and performed by George Hall
Additional Hammond organ – George Hall
Horns section – Dave Kemp (saxophone), Stuart Wilkinson (trombone), Ian Chalk (trumpet)
Banjo performed by Leon Hunt

Look Out! (Vol.1), by Toby and the Whole Truth, is set for official release on the 1st of November. It’s available to order now exclusively via Toby’s official website.

Links
https://linktr.ee/tobyjepsonofficial
https://www.tobyjepsonofficial.com
https://www.facebook.com/@tobyjepsonofficial