Toadies Roar Back With The Charmer - Album Review
- robjanicke
- 1 hour ago
- 4 min read
When writing about rock bands that came to prominence in the 90s’, especially ones that fell into the the grunge/alternative scene, one does not automatically think of Fort Worth, Texas as being a hotbed of influence. If it wasn’t happening in Seattle, it wasn’t happening.
This line of thinking, although prevalent at the time, would turn out to be a mistake.
Formed in 1989, Toadies began making music that channeled their rock n roll influences. Influences as diverse as Talking Heads, ZZ Top, old-school country music, Pixies, and others. This blend of dark, driving music with groove, rhythm, and emotion is what would eventually define the Toadies unique sound, particularly on the band’s 1994 debut, Rubberneck.
That classic Toadies vibe and sound is omnipresent on its latest album, The Charmer. Released on May 1st, 2026 via Spaceflight Records, the record is packed with everything you’d expect and want from a Toadies album but with some subtle yet powerful twists.
The band worked with audio engineer extraordinaire, Steve Albini (Nirvana, PJ Harvey, Pixies, etc.) on what unfortunately proved to be one of the last records he’d work on due to his untimely death at the age of 61. Albini’s no nonsense approach to recording, coupled with the Toadies skillful playing and songwriting, led to a stripped down, driving, powerful performance that reminds us of just how good the band can be.
Never one to shy away from kicking an album off with an instrumental track (see “Mexican Hairless” off Rubberneck), The Charmer begins with, “Ash’s Theme”, a punk/surf track that creates the anticipation for what’s to come.
Staying true to what the Toadies sound has become, the songs that make up The Charmer tend to have elements of dark, sinister music with slow build ups landing on big payoffs. It’s a formula that has helped them in the past with hits such as “Possum Kingdom”, “I Come From The Water”, and “Tyler”.
I can point to some of the songs songs like, “The Charmer”, “Damage”, “Gasoline Jane”, and “I Walk A Line”, the album’s dirtiest/sludgiest song, as examples of this.
A surprise for me is the Led Zeppelin III-esque, “Get Out Of Your Head”. A foot-stomping, partially acoustic song that feels familiar and unique all at the same time. Who says a band that’s been around as long as Toadies have can’t reinvent themselves from time to time?
Something else that struck me as interesting and different from past Toadies records is the lyrical content. Vaden Todd Lewis, the band’s founder, main songwriter and lyricist, has typically relied on dark subject matter that was either fictional or coming from the point of view of someone other than Lewis himself. Not on The Charmer, however.
The lyrics of The Charmer reflect how Vaden spent time alone during the pandemic, soul searching and coming to grips with some difficult realities. With little more than his guitars and dogs for comfort and company, he was finally able to confront the loneliness and self-hatred he’s wrestled with for decades, which he named, The Charmer.
“I was afraid that if I lose that part of me that has such self-loathing that I won’t be able to write music anymore,” he explained. “I decided to take that apart and make it a character, The
Charmer. If I don’t give that character worth, it’s worthless. But if I do give it worth, I’m
worthless.” - Vaden Todd Lewis
The lyrical theme of this record is consistent in its extreme vulnerability. Recently, Lewis has been quite open about his longstanding struggles involving mental health and depression. Writing The Charmer was a great way to confront those issues creatively and publicly.
“The meat of this record is me dealing with some emotional and mental things that I needed help with and got help with,” he told The Fort Worth Report. “There’s always been a voice in my head that’s like ‘you’re never going to be good enough,’ and there’s another voice that’s combative. They go back and forth.”
While most of the songs on The Charmer address Lewis’ struggles, there is a positive goal of demystifying and humanizing mental health, by writing about these once ignored topics.
One song in particular shouts it out loud.
“Normal”, the album’s 10th track, plays as a plodding, disturbing sing-a-long with a strange homage to The Beatles “Hey Jude” that just works!!
“I don't wanna be angry
I don't wanna be sad
I don't wanna be sorry
Just wanna be fuckin' normal
I just wanna do my thing
And meet the lovely people
I just wanna be easy
I just wanna be fuckin' normal
Fucking normal
Fucking normal
Fucking normal
Yeah
I just wanna play guitar
And write words to sing
And play songs for people
Songs that are fuckin' normal
I just wanna wear nice clothes
And not feel like a poser
And not feel like a failure
I just wanna be fuckin' normal
Fucking normal
Fucking normal
Fucking normal,
Yeah
Na, na, na na na
Na, na, na na
Na, na, na na na
Na, na, na na
Na, na, na na na
Na, na, na na
Na, na, na na na
Na, na, na na
I see good people
With their smiling faces
And I wanna meet them
I wanna be like them
But I just sit here instead
I just wanna be fuckin' normal”
Overall, The Charmer is a powerful (musically and lyrically) album that delivers on the Toadies raw, live feel, dark and sinister sound, with enough hooks and melody to bring you back to the band’s 90s masterful mixture of classic rock meets alternative music’s scream along force.
In addition to this blog, please check out my book, SLACKER - 1991, Teen Spirit Angst, and the Generation It Created (Inspired By You Books, 2025)
Purchase a copy here or wherever books are sold.