Toy Soldiers

Every time the first track of Toy Soldiers’ Whisper Down the Lane comes on, my son thinks it’s the beginning of the Johnny Cash song “Going to Memphis.” But he is never disappointed when he realizes his mistake. The song, “Throw Me Down,” begins with an tinny, echoing couple of lines from lead singer Ron Gallo that give way to a roll-the-windows-down, crank-it-til-the-knob-falls-off, sing-along-at-the-top-of-your-lungs good time. A bluesy guitar riff rolls along toward a call-and-answer between Gallo and Kate Foust (Perkasie), who channels her inner blues goddess, and then Gallo and the ever-soulful Vinchelle Woods.

And that’s just the first song.

The rest of the album has a rockabilly spirit, but calls to mind a wide variety of influences – traces of everything from The Clash to Led Zeppelin to Roy Orbison. Listening to this CD is like drinking really good wine; the flavor develops and blooms and hints at a well-rounded appreciation for and love of music. There’s a whole lot of talent on this disc. A dozen musicians are credited on the liner notes, playing everything from the expected (guitar, piano, variety of vocals) to the more unexpected (banjo, slide guitar, harmonica, horns) to the downright delightful (“shovel”). With this many people playing, the songs end up with enough layers of sound to make Phil Spector weep. It’s great fun and it’s something that many albums can’t claim to be: interesting. Gallo’s versatility as a songwriter is vast.

This is one of those rare finds that you can play all the way through without skipping any tracks. They’re all good, and they all sound different. The title track, like “Throw Me Down,” plays with tempo to great effect. Just try to sit still.

And that’s just the CD.

See them live and I promise you’ll be an instant fan. You’re gonna love Vinchelle Woods. Check out their website to see a video of Woods on lead vocals for their cover of “Natural Woman” at World Café Live in October 2009.

If you couldn’t tell, I’ve quickly become a huge fan of this band and Whisper Down the Lane. It gets heavy rotation in our house (and in the car, and in my office), and I can’t wait to see them play live again. I look forward to watching these stars rise.~JJS - Folktowne.com

In all fairness, White Birds had the very difficult task of following Toy Soldiers, who had just brought the house down. Toy Soldiers roots-rocked out for over 40 minutes and had half the crowd shouting for an encore (but they were already over time). Charismatic frontman Ron Gallo, performing his fourth set of the day, was in top form. I had seen Toy Soldiers once before (albeit in a very different setting) and listened to their new EP, but it wasn’t until last night that I fully appreciated what this band can do. The band was incredibly tight, giving the indication that they practice tirelessly and take their music seriously. They also have a very talented frontman in Gallo, and the entire band brings an incredible amount of energy to the stage that infects the crowd immediately. - The Swollen Fox

What came through the speakers was a gritty, dirty collection of liquor-fueled Americana music. Shifting flawlessly from roots, to blues, to country, to rockabilly Whisper Down the Lane is an undeniable barn-burner. - T.O. Snobs Music

About "Whisper Down the Lane":
It’s a righteous collection of rootsy, jangly, scraggly, soulful indie inspired songs that bring to mind Shangri-La era Kinks, Nashville Skyline-era Dylan, Bright Eyes and the Black Keys, The Coasters and Carl Perkins. Rock it. - Some Velvet Blog (Bruce Warren, WXPN)

About "Whisper Down the Lane":
It’s a righteous collection of rootsy, jangly, scraggly, soulful indie inspired songs that bring to mind Shangri-La era Kinks, Nashville Skyline-era Dylan, Bright Eyes and the Black Keys, The Coasters and Carl Perkins. Rock it. - Some Velvet Blog (Bruce Warren, WXPN)

Philly's Toy Soldiers opened. They've been through several lineup and stylistic switcheroos, but on this night they struck on a cool, shambling brand of dirtball blues, country, and soulful rockabilly. Their nice-guy vocals made them akin to a clean-shaven version of the Band. Good direction, that.

- Philadelphia Inquirer