TOY MATINEE

There's nothing quite like well crafted music, and here we have it in spades with Toy Matinee. The duo of Kevin Gilbert and Patrick Leonard became for a brief time, an American version of XTC. They struck a retro pose, but presented it with nineties panache and wit. This record is nothing less than an enjoyable listen, a cleverly written and definitely more sophisticated take on popular music beyond what most artists usually attempt. The sad truth though, is that this is all that ever came out of this group. Kevin Gilbert went on to further his own ideas with Thud, and the legendary Shaming Of The True ( with Nick DiVirgilio ), but there was something special built into the collaboration that was Toy Matinee. Had it been commercially successful, it is very possible that they would have continued and become a household name of sorts. Unfortunately it was not to be, and with the tragic passing of Kevin Gilbert in 1996 there would be no opportunity for any reunion. Let me just say that this album remains a treasure, and I'm just grateful to have these 48 minutes of Toy Matinee !