Toro Y Moi
What For?
CARPARK
6/10
Chaz Bundick has been playing live with a full band for years, but his dancey, R&B-tinged studio recordings have always been a solo affair. His fourth LP (under the Toro Y Moi moniker) What For?, however, is essentially ensemble pop rock. Bundick remains the LP’s mastermind, but the use of acoustic drums, intricate guitar lines, and sing-along style vocals makes this seem like a whole new project. Kiss your samples and subdued grooves goodbye, Toro has gone down the ’60s psych-rock rabbit hole. Eh, kind of. Bundick is still able to catch and ride the wave of a good vibe—most notably on “Empty Nesters” and “Half Dome”—but, overall, there’s the impression that he’s in a bit over his head in this new genre with tracks like “Run Baby Run” and “Ratcliff” coming across a bit stale. Kudos to Bundick for trying something totally new, but this time around his reach may exceed his grasp.
