Ava Toton - Charm School Dropout
“Ava Toton is a juggernaut and it is only a matter of time before she becomes a household name”. Jacob Light
SO. Now I have to do some fangirling or whatever it's called. But instead of waving a pompom and clapping there is headbanging and rocking purely. Probably the big sister or aunt instinct was awakened in me. In any case I am a fan, like a fan fan.
Of whom? Of Ava Toton. She writes her own songs, plays guitar, has a voice like a bass and is called a musical prodigy. I'll sign that right away. The newcomer from Northern California is 12 years old. t w e l v e . Yep. Let it melt in your mouth. What she delivers belongs in the first league and will definitely write music history. Pure goose bumps.
When I heard the first bars to Charm School Dropout, I was not yet aware of who I was dealing with. Whoever hears her voice tends - from a purely pigeonhole-technical point of view - to a middle-aged male singer... While I chirped the choral top notes at her age, Ava belts out with a dominance and vehemence that makes the boards shake. In addition, she accompanies herself with a virtuoso guitar playing that is in no way inferior to the greats. I can already see her opening for Foo Fighters. Ava feels most comfortable on stage. Now that things are starting up again, she will soon be giving concerts again. But probably first on the other side of the world. When she's not smashing guitars and composing music, the young lady goes to school like everyone else. Very exemplary. Ava got her first guitar on her fifth birthday. The rest is history.
The EP 'Charm School Dropout' - already her second and a Lockdown child - was produced, mixed and mastered by Jacob Light (ModernTone Studios /CA), also such a fan of the first hour. He managed to bring her music in top form and to squeeze the presence she puts down in her live performances into an EP. In search of a drummer who could match her dynamic and raw presence, Gideon Berger (Useless ID, War Bison, Kill The Drive) was brought on board. The result is four sonic gems that belong in every (rock) playlist.
Sonically, three of the gems really turn up the heat. Fast, exciting, aggressive and sincere. The drive behind the rhythmic guitar riffs is infectious. And yes, this is all made by Ava. Only with the lyrics she has taken a little support. The singing of the rock queen leads through the stories. She sounds as mature and adult as an Avril Lavigne in wild or an Amy Lee in bass. The single release Charm School Dropout feels like a trip back in time to school days and is my favorite gem so far. There aren't many surprises lyrically, but all the more 'kids' will be drawn to it. After all, for her age, she is relentlessly honest and uncompromising. Besides, it's Ava's mission to bring good old rock into a new old glory era by teaching rock to her generation and re-inspiring the old hands to create new rock gems. Perfect start, then. With the sound pearl Take Me With You- Acoustic Orchestral Ava shows that she also has her quiet sides. In a sea of sound a la Metallica orchestra she tells of her desperation and longing to escape this broken world.
I hope she stays...
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