There is an undeniably spiritual slant to Tōth’s new album. The New York native has made no secret of his admiration for the principles of Buddhist philosophy, and it is in the nature of Buddhism to be holistic, to encompass every aspect of life. It should, then, come as no surprise that those principles percolate through Tōth’s art. But it would be a mistake to see And The Voice Said as a purely spiritual album; indeed, even a cursory listen will tell you that it is more complicated – that its creator’s life is more complicated – than that. Tōth (full name Alex Toth) has spoken of a duality in his work, a tension – or more likely a balance – between the meditative calmness that is part and parcel of Buddhist practice and an inner turmoil born of past struggles with addiction and mental health issues. In fact, a good indication of his thematic preoccupations comes in the form of his 2019 debut’s title: Practice Magic And Seek Professional Help When Necessary.
Tōth, a multi-instrumentalist and songwriter whose primary instrument is the trumpet, cut his teeth as co-founder of anti-folk/lo-fi pop collective Rubblebucket. His solo career kicked off after he and his primary collaborator and partner broke up, an event that led to a run of confessional, sometimes whimsical folk-pop songs. And The Voice Said continues this run, but adds in a few more psych-folk sounds and art-pop edges for good measure. It is also, thanks to a wide variety of guest musicians, a fuller-sounding album. Touching, a standout track, features the vocals of New Zealand singer Kimbra: the pair seem to coil around each other in a delicate, swelling duet, bridging the gap between bedroom pop and chamber pop.
The most notable partnership is with Catherine Rose, whose production brings a new sheen to Tōth’s songs, and who plays a musical role – backing vocals, guitar, bass – on every song. Rose takes joint lead vocal duties on the medicated barroom country of Triangle People and the deceptively pretty closing track Light As Feathers, which sounds like The Moldy Peaches reimagined by Brian Wilson, Heroes and Villains transplanted from California to Brooklyn. Other notable contributions come from Will Graefe (who contributes a wailing, distorted guitar solo to the Jeffrey Lewis-esqueIce Cream, providing an impressive foil for Tōth’s cathartic trumpet blasts) and Kosta Galanopolous (responsible for the drums and a good chunk of the bass, as well as piano and synth on the bubbly electro-folk of Goo).
The vision is all Tōth’s, and what a cracked, flawed and glorious vision it is. Opener Not Broken has a soulful outward slickness that can’t hide the fragile interior. The decisive, confident trumpet interjections and the emphatic – almost ecstatic – coda (‘Open your heart to the universe!’) point the way towards healing, but we know right away that that’s a journey Tōth is still on. The perfectly crafted Spiraling is pop at its most emotional, and Tōth at his most widescreen. Wreathed by curlicues of trumpet and with a chorus thickened by distorted guitar, it is at once airy and weighty. Thoughts Are Like Clouds has a melodic simplicity that the Monkees would be proud of, but the lyrics engage in a fight to stave off nihilism. Easy has the same sort of effortless downtrodden slacker vibes as Mark Linkous or Alex G at his best.
It’s hard to describe quite where And The Voice Said fits in the grand scheme of things. It’s more polished – and more musically accomplished – than many anti-folk albums, but there’s a grungy slacker aesthetic that steers it away from chamber-folk or pure pop. But this doesn’t matter. Tōth has always been somewhat genre-slippery; it’s proof of his unwillingness to stay in one place for too long, and that’s something to be celebrated. There aren’t too many musicians making heart-on-sleeve emotional rollercoasters with this much control, poise and skill. And The Voice Said moves in all directions at once, and ends up exactly where it should be.
And The Voice Said (February 27th, 2026) Egghunt/Northern Spy
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