Steve Porcaro, a founding member of Toto, makes a bold, intensely personal statement with The Very Day that highlights his mastery as a songwriter while refusing to be confined by expectations. Nearly a decade after Someday Somehow (2016), Porcaro returns with an album that is expansive, sonically rich, and unashamedly adventurous.

Songs like “Marilyn” and “Saints and Angels” showcase Porcaro’s gift for melodic pop, complete with horn arrangements by Jerry Hey and David Paich. Meanwhile, the eight-minute “Water from the Sky” ventures into progressive territory, full of Marc Bonilla’s searing guitar and cinematic orchestral swells.

Ultimately, The Very Day is more than a return—it’s Porcaro finally embracing his own lane. Unburdened by the shadow of Toto, he delivers an album that plays like both a love letter to California and a declaration of independence. For fans of progressive pop and finely crafted songcraft, this album rewards close listening.