Toad The Wet Sprocket has issued some intriguing anthologies over the years, including PS (A Toad Retrospective) and In Light Syrup, but it’s arguable that none are so fascinating as RINGS: The Acoustic Sessions. Anyone surprised by the appearance of this unorthodox album hasn’t been following the band closely over the years. Mixing by Robert Stevenson and mastering by Dave McNair only adds sonic clarity that matches the artists’ self-awareness. In the end, with RINGS: The Acoustic Sessions, Toad The Wet Sprocket reaffirms the veracity of a longstanding maxim: the proof of a good song is the extent to which it will accommodate a variety of arrangements. With artful and engaging nuance, Toad the Wet Sprocket at once reasserts the validity of its lifeline and transcends it.