Clad in a coat of psychedelic delusions, Tomorrow checks in as one of the best albums of its colorful kind. Yes stalwart Steve Howe was originally part of this group, which unveiled their self-titled LP on the Parlophone label in February 1968.
Reissued by See For Miles Records in 1991, Tomorrow launches in fascinating form to “My White Bicycle,” spinning and sputtering with backward guitars and jolting breaks. Whispery vocals further give the song a strange and spacey bent. Although “My White Bicycle” sports lysergic-looped lyrics, the statement is actually an ode to Dutch anarchists.
Propelled by clanging sitars and racing rhythms, “Real Life Permanent Dream” holds steady as another sliver-studded stunner on Tomorrow. Commercial pop aspirations rise to the top on cuts such as the bubbly dance hall-flavored “Shy Boy” and “Auntie Mary’s Dress Shop,” which hops and skips along at a bright and buoyant pace to the tugging tune of tinkling piano fills and cheery melody lines.
Reflections of the West Coast sound, leaning toward a cool collaboration of the Grateful Dead and Younger Than Yesterday-era Byrds, creep into the crevices of “Now Your Time Has Come” with spurts of impressive improvisational moves and challenging but catchy arrangements.
A hard and heavy angle additionally drives the wildly intimidating “Revolution.” This shares no kinship with the Beatles song, and was in fact recorded nearly a year after Tomorrow released it as a single. While we’re on the subject of John, Paul, George and Ringo, a fine and faithful cover of “Strawberry Fields Forever” is included on the disc.
Shaped of dazzling instrumentation, neat harmonies and a bottomless pit of snappy hooks, Tomorrow balances power with sugar-scented giddiness with superb results. Steve Howe and company were just at ease producing acid-drenched anthems dripping with ambitious tempo changes as they were singing quirky pop ditties.
Following the arrival of what was to be their lone LP, Tomorrow split. Drummer Twink soon found a home with the Pretty Things, while Howe joined Yes and exercised his progressive-rock impulses to even greater effects.
- How ‘Hollies Sing Hollies’ Showed New Promise After Graham Nash’s Exit - November 14, 2024
- Barry Melton on Country Joe and the Fish, Woodstock – and That Chant - August 15, 2024
- Bachman-Turner Overdrive Set a New Standard With ‘Not Fragile’ - August 7, 2024
I bet XTC, in their guise as alter-egos The Dukes of Statosphear, listened closely to this album…