Tommorow

I'm a big fan of Tomorrow's only record (I bought an expanded CD with bonus tracks that include non-album singles and some extra tracks) ... IMO if you're a big psych fan ... this is an essential purchase ... this is what I said in my review  ...

If these were the Psycharchives, Tomorrow's sole album could have retired happily on the basis of the whopping 5 stars I would have accorded it. For I believe this Steve Howe-inspired nugget to be one of the finest examples of late 60s British psychedelic rock. Unfortunately, I cannot in good conscience recommend it wholeheartedly to all you proggers out there, so I guess a minor history lesson is in order.

The UK psych scene of the late 60s produced many quality works that might well appeal to progressive fans. Some of the bands responsible for these classics include Pink Floyd, Moody Blues, Traffic, Procol Harum, Quintessence and Soft Machine who eventually evolved in a more progressive direction and thus are listed in these archives. Other bands like The Zombies (Odessey And Oracle), The Pretty Things (S.F. Sorrow), Spooky Tooth (Spooky Two), The Small Faces (Ogden's Nut Gone Flake), Nirvana (The Story Of Simon Simopath and All Of Us) and indeed The Beatles (Revolver, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Magical Mystery Tour) never made that progression. Tomorrow belongs in the latter category. As far as I'm concerned Tomorrow's eponymous album is a stunning psych album that probably only made it on the archives because one of the group's members went on to became progressive rock's greatest guitarist.

The album itself contains some of my favourite moments of psychedelic rock in the form of My White Bicycle (later covered by rockers Nazareth), the sitar-driven Real Life Permanent Dream, the compulsive Revolution, the aching Hallucinations and a stupendous cover of The Byrds' Why (which was actually just a single B-side tagged on this CD as a bonus track). Allied to the Beatlesque pop of Colonel Brown, Shy Boy, The Incredible Journey Of Timothy Chase, Three Jolly Little Dwarfs and a passable cover of Strawberry Fields Forever that doesn't quite compare to the original (how could it?), but still manages to still comfortably alongside the other tracks, Tomorrow is a mesmerizing, seamless example of top-notch psychedelic rock.

Aside from Why and the equally compelling Claramount Lake (incidentally Howe's trademark playing is most apparent on these two cuts), the bonus tracks include (the rhythm section's side project) The Aquarian Age's marvellous 10,000 Words In A Cardboard Box as well as its absolutely atrocious Good Wizzard Meets Naughty Wizzard. There are also four tracks from Tomorrow's lead singer Keith West including Kinks-influenced tracks like On A Saturday and The Kid Was A Killer but regrettably not his hit single Teenage Opera. There's also a bit of a musical whodunnit courtesy of two totally different songs both called Now Your Time Has come!

In a prog-rock context this is hardly essential, but to a psych fan, it's an absolute peach of a discovery just waiting for you. ... 64% on the MPV scale

Tomorow's album is an essential part of any prog and psychedelic rock collection, up there with PF "Piper at the Gates of Dawn," Pretty Things "SF Sorrow" The Who "Tommy" and a few others. But you can't lose. Buy it!

MattiR wrote: I was listening to Tomorrow last year. I thought it was a good band. But it wasn't. Nothing special. A lot of dull, not interesting music.

I could not disagree more vehemently. This CD is a fantastic experience that grows on you with each repeated listening. Granted, some of the added "bonus tracks" are not worthwhile (and frankly shouldn't be on this release), but the core tracks from the lp are wildly psychedelic and inspired and melodic and energetic. All members, not just Steve Howe, contribute to this awesome sparkling gem of an lp. I pity those whose music sensibility cannot appreciate Tomorrow.

Dick Heath wrote: Glad there was a clarification and correction to the thread title spelling of Tomorrow. For instance, Toomorrow was an Aussie girl/boy band in a movie/OST, featuring a young Olivia Newton-John (aka oblivion neutron bomb) and John Farrar (who later formed a faux-CSN band with Shadows in limbo, Hank Marvin and Bruce Welch, unsurprisingly called Marvin Welch & Farrar)

God, she is so cute!

If you want a better indication of Howe's development pre-Yes I suggest to check out  Steve Howe's Mothballs (RPM Records):
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0000061AT/qid=1142 425333/sr=1-27/ref=sr_1_2_27/026-3409414-4590000 :

on which you'll find my favourite Tomorrow tracks, plus some examples of tunes by Bodast in which Howe was developing riffs heard of The Yes Album

1. Maybellene - Steve Howe, The Syndicats 2. True to Me - Steve Howe, The Syndicats 3. Howlin' for My Baby - Steve Howe, The Syndicats 4. What to Do - Steve Howe, The Syndicats 5. Leave My Kitten Alone - Steve Howe, The Syndicats 6. Don't Know What to Do - Steve Howe, The Syndicats 7. On the Horizon - Steve Howe, The Syndicats 8. Stop Wait a Minute - Steve Howe, In Crowd 9. You're on Your Own - Steve Howe, In Crowd 10. Why Must They Criticise - Steve Howe, In Crowd 11. I Don't Mind - Steve Howe, In Crowd 12. Finger Poppin' - Steve Howe, In Crowd 13. So Bad - Steve Howe

14. You Never Can Stay in One Place - Steve Howe 15. Real Life Permanent Dream - Steve Howe, Tomorrow 16. Am I Glad to See You - Steve Howe, Tomorrow 17. Blow Up - Steve Howe, Tomorrow 18. Three Jolly Little Dwarfs - Steve Howe, Tomorrow 19. Revolution - Steve Howe, Tomorrow 20. My White Bicycle - Steve Howe, Tomorrow 21. Kid Was a Killer - Steve Howe, Keith West 22. Come Over Stranger - Steve Howe 23. Beyond Winter - Bodast, Steve Howe 24. Nothing to Cry For - Bodast, Steve Howe 25. Nether Street - Bodast, Steve Howe