Tomorrow — Tomorrow
(EMI 7243 498819 2 1, 1968/1999, CD)
by Paul Hightower,
Published 2007-03-01

Tomorrow's eponymous and only release is a solid example of 60s
psychedelia featuring a precociously talented young guitarist named
Steve Howe. It probably would have fared better commercially if not for
the fact that, like The Nice's debut, it arrived six months too late.
It included a bonafide hit ("My White Bicycle") with the rest of the
album ranging from proto-prog ("Now Your Time Has Come") to whimsical
ditties like "Three Jolly Little Dwarves." Howe shines throughout,
though it was singer Keith West who was singled out for stardom by the
Men Upstairs. This spelled doom for the band, though West never did
achieve lasting success as a solo act. For those wondering what
happened afterwards, some of the 12 bonus tracks tell the tale. These
include the debut single b-side, "Claremount Lake," along with early
versions of album tracks. But where the rubber hits the road for
serious fans are three rare (and very forgettable) songs from bassist
Junior Wood and drummer Twink's post-Tomorrow project, The Aquarian
Age, plus four Keith West tunes from late 1968 that represent a failed
final grab at success, despite a stellar backup ensemble of Steve Howe,
Ron Wood and Aynsley Dunbar. Highlights include "She" which contains
the seeds of ideas that would surface in Howe's 90s solo work, plus "The Visit" which points the way to Howe's next project, Bodast. The
Tomorrow material alone is required listening for serious Steve Howe
fans, though the copious bonus rarities makes this one hard to resist.
Filed under: Reissues, Issue 34, 1999 releases, 1968 recordings
Related artist(s): Steve Howe, Tomorrow