The constant cycle of getting pitched for stuff which we dig then review which leads to other pitches and more stuff we dig will never get old for us. And it was during a recent cycle that led us to Tomorrowish and their debut record called Almost Home which is the whole sonic enigma wrapped in a riddle conundrum.
Take first song “Against The Light” for example as it’s a little bit Trip-Hop but also taps into Mike Doughty’s Soul Coughing aesthetic along with the more recent Ghosts Of Vroom direction (Which, in turn, is also a SC revamp so full circle and all that jazz), has Pop sensibilities abound with the catchiness throughout, and is seeped in deep singer/songwriter territory with the level of storytelling involved. Conundrum engaged! But it all works! “Count The Time” shimmies in next with singer/guitarist Conner Guarino making full use of the vocal synthesizers so prevalent throughout Almost Home before shedding the sound for a clean chorus with “Twin Mirrors” following with Max Cembalest’s keys weaving their way through the solid foundation that Guarino and drummer Pearse Devlin construct.
“Cut Me Off” just speaks to us starting with Guarino earnestly delivering lines like “I hate parties/And going out” (We kid! We’re social butterflies here! Mostly…) in this Adam Levine-esque falsetto (Not a dig! That dude can croon!) amidst a stellar stomp from Devlin and then Cembalest’s keys reign supreme alongside ’80’s-like guitar licks from Guarino for a decidedly noir feel that dwells in a neon-soaked crime thriller between Manhunter and Miami Vice (In other words: Directed by Michael Mann) in this ever expanding Tomorrowish soundscape.
“Boro Hall” is a sweeping sonic soliloquy with “Close To Me” practically flying out the speakers and right into yer earholes with the good vibes the instrumental aspect radiates despite the yearning from Guarino. “Return” flows out of that with a nice Hammond-ish jam-fest open before settling into a glistening groove, “Dream” frolics in a faraway land and practically floats on clouds with the airy atmos it creates, and then “Spectral Lines” is a bluesy/groovy number with a haunting effects-laden vocal style from Guarino that causes a nice kind of Jekyll/Hyde back and forth as the song progresses leading into some scorching guitar rips before the end. “Little Bit” wraps Almost Home up with a nice little bow on top and offers one more facet in the Tomorrowish spectrum as this quiet, acoustic track ends the album on a somber note but, like the rest of the songs on here, sounds magnificent.
Almost Home drops on September 29th. You can find all the links to where you can get your copy as well as keep up-to-date on all the Tomorrowish happenings when you click here.