Customer Reviews

How Was Tomorrow

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I must say that this cd took me by surprise. Friends of mine who are into Wilco and Whiskeytown told me that "How Was Tomorrow" was divine, but I did not believe it until my first listen. The cd is strong and compelling. It is ripe with rich country tinged rock. The brothers' lyrics examine the trials and tribulations of the daily life, the struggles we all face. The album itself is loud and rawkus at some points, delicate and understated at others. If you are into alt. country and bands like Son Volt, Wilco, Flatlanders, and Whiskeytown you will love this album.

The Cash Brothers have some magic happening. Their sound is appealing to those of us who love the alt country thing, but on the folk side most of the time. This CD is essentially a rerelease of 1999's Raceway CD from Canada, four tracks from '99 were deleted and 3 new tracks added. The guitar strum drones and the voices seem downcast as "Raceway" begins the CD. Then the guitars begin to jangle, the volume increases, and the vocals become assured as the piece builds, "I can't wait to wrap my arms around you." The midtempo "Take A Little Time" is highly addictive pop, a great stop & smell the roses song. "Nebraska" is a thundering wash of electric guitar, "Half my heart was ripped out, but I still got some." On "The Only One" the guitars drone and the vocals trudge as we get a sense of wading uphill through emotional isolation. Guitars blast and the vocals are submerged on "Nerve," "You've got a lot of nerve coming around here." "Show Me the Reason" has airy vocals to a pounding rhythm and jangly guitar. Wall of sound pop works well on "Night Shift Guru," "I'm punching in potato chips & sugared water & cigarettes & dream magazines." "Guitar Strings & Favorite Things" is acoustic country folk, "I'm remembering the wind and the way it moves green fields like waves on a holiday." "Awkward Game" is a slow tune with odd vocals and Paul Taylor's gorgeous piano. The brothers sound to me like they're both singing the melody rather than harmony, "If we could go back, would we find the strength we lack or would we be right where we are today?" "I Am Waiting," a new tune since '99, is set against the soft strum of rhythm guitar. The CD closes with strong vocals on "Dream Awake," "through the sitcoms & the hurricanes." Like the mixing of past and present in the title, the Cash Brothers come through with an exciting mix of vocals, songs and instrumentation. The music is distinctive. Don't miss this one!

The Cash Brothers play alt country pop, a bright sound of intricate harmonies and guitar-driven arrangements. The lead vocals often sound like one of the Bodeans singers, a plus to my mind. From start to finish, the CD is never less than highly listenable, and a few songs go well beyond that standard, achieving something like a bleak greatness. Try, for example, Raceway, the loneliness of a track when the race is over and the teams break down for the next stop on the circuit, all the while wanting instead to be back home. Nebraska is about driving, the Springsteen album, and the end of romance. My current favorite is Nerve -- a Springsteen-like tribute to a girl done wrong. Guitar Strings and Foolish Things, and I Am Waiting round out my choices for top cuts on the CD. I'll look forward to what the Cashes come up with next and hope it is moving beyond their influences to honing their own distinctive sound. If so, there's five star potential here.

My cd player just won't stop playing this album. It's that good. Admittedly, I had not heard of the brothers Cash before this album. Now I'm hooked. Each track here is a gem, both voices complementing each other brilliantly. Stand-out tracks (if I absolutely HAD to make a choice) are 'Nebraska', 'Night Shift Guru', 'Guitar Strings and Foolish Things' and 'Awkward Game'. Do yourself a favor and have a listen, you won't regret it. It's that darn good.

I first learned of the Cash Brothers when they opened up for the Jayhawks at the Belcourt Theater in Nashville. It was one of those times where you thought about blowing off the opening band, but end up very, very glad that you did not.

There are some discs that you discover, quite by accident, that no one else has heard of, and that blow you away. I call these the [price] bottles of wine -- gems that make you smile, and give you a silent satisfaction of having found it.

The Amazon editorial review is pretty much dead on. Lyrically poignant, distinctly dark pop with shimmering melodies and beautiful high points. I was unable to take it out of the CD player for over a month.

And there are no weak points. How nice to play 13 tracks and have each one claim a spot in your head as the "best" on the disk, depending on your mood or the number of times you've listened to it. From the guitar crescendo on Nebraska, to the sweet whimsey of "Guitar Strings and Foolish Things", this is one that will make you smile just like that $9 bottle, every time you take a sip. Grab it while you can.

Oh, yeah. If you ever get the chance to catch them live, do so.

The Cash Brothers do have *something*, but it often gets lost in their overly earnest and self-conscious songs... Unfortunately, this is not helped by Andrew Cash's somewhat affected signing style (which, is actually genuine -- I have seen him live a few times). But complaints asside, their music stands well above most alt-country/folk bands (e.g., Bodeans). Enjoy!

I just noticed that the Cash Brothers are a "sponsored link." Did I buy this CD without noticing I was responding to an ad? Wow, I'm disappointed in myself.

Anyway, I'm very pleased with the CD. The tune that gets the most attention, "Night Shift Guru," is as clever and amusing as advertised. I really like "Nebraska," which, once you listen to it carefully, you realize is not about the state but rather about the Bruce Springsteen LP. Heh.

The cash brothers, "How Was Tommorow," is the fantastic result of the blending of styles of brothers Andrew and Peter Cash. Their distinctive blend of Rock and country reaches powerful heights. The songs of "How Was Tommorow," invoke the listener to become reflective and thoughful. Take A Little Time and Nerve showcase this unique country/rock sound. The brothers display deep vocals matched with creative guitars to produce a sound that is sure to captivate the rock fan as well as the alternative country fan. This album is a must have and will hopefully propell the Cash Brothers to the stardom they derserve. In addition to Nerve and Take a Little Time, check out Show Me The Reason for a true taste of what the Cash Brothers are all about. The Brothers are near perfect on thier most recent offering, How Was Tommorow. I wreccomend this album to all music lovers and should become one of the year's best when all is said and done.

Upon listening to this disc a few more times, I have revised my rating to 4 stars. A very good collection of folk-rock tunes, with several magical moments.

Cheers.

What a nice surprize they turned out to be! I was in the mood for some new music and went to Borders looking in the new releases and there they were. I'm finding they're music grows on you. They have understandable lyrics that aren't offensive and actually make sense! Aloha