Customer Reviews

Tomorrow's Sounds Today

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Dwight Yoakam's refusal to "dumb down" or commercialize his music for to meet the demands of country radio are evident on this CD. Each song is a near-perfect gem, wonderfully performed by Yoakam and his great band. The songs reflect and pay homage to various sub-genres of C&W music and individual past masters (Hank Williams, Buddy Holly, Doug Sahm, etc.), while simultaneously carrying Yoakam's unique imprint and continuing his career-long exploration of the many emotions of love. If anything, the songwriting on this CD is more complex and multi-layered than on any other Yoakam album, and Dwight has rarely reached such poetic beauty as he displays in A World of Blue, Time Spent Missing You, and A Promise You Can't Keep. Whether giddy over the promises and pleasures of love, disillusioned about its permanence, embittered by its loss or unattainability, or resolved to pay its emotional price, Yoakam displays his versatility as a songwriter. And in the cover of the Cheap Trick track, I Want You To Want Me, Yoakam displays how he makes another's song his own, just as he did with last year's Crazy Little Thing Called Love. In terms of performance, listeners can only marvel at the beauty of Yoakam's voice and the great sound of his supporting band. Pete Anderson's consistently stunning guitar work is neatly balanced by Gary Morse's wonderful steel sound and Scott Joss's fiddle. Yoakam and his band effortlessly move from upbeat rocker to weepy honky-tonk lament. As was the case with Yoakam's This Time and Gone albums, I listened Tomorrow's Sounds Today thinking that next track could not get any better than the last, and discovered to my delight that I was wrong each time. This album is a masterpiece from beginning to end, and might even be Yoakam's best to date. One more note: a special treat on this album is the presence of Buck Owens. Always an influence on Yoakam's music, here he duets with Yoakam on the last two songs (including the gospel-influenced I Was There) and co-wrote with Yoakam the instant classic, The Sad Side of Town. Years from now, when the names of lesser artists are unknown, we will listen to these two great country musicians on this album, and marvel at their under-appreciated talents. Buy this album, you won't be disappointed.

Dwight Yoakam is the shining light of Contemporary Country Music - a brilliant songwriter and hip honkytonker, with an amazing ability to put a new twist on a familiar style,with every release. On "Tomorrow's Sounds Today" that twist is the outstanding steel guitar playing by Gary Morse, right up front with Dwight & Pete on almost every track. We still get great fiddle (by Scott Joss & Don Reed) but it's the steel that makes this different. Pete Anderson's flawless production and guitar work deserve a 5 star mention too - after all he's an integral part of the Yoakam "sound".
Dwight has referenced many of his influences over the years (incl. Johnny Cash, Ray Price, Elvis Presley, Buddy Holly, Buck Owens, Lefty Frizzell, Merle Haggard, Roy Orbison and Ralph Stanley) and on this disc he brings Buck Owens into the studio for harmony on the Yoakam/Owens co-write, "The Sad Side Of Town" and two great duets: "Alright I'm Wrong" (Tex Mex style with accordion by Flaco Jimenez) and "I Was There", an Owens original.
More influences show up here on two standout tracks: Dwight tips his hat to Hank Williams on "The Heartaches Are Free", and there is a real Allman Brothers feel to "Free To Go".
Elsewhere we get a country version of Cheap Trick's "I Want You To Want Me", and the other highlights:"Love Caught Up To Me", "What Do You Know About Love", "Time Spent Missing You", "A Promise You Can't Keep", "A Place To Cry", "Dreams Of Clay", "For Loves Sake", & "A World Of Blue" make this another superb album from Dwight.
"Tomorrow's Sounds Today" joins "A Long Way Home", "Gone", "This Time", If There Was A Way", "Buenas Noches From A Lonely Room", "Hillbilly Deluxe", and "Guitars, Cadillacs Etc." as Absolute 5 Star Essential Country!

Dwight Yoakam entered into a crysallis in his creative process within the last few years, and "Tomorrow's Sounds Today" is the emergence. He has spread wings made of pure sound to soar high above the cardboard-cutout sameness that has permeated country music within the last few years. While I have seen a number of reviewers say this is "yesterday's sounds now," or a "return to his roots," I believe that they have missed the point that Yoakam has made. The title is metaphor. These are not yesterday's sounds nor tomorrow's sounds nor even today's sounds. This is music for always. This music is not limited to the past--it is timeless and timely. This pure country outing is fresh and new, and it sparkles in its simple yet somehow impressively complex vision. Dwight's brilliant, swirling lyrics are woven into refreshingly country melodies, with sharp pedal steel by Gary Morse and toe-tapping fiddle by Scott Joss; Dwight's whiskey-and-sugar voice comes straight from the honky-tonks and bars to remind us that country music still does exist, that somewhere hearts are still being broken and still yearn for a sad country song. However, coming right down to brass tacks, Yoakam doesn't worry about commercial trends, and for that alone I'd recommend this album. If you have mourned the death of country music, buy this album, and buy it now. Country music isn't dead--the victim of Music Row survived and went into hiding. Rejoice.

Dwight does it again! With Pete Anderson producing and playing guitar as usual, Dwight Yoakam keeps up his winning streak with "This Time" (93), "Gone" (95), "A Long Way Home" (98), and now the ironically titled "Tomorrow's Sounds Today." The joke is, there's nothing but retro here, so the 60s-futuristic album art is actually a look back. The turntable shown on a TV is a great touch, and I wonder whether the nude-models-as-stereo-speakers image was considered for the cover! If you've heard any of Dwight's recent albums (not including the covers album or the live acoustic), you'll know what to expect. One distinctive element is Gary Morse on steel guitar, featured very prominently on most tracks. Fiddle too, no bland Nashville sound here. My favorite track is "Free to Go," which ought to be a smash hit in a better world. It seems that Yoakam has fallen through the cracks to some extent, along with Steve Earle. They were both the young mavericks back in 86, and neither has ever been fully embraced by Nashville. But they're often left out of the ranks of "alt.country" too. Dwight doesn't change his Bakersfield sound to please some demographic, though, he just keeps playin' it like he likes it. I like it too. Take this year's model for a spin, Hank Sr. would feel right at home West of the Rockies!

The hat acts on music row must hear a new Yoakam album and say, green with envy, "God, I wish I could do that." Yoakam is one of the few artists in country who is a self contained unit. Writing, singing and playing in ways that lessers aren't even remotely capable of.

With this new album, we are lucky to be around when Dwight is at his most powerful and potent. Even as much as I love Dwight I was dumbstruck at just how good this album is. And how well it holds up to repeated listening. He defiantly stays with the harder edge of country, I don't think Yoakam could sell out if he wanted to. Pedal and lap steel curl around harmonies and melodies that are both elusive and instantly addicting. Yoakam also pulls of what must be a first: a song ("What do you know...") with not one, but two, lap steel solos that are truly the highlights of the song. When Dwight yells "Awwww... truckstop!", anyone who feels the soul of country knows exactly what he means. It sounds very one-off, but it's a two word poem.

There's also a reggae-inflected tune ("For love's sake") that shows that Dwight is capable of writing a positive love song. He just generally chooses not to. "A place to cry" has an impossibly deep groove that showcases the tightness of the band, especially Pete Anderson.

What it comes down to is this: if you don't know why Yoakam is a genius, you probably never will. If John Michael Montgomery and Brad Paisley sound pretty good, Yoakam will be lost on you. Musically and lyrically, Yoakam has never been better. Artistically, he has no equal in country and very few in any genre.

Anyone with at least a room temperature IQ knows that country radio rarely plays country music. They either play country/pop or country/rock. If you want to hear REAL country, Dwight Yoakam is your man. Sure, he covers the Cheap Trick classic "I Want You To Want Me," but the pedal steel which dominates this track almost makes you forget this was originally a major rock hit. The rest of the songs on the album (except for the two duets) were written by Yoakam, or in the case of "The Sad Side of Town," co-written with Buck Owens.

I saw Dwight this past summer on his Tomorrow's Sounds Today tour prior to the album's release where he featured many of these songs. And let's not forget the often overlooked factor in Dwight's success from the beginning--Pete Anderson, a fine artist in his own right who has released a couple of excellent solo albums. Anderson is an accomplished guitar player and has produced all of Yoakam's albums.

And the two duets with Dwight's major influence Buck Owens are wonderful. Flaco Jimenez adds a Tex-Mex feel to "Alright, I'm Wrong." Now in his seventies, Buck still more than holds his holds his own and it's a real joy to hear them trade lines on the Owens-penned "I Was There."

Like Owens, Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson, I see Dwight Yoakam making viable music for the next several decades, long after these pretty-boy flavors of the month that dominate country radio have been forgotten. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Buy it. Listen. Get hooked. Yoakam is the greatest songwriter and melody maker we have today. He is a master among masters. It's too bad he is not accepted by the mainstream but to his credit, has not sold out to commercial trends. Dwight Yoakam is the W.A.Mozart of modern times. Yoakam is one of the few who can make a sad song and not be depressing about it. Very rare talent. Dwight and his producer Pete Anderson, also lead guitar player in his band, The Babylonian Cowboys,have made an absolute masterpiece. Great to listen to while driving down the highway, this will free your soul. Thanks, guys.

This cd picks up where A LONG WAY HOME left off. It takes it to the next level of Buck Owens influenced sounds with Dwight's own signature melodies and style his longtime fans are well familiar with. Unlike most country artists of today, Yoakam writes and plays what he wants, never to sell out and use poppy "hit makers" other artists rely on. Casual country radio listeners may not be into this, but anybody who has ever bought a Dwight album and loved it from start to finish; this is for you.

Although the CD's title does nothing for me, Dwight's latest release is outstanding - perhaps his finest in my opinion. Like other Amazon reviewers, I would agree that the CD progresses with one song after another getting better and better. There really is not a bad cut on here. "Alright, I'm Wrong" with Mr. Owens is perhaps the highlight, although "What Do You Know About Love" is terrific too! I saw Mr. Yoakam on tour this summer. He performed some of these tunes - lava lamps all about on stage. He is one cool cowboy. The Garth Brooks of the world cannot hold a candle to Dwight. Some one of these days his musical genius will be discovered by the masses. A wonderful recording! Introduce someone to Dwight and buy them this CD!

Dwight does it again! I am not aware of any artist that has consistently made so many great collections of quality music. He plays around with different styles, but Dwight and his producer, Pete Anderson, have a distinct sound that is always evident in their final product. Despite his success and critical acclaim, or perhaps because of it, Dwight Yoakam has not wandered into the commercial pop-country world. On this CD, you will find a number of hard-core country shuffles. No one today does it better.