TORMATO

'''Tormato''' is the ninth studio album by British progressive rock group Yes. Issued as the follow-up to 1977's acclaimed ''Going for the One'', ''Tormato'' received less than charitable reviews upon release and its virtues are still a matter of debate for Yes fans and critics, although many of them point that, while the compositions became shorter and more catchy, the classic Yes sound was alive and well on '''Tormato'''.
Rick Wakeman himself has said that while ''Tormato'' indeed had potential, Yes never got the best out of some of the material, while Steve Howe admitted that Yes were unsure of themselves musically at the time. It would be the final studio album to feature Rick Wakeman until his return 13 years later in 1991. It is also the last studio album to feature Jon Anderson until the band's 1983 reformation.
Nonetheless, ''Tormato'' - which was the subject of another Hipgnosis cover design - was still a Top 10 hit worldwide, and birthed the minor hit single, "Don't Kill the Whale".
The original album title was to be Yes Tor, referring to a geological formation in southern England. The photographs taken by Hipgnosis for the album cover were seen as so unimpressive that Rick Wakeman, in frustration, threw a tomato at the pictures. The cover and title were adjusted accordingly.

Contents

Track listing

Personnel

Reissues

Sources

Track listing

# A. "Future Times" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Steve Howe/Rick Wakeman/Alan White) B. "Rejoice" (Jon Anderson) – 6:46
#"Don't Kill the Whale" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire) – 3:56
#"Madrigal" (Jon Anderson/Rick Wakeman) – 2:25
#
★ ''String arrangement by Andrew Pryce Jackman from an original idea by Rick Wakeman''
#"Release, Release" (Jon Anderson/Alan White/Chris Squire) – 5:44
#"Arriving UFO" (Jon Anderson/Steve Howe/Rick Wakeman) – 6:07
#"Circus of Heaven" (Jon Anderson) – 4:31
#
★ ''Featuring the voice of Jon Anderson's son, Damion''
#"Onward" (Chris Squire) – 4:05
#
★ ''Arrangement and orchestration by Andrew Pryce Jackman''
#"On the Silent Wings of Freedom" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire) – 7:47
''Tormato'' (Atlantic K 50518) reached '#8' in the UK. It also reached '#10' in the US during a chart stay of 14 weeks.
''Tormato'' was remastered and reissued in 2004 with several bonus tracks:

9. "Abilene" (Steve Howe) – 4:02
   
   ★ ''B-side to "Don't Kill the Whale''
   
10. "Money" (Chris Squire/Jon Anderson/Alan White/Rick Wakeman) – 3:15
    
    ★ ''Previously released on Yesyears. It features a satirical voice-over by Wakeman pretending to be Denis Healey, Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer 1974-9 and disliked by more than one successful rock musician for his policies of high taxation rates for the wealthy''
    
11. "Picasso" (Jon Anderson) – 2:12
    
    ★ ''About the artist Pablo Picasso''
    
12. "Some Are Born" (Jon Anderson) – 5:42
    
    ★ ''Re-worked by Anderson for his solo album ''Song of Seven''
    
13. "You Can Be Saved" (Chris Squire) – 4:20
    
14. "High" (Steve Howe) – 4:30
    
    ★ ''Re-worked by Howe as the instrumental "Sketches in the Sun", later released on GTR
    
15. "Days" (Jon Anderson) – 1:00
    
    ★ ''An a cappella recording; re-worked by Anderson for his solo album ''Song of Seven''
    
16. "Countryside" (Jon Anderson/Steve Howe/Chris Squire/Alan White) – 3:11
    
17. "Everybody's Song" (Jon Anderson/Steve Howe/Chris Squire/Alan White) – 6:48
    
    ★ ''An early version of what became "Does It Really Happen?" on Drama. A solo on the piece sounds more like the work of Patrick Moraz than Wakeman, dating the song to sessions from before Going for the One; in a 2006 interview for Notes From The Edge, Moraz agreed that it probably was him''
    
18. "Onward (Orchestral version)" (Chris Squire) – 3:06
    
    ★ ''Hidden track''
    

Personnel

★ Jon Anderson: Vocals, percussion

★ Chris Squire: Bass guitar, piano (on 'Don't Kill the Whale'), bass pedals, vocals

★ Steve Howe: Electric and acoustic guitars, vachalia, vocals

★ Rick Wakeman: Piano, organ, moog, synthesizers, Birotron

★ Alan White: Drums, percussion, vocals

Reissues

1991 - Atlantic - CD

1994 - Atlantic - CD (Remastered )

2004 - Rhino - CD (Remastered with Bonus Tracks )

Sources

★ ''Tormato'', CD booklet essay, Tim Jones, c.2003

★ AllMusicGuide.com

★ "Top Pop Albums 1955-2001", Joel Whitburn, c.2002

★ Yescography entry