Artist: YES
Album: TORMATO EXPANDED & REMASTERED (CD)

Release date: 1978/ 2004
EAN/UPS: 0081227379421
Media type: CD

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. However, many fans and some band members - mostly Rick Wakeman - state that the production was faulty, resulting in compressed and dull sound, and Squire's monstrous bass lacked most of his earlier power.

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.

Tormato (Atlantic K 50518) reached #8 in the UK. It also reached #10 in the US during a chart stay of 14 weeks.

TRACKLIST:

01 A. "Future Times" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire/Steve Howe/Rick Wakeman/Alan White)
B. "Rejoice" (Jon Anderson) – 6:46
02 "Don't Kill the Whale" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire) – 3:56
03 "Madrigal" (Jon Anderson/Rick Wakeman) – 2:25
String arrangement by Andrew Pryce Jackman from an original idea by Rick Wakeman
04 "Release, Release" (Jon Anderson/Alan White/Chris Squire) – 5:44
05 "Arriving UFO" (Jon Anderson/Steve Howe/Rick Wakeman) – 6:07
06 "Circus of Heaven" (Jon Anderson) – 4:31
Featuring the voice of Jon Anderson's son, Damion
07 "Onward" (Chris Squire) – 4:05
Arrangement and orchestration by Andrew Pryce Jackman
08 "On the Silent Wings of Freedom" (Jon Anderson/Chris Squire) – 7:47

Tormato was remastered and reissued in 2004 with 10 bonus tracks:

"Abilene" (Steve Howe) – 4:02
B-side to "Don't Kill the Whale

"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

"Picasso" (Jon Anderson) – 2:12
About the artist Pablo Picasso

"Some Are Born" (Jon Anderson) – 5:42
Re-worked by Anderson for his solo album Song of Seven'

"You Can Be Saved" (Chris Squire) – 4:20

"High" (Steve Howe) – 4:30
Re-worked by Howe as the instrumental "Sketches in the Sun", later released on GTR

"Days" (Jon Anderson) – 1:00
An a cappella recording; re-worked by Anderson for his solo album Song of Seven'

"Countryside" (Jon Anderson/Steve Howe/Chris Squire/Alan White) – 3:11
Re-worked by Howe as "Corkscrew" for the album Turbulence

"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..

"Onward (Orchestral version)" (Chris Squire) – 3:06
Hidden track

LINE-UP:

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