Release date 1975 Information here comes from the album. ALBUM RELEASES 1975 USA Vertigo 2004 1975 UK Vertigo 6360 120 + Vertigo 9102 003 19.. CD UK Samurai SAMRCD-111 1993 CD GER Polygram 514412

SLEEVE NOTE Chapter V gotta Hail Vibrania Leopold the brave easy winner No Iying votes Only true vibrations keep in front Children from tomorrow take none     hysterical control No blood Wait and see baby! Vambo say no flags, use Woolworths     windmills 10 Krat = I Krim means iron heart valves Don't shoot any bullets Vibrania rool -- OK!   A Harvey PERSONNEL Alex Harvey -- Guitar, Lead Vocals, Harmonica Zal Cleminson -- Guitars, Backing Vocals Chris Glen -- Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals Hugh McKenna -- Keyboards and Synthesizer, Backing Vocals Ted McKenna -- Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals David Batchelor -- Producer Pete Swettenham -- Engineer

ALBUM TRACKS

Side 1

1. Action Strasse .................... 3:15
   (A. Harvey/A. Cleminson/H. McKenna)
   
2. Snake Bite .................... 3:56
   (A. Harvey)
   
3. Soul in Chains .................... 3:52
   (A. Harvey/A. Cleminson/S. Batchelor/H. McKenna)
   
4. The Tale of the Giant Stoneater .................... 7:18
   (A. Harvey/H. McKenna)
   
5. Ribs and Balls .................... 1:36
   (A. Harvey/C. Glenn)

Side 2

1. Give My Compliments to the Chef .................... 5:35
   (A. Harvey/A. Cleminson/H. McKenna)
   
2. Shark's Teeth .................... 4:55
   (A. Harvey/A. Cleminson)
   
3. Shake That Thing .................... 4:07
   (A. Harvey)
   
4. Tomorrow Belongs to Me .................... 3:47
   (F. Ebb/J. Kander)
   
5. To Be Continued... (Hail Vibrania!) .................... :54
   (A. Harvey/A. Cleminson)

advertisement & review courtesy a SAHB List contributor

1975 review of Tomorrow Belongs To Me

Alex Harvey's mind works something like that, and so does his (and the SAHB's) new album.

From the Roger Dean parody of the cover (at least I hope it's a Roger Dean parody) right through to the almost Zappaesque potpourri of styles and ideas, Tomorrow Belongs to Me is a collage of fantasies, a costume party disguised as an album, a gorgeous mess.

On a more prosaic level, it's probably the best-produced and most carefully compiled album that the SAHB have managed to date. Ir's also the hardest to assess because I havn't seen any of the material performed live, and once you've seen the SAHB perform anything live, the record never quite sounds the same.

One basic difference this time around is that Hugh McKenna's keyboards have assumed a more dominant role. Guitarist Zal Cleminson has laid out a little this time, still sliding in a few deranged oddments and swordcane riffs, but Hugh's playing is more structurally important, and he's using his nice new synthesiser with considerable taste, discretion and imagination.

What I mean is it sounds good.

Out of the album's two major centrepieces, one is an unqualified success, and I'm witholding judgement on the other until I see it performed live. The one that is undoubtedly happens is Give My Compliments to the Chef, a tortured piece which opens with the arresting line, "Mother dear did you hear how they're teaching me to do the goosestep/Father mine just in time they're giving me a machine to wash my jeans in." It may well be the best thing Alex has ever done - at least, that's the way it seems right now.

I'm hedging my bets on The Tale of the Giant Stone Eater though - which uses a narrative full of random images of prehistoric past, mechanised/commercialised present and devastated future - simply because I haven't yet sussed exactly what they're trying to do with the piece. I trust all will become clear at a later date.

Alongside these two are the title song, a companion piece to the title track of The Impossible Dream except that this one's played (almost) straight; and a bunch of witty, endearing and raunchy Harvey Rock numbers; Action Strasse, the bluesish Snake Bite, Shark's Teeth (lotta biting imagery in this album heh heh) and my own favourite, Shake that Thing. There's even a cameo appearance by our old pal Vambo, and something called Ribs And Balls which I suspect to be some kind of obscure band joke.

Devotees can pick this one up without any qualms. More timid souls can hang back, check out the tour and see if any of it makes sense. Personlly I can't wait to see how Alex manages to stage The Tale of the Giant Stone Eater.

--Charles Shaar Murray
C. S. Murray's work appears on this site with the kind permission of the author.

©1996-2002 dwm