The Innocence Mission – See You Tomorrow
I can think of no better way to start my album reviews for the new year of 2020, than to discuss a wonderful new album, See You Tomorrow, by the Innocence Mission.
See You Tomorrow, is the perfect album title to open the decade and new year. A reflective album, of life’s trials and joys. What better way to begin, but to always be looking forward to tomorrow?
This new album comes fairly quickly after Sun on the Square, which was released in 2018. Hopefully they are setting a new pace for the release of new music.
This album is more uplifting and closer to my favorite, Glow.
“The Brothers Williams Said”, opens with deep piano keys before Karen sings, “The brothers Williams said you don’t ever talk. I know you best, and I see you shine a million stars out in the very dark. Brilliant tourmaline, gold and copper light.” Then the title, “How to love mystery, and have no tears that there can be no better understanding. Maybe tomorrow. See you tomorrow”. Maybe tomorrow “it”, the reason we are here, will become clearer to us all, as we live and experience life. The piano accompaniment is the perfect soundscape for Peris. It is all that she needs.
“On Your Side”, is my early favorite for song of the year. It opens with soft guitar and a prototype strings sampler keyboard. Karen sings, “In this house we are mapping songs on the evening walls. We put many trees. We keep many leaves on the sidewalks. Some days we are not sure where we’re going, how we will arrive. Some days we don’t know where we have gone. But I’m always on your side”. The melody is very inspiring. “Some days we don’t know where we have gone, but I’m always on your side”. We don’t always know where we are going, but we go together.
“Movie”, is complete with piano and soft guitar. The piano fills the room with calm and profound sound. Karen sings, “You start the movie. Steady are the days. Play to another frame”. Karen sings, “If we could be returned in the heart. Remained in the heart”. Yes. Melodica is added to provide more support to the soundscape. A wonderful song about enjoying the most life has to offer.
“We Don’t Know How to Say Why”, opens with Karen singing to soft acoustic guitar, “Snow filled-in sky. You want to return, to be loved as much as anyone”. Beautiful soft electric guitar fills the soundscape with a sound that tugs at your heart and feelings. A quiet and reflective song full of snow filled skies and relaxing on the couch contemplating life and all its abundant mysteries.
“St. Francis and the Future”, the band relates, is about, “the tiny, perfect detail of a Jan Van Eyke painting to the human longing to hold off change, to keep it in the unflawed distance”. Karen sings softy to mandolin or acoustic guitar.
“At Lake Maureen”, is full of soft acoustic guitar. Karen sings, “How many songs did you hear. This day is going”. “Make my soul come clean, a sail above Lake Maureen, sing into storms, sing into storms. This day is going.” The remembrance of a wonderful day at the lake.
On “John as Well”, Karen sings about more memories. Beautiful piano warmly supports her singing as powerfully emotional acoustic guitar plays full of feeling. Another one of my favorites.
“This Boat”, is full of soft guitar, strings and piano. Karen sings, “Things that we started out here to say went down the street and turned into a day. We couldn’t see, we could not explain. We couldn’t see it; we could not explain”. In between, her beautiful voice, soft strings and piano that stir emotions.
“Mary Margaret in Mid-Air”, is the only song not sung by Karen. Don Peris sings this song, set to soft acoustic guitar, which would fit brilliantly on any Simon and Garfunkel album you would choose. Even the title sounds like a S&G song. Just the perfect addition to this album. Deep piano and acoustic guitar as Karen joins in singing with her husband.
“Stars that Fall Away from Us”, opens with fast plucked acoustic guitar or mandolin. Karen sings, “Far away looking out for a way. Loneliness is a star that we all see”. The melodica adds emotion. My third favorite song on the album.
“I Would Be There”, is full of pump organ, strings, piano and acoustic guitar. Karen sings, “So high over the street. Now that everything’s different. It is an epic ending to one of the best albums you will hear this year.
See You Tomorrow is a wonderful album for anytime of the year, but especially poignant in winter, when nature sleeps and we all take time some to collectively assess where we are and where we are going in the future. My favorite album for 2020…so far. Please get this album and listen to their back catalog if this is the first time you have heard of Innocence Mission.
The album was recorded in the Peris’ basement and dining room, where the piano is located. Don says, “There is a longing there to be transformed and a hopeful expectation that it is possible,” he explains. “I find joy, or a similar type of joy, in all of the songs,” he concludes. “A humble recognition of challenges and hardships, the acknowledgment and comfort in knowing that they are both personal and universal, and the expression of light and hope”
Karen Peris wrote and sang ten of the album’s 11 songs. She plays guitars, piano, pump organ, accordion, electric bass, melodica, Mellotron, and an old, prototype strings sampler keyboard. Don Peris contributes guitars, drums and timpani, vocal harmonies, and sings lead vocal on the song he wrote, “Mary Margaret In Mid-Air”. Fellow founder member Mike Bitts adds upright bass to four songs including songs, 2, 7, 9 and 11.
See You Tomorrow, will be released on January
17, 2020.
Track List
- The Brothers Williams Said – 3:31
- On Your Side – 3:35
- Movie – 2:35
- We Don’t Know How to Say Why – 3:51
- St. Francis and the Future – 2:33
- At Lake Maureen – 1:59
- John as Well – 4:20
- This Boat – 2:35
- Mary Margaret in Mid-Air – 3:01
- Stars that Fall Away from Us – 2:40
- I Would Be There – 4:16
https://theinnocencemission.bandcamp.com/album/see-you-tomorrow
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1QpNCory2Dii-Ux-AUVx9g
Always enjoy their albums and looking forward to buying this one. Hopefully they will tour this year. Please brighten the U.K. in 2 020.