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Oscar Caraballo - Yesterday Is Tomorrow

Artist:	Oscar Caraballo
Title:	Yesterday Is Tomorrow
Label:	Ethereal Harmony CD 9901
Length(s):	60 minutes
Year(s) of release:	1999
Month of review:	11/1999

Line up

Oscar Caraballo - keyboards

Tracks

1)	The Gates Of Delirium	4.49
2)	Heart Of The Sunrise	7.34
3)	Time And A Word	4.41
4)	All Good People Suite	5.53
5)	Survival	4.11
6)	Onward	4.35
7)	Turn Of The Century	7.42
8)	And You And I	8.29
9)	The Ancient	3.13
10)	Starship Trooper Suite	9.05

Summary

Well, if you read the titles and you saw what the sole instrumentalist plays on this record, you should have an idea what this is about. Note that when I had contact with Oscar about this album, I got the impression that the "band" is called Ethereal Harmony and not the label. On the CD however it said Oscar Caraballo so I kept to this. But if you ever encounter a band under the name Ethereal Harmony take into account that it might be the same as the one under review now.

The music

The Gates Of Delirium open our way into this original Yes tribute. The music is of course based on the music of Yes, but this part of the Gates has also a sound of its own and actually its doesn't sound "stolen" or anything, because the differences are too large. The music is very tranquil as Soon is already itself, but here even more so. Because of the not-so-obvious cover the music here can be listened to as electronic music instead of a cover. The same holds for the Heart Of The Sunrise, but to a lesser extent. Again the difference is quite large but the majestic chorus of the song is simply irreplacable. As it is, this instrumental version does take some time getting underway. In a way one can hear quite well how the composition works and how the transitions are made. Time And A Word is a dreamy thing with quite a lot of effects in there, very spacy sounding. The original is a somewhat happy sounding track, but this has been left behind, stately is now what is looked for. After a rather carefully beginning rendition of All Good People (i.e., without getting bombastic) percussion makes its first entree. Unfortunately it all sounds a bit too mechanical and bouncy to my liking. Survival is quite close to the original, and sounds a bit squeaky, because of the sounds used. Again, the mood is tranquil. After the VERY melodic Onward we come to Turn Of The Century. Now, a bit of a sameness is creeping in, in the arrangements. Of course, the melodies are generally quite different, but it does show now that all the tracks share a mood, which is rather soft and sweet and some might say, trite. I guess however this is both an aspect of yes and possibly also of the arranger, Caraballo. And You And I opens mysteriously with Cord Of Life, but again quiet and soothing and not with the general bombasm. The general atmosphere stays rather quiet and I am reminded of So Long Ago So Clear by Vangelis so it might be that Jon Anderson would like this album as well. After the not so recognizable Ancient we close with the Starship Trooper Suite. This is a high pitched version with rather weird echoed percussion throughout. A rather complicated sounding piece, which sounds a bit slow at times. The "church bells" are a nice touch.

Conclusion

What had chanegd and do we like it? The structure of the composition is generally the same, the melodies also mostly (especially the vocal melodies are usually kept "for reference"), but the arrangements, bridges and effects and moods are such that they make the music sound like you had not heard before. Overall I find the bite a bit lacking, but maybe that is the wrong approach to listening to this album: not as an electronic equivalent of Yes, but someone in the electronic side of music using melodies and songstructures from Yes and making them in the process come out very well and clearer in fact than in the originals. This is of course, because of the tuning down that has occured when going from rock to rather melodious and accessible electronic music. Giving a reference in electronic music is a bit harder, but I think seventies Vangelis is close enough and maybe Serge Blenner. I do wonder how this would sound to a lover of electronic music who is not familiar with the music at all. I have not tried to find such a person though.