Tomato/Tomato are here with their latest album to shine a little light on the dreary fall of possibly the dreariest year ever. With It’ll Come Around, there’s not a bad vibe in sight—just nine tracks of pure optimism and sunshine.
Based out of Saint John, New Brunswick, the husband/wife duo are known for their folksy, washboard and guitar aesthetic. This time around, however, they’ve shifted gears. The influences on this album are decidedly more vintage rock and roll. What hasn’t changed, is John and Lisa McLaggan’s pure chemistry, and the way their harmonies continue to captivate and charm. The bulk of the album was recorded in Nashville in March. Afterwards, they returned home in time for lockdown and got to work on the vocals.
The duo released “Chasin’ Rainbows” as a single earlier this year, and as it turned out, the airy, innocent atmosphere it gives off is a good indicator of the rest of the album. While that same theme of holding onto life’s little joys continues to be explored, there’s also some more casual fun to be had. “Roadside Attraction” paints the image of a woman who is adventure personified. Meanwhile, the punchy vocals of “Kicking and Screaming” would make the perfect backdrop for a bar fight.
Even “Stupid Heart”, the album’s resident heartbreak track, doesn’t wallow too much in its own subject matter. Instead, it draws inspiration from classic 50’s rock ballads—a fun, dreamy result. It’s one of several moments where the throwback influences are blatantly clear, but they choose to fully embrace it on “Everyday”. The duo’s take on the Buddy Holly classic doesn’t take any wild departures from the original. The steady clapping and glockenspiel found in the original do get swapped for a more prominent bassline, so it results in a track that has a bit jauntier of a pace to it.
Though the album prides itself on no pit stops, it ends on a solemn note. “Waltzing Out of Time” is lazy and reflective, the beer on a warm summer’s night after finally reaching the destination. The duo’s harmonies are sweeter than ever here, especially layered over the tropical croon of steel guitar. The moment almost feels too intimate to witness—a bubble of love wrapped around the two of them. But with five albums under their belt so far, it just goes to show how far that love can carry them, and how brightly it shines through in their music.