TAROCK MUSIC

Cry Tomorrow has a unique sound unlike any other.  It’s rare that you hear flat-out rock and roll attitude supported by innovative synthesizers, and in this reincarnation The Reds pull it off brilliantly with a truly unique style.

The Reds began in Philadelphia in 1977 with the original line-up of Rick Shaffer (vocals & guitar), Bruce Cohen (keyboards), Tommy Geddes (drums), and Jim Peters (bass).  They were one of the most powerful guitar and keyboard-based bands of the late New Wave.  Several albums later, they evolved into this album’s duo of Rick Shaffer and Bruce Cohen, backed by producer Mike Thorne’s rhythm and synthesizers.

One of the most forceful combinations ever of rock ‘n roll attitude and tough synthesizers, Cry Tomorrow was first released in 1992 by Tarock Music, and was an outstanding powerful album.  In 2001 a reworked version of it’s a menacingly modern sound, worthy of far greater exposure, was re-released on The Stereo Society label.  With an immediately identifiable sound, the combination of droning keyboards and guitar, combined with Shaffer’s haunting vocals, they deliver hooks that creep insidiously into memory.

The atmosphere ranges from introspective moody to flat-out aggressive.  On some tracks, the group is backed by some of New York’s notable session vocalists, BJ Nelson, Tawatha Agee and Gina Taylor.  Particular standouts are the title track, Cry Tomorrow, Torn And Frayed, the sinister Waiting For You, and a radical take of the Rolling Stones’ Gimme Shelter.

The Cry Tomorrow  video was directed by Michael Hilf, and filmed on location in New York City.  And, Terror In My Heart was licensed for the film, Nightmare On Elm Street 2 – Freddy’s Revenge.

∎ Tarock Music, February 2, 1992