Chicago’s psych rock darlings, Diagonal, have just released their debut full-length album, Tomorrow. In between spacey jams and waves of reverb, you’ll find some super accessible psych rock nuggets.
Tomorrow fades in with glowing, soft reverb until it builds into a jam I can fully imagine on festival grounds. “Find the Sun” is undeniably psychedelic, with layers upon layers of instrumentation and guitars for days. It then flows into “Wide Eyed,” which appeared on their debut EP in 2016, but has been rerecorded and reimagined into current Diagonal cannon.
Where “Jump Back” might win the award for catchiest bass line, the following track “True” has earned a gold medal for spaciest guitar melody at the chorus–and I mean spaciest in the most literal sense. The song feels galactic and epic.
While all staying very much “Diagonal”, Tomorrow touches on the band’s myriad influences. “Shattered Glass” has definite New Order vibes, whereas they tap into their doomier, fuzzier side for “Feels”. Diagonal wears its influences on its sleeve, but uses its six members to reinterpret and find their own voice.
Tomorrow is a great listen, front-to-back. There’s truly something in the album for psych rock veterans and newbies alike. The band experiments with new melodies and doesn’t rest on their laurels, creating a diverse and entertaining listen.
Hear the new album live tonight at the Empty Bottle as Diagonal headlines Free Monday. RSVP here. If you can’t make it out to Chicago tonight, don’t miss out on a great album! Order Tomorrow here on cassette or CD.
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