March 16th, 2024 - Tonight... And Then Tomorrow

 

Hello and happy Saturday rockers, rollers, and craft beer lovers!  The Meista here paring David Bowie's "Tonight" and a hoppy and tasty Tomorrow Pale Ale from Equilibrium Brewing Company!

Album Info:

• Artist: David Bowie
• Title: "Tonight"
• Recorded: May through June 1984 at Le Studio in Morin-Heights, Canada 
  Release date: September 24th, 1984 (16th studio album by David Bowie)
• Record company: EMI America Records
• Production: David Bowie, Derek Bramble, and Hugh Padgham 
• Album cover art: Mick Haggerty 
• Personnel: David Bowie (lead vocals) with Carlos Alomar (guitars), Derek Bramble (guitars, guitar synthesizer, bass guitar, Yamaha DX7, Oberheim OB-8, Roland Jupiter-8, and PPG Wave 2.2 synthesizers, and backing vocals), Robin Clark (backing vocals), Steve Elson (baritone saxophone), Sammy Figueroa (percussion), Omar Hakim (drums), Stanley Harrison (alto and tenor saxophones), Curtis King (backing vocals), Mark King (bass guitar), Arif Mardin (string arrangements and synthesizers), Mark Pender (flugel horn and trumpet), Lenny Pickett (tenor saxophone), Carmine Rojas (bass guitar), George Simms (backing vocals), Guy St. Onge (marimba), and Rob Yale (Fairlight CMI)
• Guest musicians: Iggy Pop (vocals on "Dancing With The Big Boys") and Tina Turner (vocals on "Tonight")
• Musical style: Pop, rock with elements of dance, "blue-eyed soul", funk, reggae, and R&B
• Sound: Building on the approach from "Let's Dance", the sound on "Tonight" is upbeat, very poppy, and provides some nice grooves.  Of the album's sound, Bowie stated: "There's a particular sound I'm after that I haven't really got yet... I think I got quite close to it on "Dancing with the Big Boys". ... I got very musical over the last couple of years – trying to write musically and develop things the way people used to write in the Fifties. I stayed away from experimentation. Now, I think I should be a bit more adventurous."
• Major themes: History, misconceptions, incorrect knowledge, love, desire, celebration, life, oppressive corporate structures, etc.
• Tracks:  

1. "Loving The Alien"
2. "Don't Look Down" (Iggy Pop cover)
3. "God Only Knows" (Beach Boys cover)
4. "Tonight" (Iggy Pop cover)
5. "Neighborhood Threat" (Iggy Pop cover)
6. "Blue Jean"
7. "Tumble And Twirl"
8. "I Keep Forgettin'" (Chuck Jackson cover)
9. "Dancing With The Big Boys"

Brew Info:

• Brewery: Equilibrium Brewing Company (Middletown, New York)
• Website: https://www.eqbrew.com/
• Brew: Tomorrow Pale Ale
• Style: American Pale Ale (APA)
• Serving: 16 ounce can
• ABV: 4.0%
• Ingredients: Citra and Mosaic hops
• Pour: The Tomorrow Pale Ale pours a very hazy, pale yellow with a frothy, bright white, 2+ finger head with great sustain and lots of sudsy, sticky, and layered lacing.
• Nose: The nose is characterized by citrusy, tropically fruity, grainy, grassy, and more subtle sweetness.  There are aromas of orange juice, tangerine, peach, apricot, pineapple, lemon zest, mango, crackery grains, grassy hops, and soft caramel.
• Taste: The taste of the Tomorrow Pale Ale follows the nose with lots of citrus, tropical fruit, stone fruit, grassy and more subtle bready flavors.  There are notes of tangerine, orange juice and zest, pineapple, peach, light berry, crackery biscuit, and softer toffee notes.
• Mouthfeel: Light to medium-bodied with moderate carbonation, the mouthfeel is very crisp, refreshing, and juicy, yet smooth and a bit creamy with a dry, slightly bitter, yet clean finish.

Overall pairing: The Tomorrow Pale is a wonderfully flavorful and complex, yet crushable brew that works perfectly with the sonic storytelling and musical mastery of the late, great David Bowie!  Those complex flavors really work well with the quintessential Bowie sound and visual presentation. 

Cheers!!