Tormato

Tormato is the ninth studio album by the English progressive rock band Yes, released on 22 September 1978 by Atlantic Records. It marks the band's final studio release to feature lead vocalist Jon Anderson until 90125 (1983) and keyboardist Rick Wakeman until Union (1991). Following the tour for their previous album, Going for the One (1977), the band members reconvened in London to write and record a follow-up. The production was heavily impacted by a series of internal obstacles, including creative disputes regarding musical direction, the sudden departure of engineer and producer Eddy Offord early in the tracking process, and a decision by the band to self-produce the final mixes. Musically, the sessions saw the introduction of new instrumentation that heavily shifted the band's sonic profile, including Wakeman's extensive use of the Birotron tape-replay keyboard and the Polymoog synthesizer. The album's final packaging and title–altered from the original working concept of Yes Tor–originated after a tomato was thrown at the initial sleeve design proposed by the art studio Hipgnosis, leading to conflicting historical accounts from the band and crew regarding who was responsible. Upon its release, Tormato received a mixed response from music critics, who frequently targeted the album's complex arrangements and its compressed production quality. Despite the critical divide, the album was a major commercial success, peaking at number eight on the UK Albums Chart and number ten on the US Billboard 200. It became the band's fastest-selling release in the United States, achieving a platinum certification from the Recording Industry Association of America within two months of release. The single "Don't Kill the Whale" peaked at number 36 in the UK, and the supporting 1978–79 tour featured the band's first live performances executed in the round on a custom-built, central revolving stage. Tormato has since been remastered and...