Howdy,
Remember my early vote for the best album of 1999? Apparently my support is
something akin to the kiss of death. Y'all better be glad I didn't include
Lucinda in my top 40 list last year. <g>
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Foster's latest deserves to be seen and heard
01/15/99
MARY COLURSO
The Birmingham News
The album in my hand might be a collector's item some day. That depressing
fact makes me want to shriek so they can hear it in Nebraska - or at least
pout profusely and share my righteous anger.
It's a pop/country CD, See What You Want to See, by Nashville's Radney
Foster. Ten extraordinary tunes, all written and performed by Foster, with
guest vocals from Abra Moore, Patrice Pike, Birmingham native Emmylou Harris
and Darius Rucker of Hootie & the Blowfish.
Forget your feelings about Hootie for the moment, because Rucker's a big
Radney fan. Obviously, so am I.
Foster's a recent addition to my list of faves, earning his place in the
pantheon in late September. I had never run into Foster's music before that,
just knew he was a singer/ songwriter type performing here Oct. 14 with
Graham Parker and Jeff Black.
In a routine way, Foster's publicist had sent an advance copy of See What
You Want to See by mail, hoping to drum up a little interest in the show.
Well, the first few notes hit me exactly right - always a good sign I'll
fall in love with the rest of an album. Sure enough, Foster had me hooked
with "I've Got a Picture," "Angry Heart," "Folding Money," "I'm In," "The
Lucky Ones" and other tracks from See What You Want to See, which the Arista
Austin label was planning to release in the fall.
When extra copies came, I immediately trumpeted Foster's virtues and
presented them with a flourish to friends. Then I discovered that the record
company, downsizing its staff, had decided to shelve Foster's project until
February 1999. Gak!
Foster, however, said not to fret; said he didn't want to rush his new CD
into stores without the necessary marketing and promotion.
"At first it's a jolt," he admitted during a phone interview. "I finished
the music and it's ready to go. But I'd rather the record company have all
their ducks in a line. Better this happens later and right than sooner and
wrong."
Hope Foster still feels that way, because Arista Austin isn't releasing See
What You Want to See at all. Last week, a spokesman for the label said
Foster's CD didn't have enough commercial potential. The first single from
the CD, "I'm In," hadn't made even a small blip on the music-world radar, he
said. Also, Foster wanted to "go in a different direction" than Arista
Austin had in mind.
According to the label guy, Foster was trying to find a new home for the
album but nothing had been decided yet. The Arista Austin pressing? On a
fast track to Collector's Item City.
If justice prevails, some insightful exec at another label will scoop up
Foster's offering and give him the exposure he deserves. And during a New
Year's Eve concert at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, Foster mentioned he
was optimistic about a spring release.
I'll be tut-tutting over his situation until that happens - and holding
tight to my copy of the stellar See What You Want to See. Despite repeated
hearings and the passage of three or four months, its luster hasn't dimmed
one bit.
Perhaps that's because Foster probes deep into a well of emotions, singing
about the pain of severed relationships and the blissful renewal of love.
He's honest enough to admit the songs come directly from experience - a
tumultuous four-year period when he got divorced, remarried and waged an
unsuccessful battle to keep his first wife from moving their son to France.
"These songs were born from trying to keep from going nuts," Foster said in
October. "The gory details are mine to keep, but ...songwriting is a lot
cheaper than therapy."
With such origins, it's not surprising that See What You Want to See has
resonance. Yet it's catchy, too, and contains enough memorable hooks to
please even the most casual listener. Foster has a voice that can growl or
wail, and the ability to create vivid images with clean, clear,
dart-to-the-heart lyrics.
I've been feverishly collecting his two previous solo albums, plus three he
recorded as half of an alternative country duo called Foster & Lloyd.
They're tough to find, but not nearly as difficult as See What You Want to
See.
For now it remains floating in limbo, prime bootleg material - and the best
CD you may never get to hear.
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Sad.
Take care,
Shane Rhyne
Knoxville, TN
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
NP: Elvis Costello, My Aim Is True
