'Science & Magic' by Andrew Foster
Andrew Foster has made quite a name for himself,
supporting acts like Mumford & Sons, James Walsh, Hard Fi, Terry Reid,
Passenger, Mark Morriss, Cara Dillon, Amy McDonald, Emily Barker, I Am Kloot,
Jack Savoretti, and loads more!
I first came across Andrew when he supported Martin
Rossiter at the Wedgewood rooms in 2012 and was so impressed by his performance
that I bought the 2 EP’s he was selling at the time, ‘Russell’s Teapot’ and ‘New
Crtiterion’, and I wasn’t disappointed but it left me wanting more.
Thankfully, more arrived in the shape of ‘Science &
Magic’ which is a truly accomplished work of art from a young man with a bright
musical future ahead of him.
All
it took was one listen of this cleverly constructed debut album to provide a
perfect picture of Andrew as both a singer/songwriter, and as a person. So many
albums start with a blast to grab your attention but with songwriting this good
it isn’t always needed and Andrew proves this with his ethereal, dreamy opening
track ‘In our galaxy’, which is the musical equivalent of a comfort blanket
made by Gomez, and offers the listeners hope that we can all find a form of
safety somewhere in life.
The
second track, and one of my favourites when he plays it live, is ‘Memory Maze’
and it proves itself to be a beautifully crafted song which immediately upon
listening to it you feel like you’ve known it your whole life. It’s a musical
lullaby that has the ability to touch the soul and soothe it in equal measures.
‘Dreamscape’
takes the album in a more upbeat sounding direction with an interesting use of
beats in the background and a rockier chorus which would easily be a festival
or chart hit if it had come from a more established act, and this proves a
theory held by many that some of the greatest songs are currently being written
and recorded by unknown talents who deserve more exposure.
With
a musical nod to the Stereophonics, ‘Personal Legend’ showcases how well Andrew
can provide a more powerful, raw sound to what is usually a soothing voice and
he does it with such an intensity that shows he could easily cross genres with
his music, effortlessly.
Which
leads us onto the darkest sounding track on the album, ‘The Garden’ which has
an almost Gothic, folky feel to it reminiscent of some of Led Zeppelin’s more
dark, brooding compositions. Although it takes a very different road to the
rest of the album, it is another very accomplished piece of songwriting and is
performed with a haunting quality which stays with you, long after listening to
it.
‘Modern
Day Messiah’ is one of the more eclectic songs on the album and it certainly
tips its cap to the Kink’s ‘Village Green Preservation Society’ and other
quintessentially British sounds of that era. It manages to be both lyrically
witty and heartfelt at the same time and it’s hard not to relate to the
contents in a thoroughly affecting way.
There
is at times a lot to compare in the delivery of certain songs, to Robbie
Williams, and this is in no way a bad thing. On ‘Heartbeats’ you can almost
imagine Robbie belting the song out to a packed crowd somewhere and it’s
stunning to think that someone who is flying under the mainstream radar at the
moment could produce something that not only compares but betters that of an
established act.
Again,
this song proves that Andrew’s voice can more than handle louder numbers and
that his quick lyrical delivery can keep up with the pace of the tune without
struggling or sounding awkward. At just over the halfway point in the album you
feel like surely he can’t possibly keep delivering such great songs.
The
good thing is, he can though, and ‘Make Believe’ is another anthem which has a
life of its own in the way it seamlessly slips from the verse to the chorus,
with hopeful lyrics and an even more positive melody.
With
‘Interstellar’ the album slows right down and the sad, introspective lyrics
have you picturing a truly talented singer/songwriter playing an acoustic
guitar in the spotlight on a darkened stage, whilst people watch spellbound by
the beautiful scene before them.
‘Eyes
To The Sky’ carries on the stripped back feel and once more makes you focus on
the lyrical content and showcases just how strong the words themselves are.
Somewhere between a happier Nick Drake or Elliott Smith, this is a creation
which could fit into many musical era’s and demands that you stop what you are
doing and just listen to it.
Moving
on to ‘Sea Of Thought’ which is one of the more complex compositions on the
album, it has shades of an almost 1980’s synth sound to it, coupled with the
sort of industrial sounds you’d expect to hear in far heavier music, but it
works. It is an amazing combination of eeriness and beauty with a stunning
spoken word sample at the end that could easily have been on one of the darker
songs from Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’ album.
The
beautifully titled ‘Something To Believe In’ is another song which builds from
a simple start into various musical twists and turns, a magical fairground ride
of a song which takes you on a journey which is sometimes trippy and sometimes
rocky, and overall is a stunning portrait of a very intelligent
singer/songwriter and his own journey through creating his music.
The
final track on the album ‘Centre Stage Atom’ finds Andrew in a once more
stripped back feel but is beautifully backed by an orchestral sound that rises
and falls with his lyrics, leading you gently to the end, like the tide rolling
back out before it builds and comes back towards you.
Overall
there is nothing negative I can say about what is one of the most beautifully
crafted albums I have ever had the privilege of listening to and Andrew’s
ability to both write and perform wonderfully created songs is backed superbly
by the maestro of music mastering, Pete Maher. Andrew for me is the Doctor Who
of singer/songwriters, able to move through time effortlessly with his
compositions, whilst still sounding fresh and fitting in perfectly into modern
day music.
Whilst being able to
compare to musicians from The Kinks, Matthew Jay, Elliott Smith, Gomez and even
Led Zeppelin, Andrew Foster should by rights be a household name himself. There
are 2 words I can use to sum up this album, buy it!
