Press

Recent Reviews and Interviews (The Evening Light in 2011-12)

From Penguin Eggs (Les Siemieniuk):

“Spread the word – Ian Foster is a good’un…a lovely discovery for me. The Evening Light is a keeper. Check it out.”

From The Independent.ca (Keith Collier):

“Excellent…anyone who enjoys good songwriting and performance should enjoy The Evening Light”

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From Stage Door Music Reviews (Jason Gladu):

“4/5…Brilliant songwriting, easy to love songs and excellent performances from Foster and his crew make The Evening Light one of Canada’s best kept secrets of 2011.”

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From Rootstime.be (Freddy Celis), Belgium

“Our favourite Canadian troubadour.”

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From Mescalina (Gianni Zuretti), Italy

“Ian Foster is Canada’s best kept secret.”

 

From The Newfoundland Herald (Kevin Kelly)

“Stunning…Foster knows how to write a great song that lingers with you long after you hear it.”

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Listen to Ian’s interview with Glenn Meisner on CBC website HERE

 

General Reviews (Canada)

From displayed Review @ Fred’s Records, St. John’s, NL:

“Ian Foster is a serious songwriter and a seriously good one, having cut his teeth on the local folk and pop music scene. A storyteller and character sketch lyricist, comparisons can be drawn with David Gray, Hayden, Conor Oberst, and pioneers of the sub genre like Jackson Browne and Paul Simon. A talent to watch for.”

From OnReel Magazine, East Coast Canada (Paul Thomas)

“Beautifully accented by strings, piano, and at times, the less than common sounds of marimba, glockenspiel, and xylophone, the album tugs at the heart strings…I know everyone and their dog says, “there’s a little something for everyone” but this is one of those albums where I believe it to be true.”

From The Muse (Memorial University)

“Teeming with folk, rock, and blues flavors, this album is brilliantly produced…Room In The City is by far one of the best albums I’ve had the pleasure of listening to this year. Creative, dark, rocky, and altogether brilliant, this record has a little of everything.

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International Reviews

From Rock N’ Reel Magazine, UK

“Ian Foster’s Room in the City is an accomplished collection of songs about dark nights in bright places, long drives and longer conversations. Some astute observations (“A Lesson in Geography”), melodic sensibilities (“If the Weather Holds”), and cool delivery (“Sodium”) should get this Canadian singer-songwriter noticed.”

From Keys and Chords Magazine (The Netherlands)

“…We at once get up-tempo numbers such as `Sodium’ and `No Fool For You.” The electric sound and pure-sounding drums on `After Evelyn’ are Ryan Adams-esque. The varied `Without a Mark’ draws the rock curtain on an opening, and smokey vocals do the rest. `Berlin’ is a suggestive, atmospheric number that is splendidly supported by the voice of Melanie O’ Brien. Ian Foster presents a range of beautiful melodies, both acoustically and electrically.”

From Roots Highway (Italy)

By: Gianni Zuretti

How much I love this country, Canada! Such a cold land for its climate, majestic for its natural splendors and so warm for the quality of its singers, which, for almost half a century, follow each other, great and small, each of them having in common a sensibility and fine taste that has become legendary. Ian Foster, author and singer, short story and poetry writer…confirms that rule and proposes a second most interesting CD.

Foster, multi-instrumentalist (except for the rhythmical part he plays everything, glockenspiel included), with his delicate smokey voice (recalls Tim Hardin) gives us warm melodies that are as comforting as a cashmere sweater, melodies included in songs that jump from “A Lesson In Geography” ‘s folk, to the acoustic blues of the fascinating “No Fool For You,” Foster is able to unexpectedly change the course of its songs; to make them pleasantly disorienting at the end, and that’s the reason why Room in the city is a well varied disc; captivating and flawless. I’m referring to “Sodium,” which almost starts like a Tom Waits song, dark and spoiled, and evolves until it becomes a musical piece with lots of orchestral arrangements. Then to the lazy minimalism of “If The Weather Holds,” Jack Johnson style. Then there is “Berlin,” an evocative song that makes you shiver, and is supported by the beautiful Melanie O’Brien’s soprano voice; finally the fascinating and electrical dancing song Without a Mark almost seems to be written by Cohen, except for the very Springsteenian refrain.

A small contribution to the disk from the legendary Ron Hynes, co-author and second voice on the hidden track which closes the album, Decisions, a folk song like few we can hear nowadays. Obviously the CD is a bit difficult to find, but thanks to the deserving Cdbaby, everything is easier to find and the hunting becomes an almost-too-easy game. Folk lovers -music signed with pop and blues that gets its inspiration from Ron Sexmith, Josh Ritter, etc.- be advised: Room In The City is a wealthy room filled with surprises, waiting to be opened, and to pass that frontier will allow you to meet a character which we will surely hear about in the future. With 2008 almost over, to me, it’s the men’s folk disc of the year.

From Musik an Sich (Music Actually–Germany)

Canadian Singer / songwriter Ian Foster is compared over and over again to Ron Sexsmith, Josh Ritter or also Ryan Adams. His new album Room in The city shows that one does not lie with this categorisation at all, though there is more to the music than that–Foster is independent enough to differentiate himself from his models.

Foster produced ( exceptionnally well) and also composed the songs on Room in The city  (except the bonus song “Decisions” which was written with the incomparable Roy Hynes). Except for drums and bass, Ian Foster plays all instruments himself. Above all, with the acoustic guitar he succeeds in giving a nice groove to the songs. The songs often own a pleasant drive and at the same time have a relaxed atmosphere. During the last years Ian Foster travelled a lot, to support his first CD “Through the Wires” . You can sense he wrote ” Room in the city” on the road. With this disc Ian Foster should succeed in setting up his own space in the Singer / songwriter genre. It would be desirable, in any case.

Score: 18 out of 20

Press for Room in the City

“Straightforward, pure, and deeply emotional without ever verging on sappiness…an amazing album.” –Karla Hayward, The Telegram

“Confidently crafted, romantic and reaching in its stories” –Stephanie Porter, The Independent

“Room In The City is an album that deserves to be heard and appreciated.”–Kevin Kelly, The Newfoundland Herald

“This is a man who has all the potential to become a stayer in the music scene. Soon he might earn his own spot next too his own idols Ron Sexsmith, Josh Ritter and Ryan Adams, where–according to us–he blongs.”–Valsam, Rootstime Magazine (Belgium)

 

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Press for Through the Wires

“[Ian Foster] has something to say in his lyrics…’Through The Wires’ has to be heard.”

–Carlton Munroe, East Coast Road Trip (CKEC Radio)

“Songs to affect change and provoke thought”

–Russell Peddle, The Measure (MusicNL Industry Magazine)

“Compelling melodies, intelligent lyrics and a sincere, to the point delivery that’s destined to win fans.”

–Newfoundland Product (Webzine)