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Bill Foreman:
Poison against Poison, Recordings 1990-2003
Poison against Poison is unique, because in effect, it is a self-released box set. Its 63 songs are drawn from nine Bill Foreman albums, and the whole thing clocks in at nearly four full hours in length! So if you're not yet acquainted with Foreman's work, you most certainly will be after sifting your way through this giant collection. Forman is a singer-songwriter, yet he couches his mostly straightforward lyrics in a wide variety of musical settings. These styles range from the rocking "Can't Wait to Be Free," to the Ray Charles soul groove of "Have You Seen My Baby?" The latter is especially boosted by a hopping electric keyboard solo. Foreman's voice also changes from time to time to better fit with particular songs. He drops in a bit of Lou Reed's deadpan delivery during "Bad & Good," but sounds closer to Bob Dylan during "I Know & You Know" and many other places. At his best, however, he vocalizes most like The Mountain Goats John Darnielle. This clipped singing approach is best exemplified by "St. Louis," which has a lyric that peeks into the sad life of a murderer. The three CDs in the package, which are respectively entitled "El Corazon," "La Luna," and "El Mundo," contain a few notable instrumentals. One is called "Lunchmeat" and is keyboard dominated, and another, "Flute Tune," comes off with a distinctly New Age feel. In addition to Forman's guitar work, Peter Giuliano adds accordion, fiddle, and electric piano in places. Other additional musicians include Will Stephens (bass), Jack Devine (electric guitar), Dan Cesena (drums), Chris Monty (acoustic guitar), and Jeff Hall (piano). Foreman is at his best when his urgent singing is accompanied only by acoustic guitar, such as on "These Pictures on My Walls" and "St. Louis (solo version)." As good as some of this music is, its exhausting four-hour length is nevertheless an extra-long listening experience for just about anyone. Foreman is a good lyricist, but not an exceptional one; so his songs are rarely compelling enough to keep you on the edge of your seat all the way through. That said, he is talented enough to be ranked higher than, say, someone that puts journal entries to music. No matter what you think about his music, however, you'll feel more like a friend than a rank stranger after soaking up all of these tunes.
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