Josephine Foster - Faithful Fairy Harmony

  by Nicky Crewe

published: 10 / 12 / 2018

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Review

I first discovered Josephine Foster’s music in the early noughties at a time when nu folk and psych folk music was sparking a revival of interest in artists like the Incredible String Band and Vashti Bunyan. I discovered Trembling Bells and Viking Moses around the same time and enjoyed the individual and idiosyncratic repertoires of these experimental musicians. Autoharps, banjos and ukuleles feature in Josephine Foster’s arrangements, blending blues, folk and old time music influences. Her voice is the most distinctive aspect of her music. She once hoped to train as an opera singer and there’s a warble in it that can remind you of Vashti Bunyan, Karen Dalton or even Tiny Tim. It can beguile or irritate, so it helps if you are already a fan, or musically curious. This is an album of eighteen songs, divided into four sections, ‘Faith and Fate’, ‘Destiny and Devotion’, ‘Dark Nights ‘and’ Dazed Illuminations’. Her lyrics and themes are mystical, spiritual, mythical and symbolic. We enter her world through her music and it’s an otherworldly place. Recorded at Andrija Tokic’s Nashville Bomb Shelter Studio, the album includes contributions from Victor Herrero on lead guitar, Chris Scruggs on pedal steel and Jon Estes on bass. ‘The Virgin of the Snow’ shows off her voice and the melodic qualities of her music, while ‘Force Divine’ is a more challenging contrast. ‘Eternity’ is another stand out track with a lovely arrangement. She’s an artist who stays true to herself. If you know her music you won’t be disappointed with this album, and if you don’t you may discover something special.

Track Listing:-

1 Soothsayer Song
2 A Little Song
3 The Virgin of the Snow
4 Pearl in Oyster
5 Benevolent Spring
6 Force Divine
7 All Pales Next to You
8 Lord of Love
9 Eternity
10 Indian Burn
11 The Peak of Paradise
12 Adieu Color Adieu
13 Pining Away
14 Challenger
15 I Was Glad
16 Shepherd Moon of Starry Height
17 Little Lamb
18 Faithful Fairy Harmony

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/JosephineFost
http://www.josephinefoster.info/
http://www.last.fm/music/Josephine+Fos

Label Links:-

https://twitter.com/firerecordings
https://www.facebook.com/Firerecords
http://www.firerecords.com/
https://firerecords.bandcamp.com/
https://instagram.com/fire_records/
https://www.youtube.com/user/Firerecor

Have a Listen:-