Radney Foster – See What You Want to See

Since his last solo album, 1995’s Labor Of Love, Radney Foster has had a tumultuous personal life, with the lows of a divorce and child-custody court battle followed by the highs of remarriage and imminent fatherhood.

It’s no surprise, then, that See What You Want To See reflects a more mature Foster, one who sounds alternately world-weary and optimistic as he puts forth the most intimate lyrics he’s written. Whether exploring the joys of a blossoming romance (“I’m In”, a duet with Abra Moore) or examining the pain of betrayal (the devastating “The Kiss” ), Foster aims for matters of the heart and scores every time.

To match the intensity of the lyrics, Foster has moved beyond the power-pop of Foster & Lloyd and the hard country of his first two solo CDs to craft a sophisticated rock sound with the help of Darrell Brown (Soul Mission) and engineer/mixer Niko Bolas (Neil Young, Melissa Etheridge). Most of the accompaniment is provided by Iodine guitarist Jay Joyce, bassist Bob Glaub (John Fogerty), drummer Chad Cromwell (Mark Knopfler) and keyboardist Rami Jaffee (The Wallflowers).

Other guests includes Hootie & The Blowfish’s Darius Rucker, who contributes vocals to the languorous “Raining On Sunday”, and Emmylou Harris, whose delicate backups heighten the wistfulness of the tender closing track, “Godspeed (Sweet Dreams)”, a touching message from father to son.

The lack of pop and twang may initially put off some of his longtime fans, but those who give See What You Want To See a few spins will find an appealing directness that surpasses much of his previous work.