The Dave Foster Band – Maybe They’ll Come Back For
Maybe They’ll Come Back For Us (EN)
Marillion fans will quite likely have found out a long time ago about the talents of Dave Foster. Not only was he a member of Mr So & So, the band’s support act during the This Strange Engine tour, he also featured as the live guitarist alongside Steve Rothery on his The Wishing Tree project. Even so, more recently, for quite some time as yet, he featured on guitar alongside Steve in the Steve Rothery Band’s very successful live shows. In fact, he co-wrote the songs on Steve’s beautiful instrumental album The Ghosts Of Pripyat.
In case you missed all that and missed out on his band supporting Marillion at last year’s Marillion weekend in Port Zélande, there still is the chance, most certainly if prog is really your cup of tea that you might have seen him earlier performing with either Panic Room or Big Big Train. Precisely because of commitments with both his own band and the Steve Rothery Band, he has since said goodbye to the latter two; Panic Room already quite some time ago and Big Big Train recently with a final contribution to their performance at Night Of The Prog.
With two recent live performances by the Steve Rothery Band (SRB) still clearly in mind (Midsummer Prog in Valkenburg, Night Of The Prog, Sankt Goarshausen, the Loreley) ánd last year even two evenings with a real Steve Rothery Band Weekend in memory, the image of the highly energetic, always smiling, very driven and highly skilled guitarist instantly comes to mind.
When you take into account that Dave co-wrote with Steve on songs of the album and that he was given ample space during Steve’s gigs to showcase his guitar playing as well, furthermore that Dave followed in the footsteps of none other than Dave Gregory with Big Big Train and also co-wrote music for Big Big Train, you already know about Dave’s skills on the six strings. If you then include his enthusiasm on stages, all you need to know further about his playing is that yes, you should, yes, you must just get round to listen to it.
In The Dave Foster Band, Dutch singer Dinet Poortman is his regular buddy and vocalist. Once introduced to each other by the aforementioned Steve Rothery, the two hit it off with a chemistry that manifests itself very strongly in being able to create songs together. Together they are the core of The Dave Foster Band. Listening to the eight tracks on this album, you can also clearly hearthat the songs are recorded with a natural suppleness. When the album starts, it is very likely that you will be listening with bated breath.
Just how beautiful is Dave’s intro to Sleep Spindles? And where exactly is the song going? Not hard to imagine, this one, as a very convincing concert opener. And when the song then starts to flow after the intro, with those lovely playful bass lines, played by Dave indeed and Dinet’s voice singing the song with the necessary panache, your attention gets fully drawn to what the band offers. Right there and then. And, mind you: Dave also takes care of the keys here. So he is not only a gifted guitarist and songwriter, he also handles more than just the six strings, he stands his ground in terms of instrumental prowess. The vocals are well balanced in the mix here. Well done by the producer, again, Dave Foster. The two have written a very fine opening track, which is perfectly balanced, both in terms of instrumentation and vocals, as well as the extent to which it builds and in the way it delivers. Leon Parr, buddy both with SRB and Mr So & So provides the drumming and percussion on the album. Also note how the vocal lines are laid down: exquisitely written and performed.
Talent To Failure has the bass work of Mark King, of Level 42 fame. Of course, this stands up to scrutiny, but again, do reflect on how the song was constructed and how it was recorded. It may well be more accessible, still, the combination works very well and again, you can imagine how this willsound live. Dave’s guitar work shows both his tasteful side and his speed and he balances both well here. This is a song that does get stuck in your head, as wonderful as it is in terms of build-up as well as energy.
Dinet is not just there to show off the power of her voice next to Dave’s guitar. Just listen to Pollyanna. Fine vocal lines, yes, Dinet sounds powerful, but not only that. Her voice also just hits you in the quieter parts of the song. And there are plenty of those in this song. With a sophisticated string arrangement, featuring violins, viola and cello, it is a beautiful poppy ballad in which the strings are never too much, but rather a strong addition to the song. Dinet and Dave make choices, evidently, so here they consciously opted for real strings while in other places the texture is filled in with keyboards. They both have good songwriting and quite the arranging skills.
Listen to Leon Parr’s percussion, Neil Fairclough’s refined bass playing, who in everyday life happens to the bass player for Queen, amazing. How subtle does Dave show himself here? The key word is variety again. Once you have listened to the album like this a couple of times, you go along with the flow of the album, you just feel it. The album is just classy! And, again, listen to how beautiful Dinet’s voice sounds here.
These Tendencies again highlights how the two write together. The song starts with an underlying tension, well heard in the bass loop as well as in Dave’s guitar and, while you’re still pondering how the song will continue, Dinet takes you by the hand and before you know it, you’re enjoying the fact that this is the song that houses the album’s title. Contrast between the tension in the instruments and precisely the relaxation with which Dinet sings: it sounds far from contrived and the song just storms out off the gates. And yes, Steve Rothery makes an appearance here with one of these fine Rothery solo’s.
By then, you will have already heard more than just a very nice sample of how Dave and Dinet write their songs together. At the same time, the second half of the album offers more to sink your teeth into, offers more variety, lets Dinet’s voice shine even more and makes clear just how good The Dave is on guitar, on bass and on keyboards, as well as Anthony Hindley who plays piano and keyboards in both The Optimist and Delicate Things.
The writing talents of the two are very much in evidence on this album, and it has to be said, it turned out really great. And remember that these are not just any throwaway songs. The lyrics have substance, too. With excellent pop-rock songs, yes, with prog and heavier influences -and more-, very fine ballads, the finely subtle Queen Of Maybe (with backing vocals by Carly Bryant, another former band member from the Big Big Train family) and the awesome closing track that is Whirling Of Whales (What a fantastic middle and end section, many a head will surely bang), Maybe They’ll Come Back For Us is a class album that will appeal not only to prog fans; this deserves to be listened to in wider circles. Compliments both for the writing skills, for the execution, the very convincing vocals and for the more than excellent production! Very, very great album!
