Customer Reviews

Foundling

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

As an avid fan, even I was getting a little tired of cheesy love songs with cheeky lyrics that have come since White Ladder. Foundling abandons all that, and comes at you with inward, intimate, and beautiful songs.

I don't understand other reviews and critics that compare this with previous albums, and say it's "nothing new". The closest album to this in Gray's portfolio is Lost Songs which was written nearly twenty years ago! This album doesn't have cheesy-pop songs like Stella the Artist or Be Mine from recent records. Some of the songs on Foundling, such as We Could Fall in Love Tonight or Old Father Time are in a different league; a lot more dynamic and thoughtful.

A lot of times musicians have a hard time staying personal an intimate as they get older. I think of early records of Coldplay, Radiohead, and the Counting Crows that have the passion and restlessness of youth. When you listen to later offerings they become an abstraction of themselves, almost a comical, heavily marketed version of what the passion in their early work. Think of Coldplay's Shiver vs. Fix You or the Counting Crows Mr. Jones vs. American Girls. . . It's very difficult to stay relevant after your first few records.

Gray, at 42 years old, somehow with Foundling found that youthful, restless, passionate voice again. The first time I heard this record I admit I was incredibly surprised at the lyrics and themes of the music; it blew me away. This is the kind of offering of a singer/songwriter bursting onto the scene.

This album is incredible, and comes recommended to anybody who enjoys deeply personal, moving music. This is the kind of album to play on a Fall day over a cup of tea while rain falls gently.

This CD doesn't compare to Gray's earlier works in the late 90's/early 00's like Sell Sell Sell or A New Day at Midnight. "A Million Years, Old Father Time, Foundling, A Moment Changes Everything, Forgetting, We Could Fall in Love Again, Holding On, When I was in Your Heart" are the highlights and essentially the entire real album. The rest of the cuts should've been out-takes. Most songs on this album are a dreary drag, which is fine if you like that kind of thing, but I found it repetitive and a downer. Honestly, "Davey Jones' Locker" has got to be one of the worst songs I've ever heard in my life; the song hurts like torture to listen to. I haven't given up on Gray though; he has far too many other great works and every artist goes through their own thing. Go check out the earlier works or even the last album Draw the Line, which I think was underrated.

I think arguably, David Gray is one of the best folk singers in the world. For me, Foundling was a huge disappointment. I'm a huge fan of 'Lately', 'Kathleen', 'Meet Me on the Other Side', 'Destroyer', 'The One I Love' 'Sail Away' and songs like that. Songs the reach into your soul.

I've listened to Foundling 3 times to see if I missed something. I'm sorry to say, for me, not one song on his new album moved me. They are mostly slow ballads with no "punch." Many of them sounded the same with different lyrics. Almost as if DG was on Valium.

It got two stars because I expected more from such a talented singer.

I've been following David Gray for awhile now. And while I love his popular songs I always just 'liked' his albums. But that all changed with his previous album 'Draw The Line' and continues with 'Foundling'. It's as if Gray just let loose & started singing from his heart. He's not going for the catchy hooks or the big hit. He's just singing with pure, raw emotion that comes through on each song. I love it. I hope he continues to produce albums like this, and of course I hope he finds commercial success so that he can continue to produce these albums. He's a great artist with a unique voice. It's amazing to listen to what his music has to say now that he's just let loose and found his voice.

This is a really nice album. It takes several listens to get the nuance of each song but it's well worth it. The album runs deep.

Ever since I discovered 'Lost Songs' years ago, I've been waiting for David Gray to make another album in the same vein: quiet, stripped down, more organic, a bit raw and unfussy, brave and effortlessly melodic. Something about that album just seems perfectly formed, like it's existed forever. Don't get me wrong: I didn't want 'Lost Songs 2' -- I wanted the same authenticity, honesty and delicacy, something more consistent with his folk beginnings and more spontaneous. This is definitely it, and it blows 'Draw the Line' out of the water (which sounded too deliberate and laboured to me, like he was trying to hit one out of the park, but failed). To me, this album is where David Gray truly shines: where he forgets about the level of commercial appeal and chart hits, where he stops pandering to the surprised masses who made 'White Ladder' such a massive hit. Funnily enough, the album appears to have commercial legs, and managed a Top 10 debut. That's gratifying to see given the challenging nature of 'Foundling.' It definitely takes a few listens to open up and reward the listener, but when it does it really comes to life. What seems sleepy and listless emerges as subtle and nuanced, but no less engaging than his most commercial work. You have to listen a little harder for the hooks, but they are there in spades once they reveal themselves. Ultimately, this is the kind of album that will take a bit of discovery, but that will be the key to its longevity.

All negative reviews are crazy. No, this is not a collection of brilliantly crafted pop songs. What it is is 19 beautiful and intimate songs. I am relatively new to David Gray, but love White Ladder, Life in Slow Motion, etc. If you are really a fan, you can't go wrong with Foundling. Just beautiful...

I'm a huge David Gray fan, and I have to admit, when I first listened to this album I was a bit disappointed. There's nothing exactly catchy on here, and that's what usually makes a first listen turn into an eager second, third, and fourth. Being a loyal fan, I listened to the record a few more times, dismissed it as decent but not special, and set it aside for a few weeks.

Then I went vinyl shopping one day and found a used copy for a few bucks. I snatched it up quickly -- DG vinyl is hard to find where I'm from -- and took it home to spin it. Boy, did that change my mind about this album. There's something about this collection of songs that is meant to be listened to with the crackles and pops and depth that only vinyl can produce. This is a beautiful set of tunes that doesn't rely on catchiness, or processed beats, or anything except simple, heartfelt piano, guitar, and words.

It's not going to strike most people on first listen, but give this time and, if you understand beautiful music, this will hit you like a ton of bricks. I can't give it 5 stars because there are a few songs that just haven't caught me, but there is more than enough here to make for a very powerful and worthwhile album.

The title track ("Foundling") is unlike hardly anything David has put out before, and it is certainly one of the highlights of the album. Other outstanding songs include "Gossamer Thread," "In God's Name," and "Holding On."

And "Forgetting" is a song that, if you get it, is almost too beautiful to describe. It's just David's piano and voice reflecting on love, life, and disappointment. When he sings "reminding, rewinding / removing, regretting / forgetting," so simply and softly, it's hard not to feel choked up. Easily the best song on the album.

I like David Gray, particularly White Ladder and his recent Draw the Line. Foundling doesn't seem to have the same energy and creativity. However, I have only gotten through the first listening. Gray material usually grows on me. So, I will continue listening, and see what happens. But, for now, three stars.

David Gray to me is one of those "coffee house" musicians that can take an acoustic guitar and a stool and sit down in front of an audience and mesmerize you with his natural talent. I went up to Cape Cod this summer and I was driving my convertible along the shoreline with the top down and listening to Babylon over and over again. Highly recommended if you happen to live near the ocean. If you don't, listen to this album anyway and you'll come away from it smiling.