All I am is where you are and I never knew you could go so far, all I am is in your heart, you took me with you...

Jen Foster is a Texan singer-songwriter who I was lucky enough to been given a copy of her album by my friend Larry (thanks, Larry). It took me a couple listens to fully appreciate how good this disc is. Admittedly at first I got caught up in the Indigo Girls-style production, and her voice is remarkably like Amy Ray, so the intricate, thoughtful lyrics didn't hit me till listen #2. Now I realize why Jen won so many awards, including being a finalist for the John Lennon songwriting award and winner of multiple Outmusic accolades. I had heard her before on the outstanding Love Rocks compilation, but her second album The Underdogs way surpasses that. Jam packed with melodic pop-folk, the CD starts out with "All This Time", a yearning over a lover seemingly lost, and "Taking Bob Dylan", about a love definitely lost with the tagline "You're taking Bob Dylan, tell me how does it feel?". Each of these should've found a nice home on adult top-40 radio, and fit amongst the best pop music of 2005. "The Underdogs" is a song about gay repression that's the most uplifting I've heard in years. Witness just one of the verses:

Freshman year, Judson Tate, he didn't have a homecoming date. He asked me out, we never kissed, we told each other our big secret. He said he fell for James and James broke his heart - and I understtood him 'cause we were the underdogs....

wow.

Between first-person narratives of her first crush and other gay teens, it's not only personal but not vindictive. Foster's sense of importance of art is apparent on "Without Michelangelo", which does seem like a fitting sequel to the Indigo Girls' "Galileo", expanding on the theme of artists' purpose of enlightening life. "Amen" is a good throwback to mid 90s acoustic postgrunge, and used to good results in an effective PSA for teen pregnancy awareness. "Broken" and "In Between Poses" are competent if lesser gems mixed in, with two more excellent pieces following - "Saturn", an amazing pop nugget, and the somber yet beautiful "Everybody Goes", which is definitely the highlight of the album (though maybe way much for the already brokenhearted). Nostalgia arrives again on "We Were Gods", as the album closes on a return to her pure-folk roots with "Sun In Seattle". The guitars, Jen's ability to couterpoint her harmony so well, and her to-the-heart snapshots of life, whether you're gay or straight, make The Underdogs an album to truly seek out. By all means get this disc.

Grade: A-
Best Cuts: "All This Time", "Taking Bob Dylan", "The Underdogs", "Saturn", "Everybody Goes"
Weakest Links: none

Listen: Everybody Goes (link)

Buy: You can pick up a copy of The Underdogs by going to websites like here and here, as well as taking the easy route and going to I-Tunes, where you can not only download this album, but her other work as well. Go ahead! Time's a-wastin', support independent artists!

View: and finally, here's the promo clip for Jen Foster. Enjoy!