Jennifer Foster

What an eccentric trip she takes us on – and what a weird, rewarding journey. For this release, Foster (late of The Pursuit of Happiness) seems to have adopted the all-over-the-place approach. There is Blondie-esque rock’n’roll here (“Dumb Down”), forlorn folk (“Homesick Homicide”), a gorgeous trippy dreamscape (“Fit For Mars”) and a back-porch jam session (“Flower”). And yet, as the record plays out like a series of look-ma-no-hands type demonstrations, Foster manages to fill each role with an authority that one can do little to fault.

Ultimately, through this wild eclecticism Foster conveys a sense not only of her promise as a songwriter and performer, but of her remarkable range. And her band, comprised of accomplished session folk from the Los Angeles area, does most of the right things, and most the time. At any rate, nothing they do overpowers her enviable presence, her playful deliveries, her clever, peculiar lyrics.

This is a good one, folks. Think Sarah Harmer, Aimee Mann, Dar Williams…
- Umbrella Music

Jen has the vivacious looks, the vocal hooks, and an engaging witty songwriting style that'll playfully sucker-punch you when you least expect it and have you down on the floor looking up with a new-found respect before you even know what hit you. You can trust me when I tell you she's that good.

- Metrotimes Detroit

An interesting eclectic album from an up and coming Canadian artist. Mainly a pop album, Songs From the Alien Beacon dabbles in folk and electronica... a unique sound in her music that sets her apart from other artists in the genre. Featuring some pretty interesting views on life and relationships, Songs From the Alien Beacon is a fun pop album from a talented artist.
- Times & Transcript, Moncton

In what must be a testimony to her talent and charm, Jennifer Foster has managed to recruit a whole slew of talented Canadian musicians to help her out with Speedyhead. Paul Myers, Moe Berg, Melanie Doane, James Gray, Blair Packham, and Sarah Slean all contribute in some fashion. While songs by adults about high school travails usually make me groan, “Ukulele Dropout” won me over big time with its hand-claps, high-end guitar break, and catchy-as-hell chorus. So too did the nursery rhyme-like “Charlie”, the classical pop of “Flesh and Bone”, and the subtly bossa nova “Brilliant Blue”. - EXCLAIM! Magazine

Her new cd Songs From the Alien Beacon is a collection of wildly imaginative pop songs, and she brings along a stellar band that includes bassist Chris Stringer (also producer for prime Canadian Indie acts Timber Timbre and Ohbijou) and former Rheostatics drummer MIchael Phillip Wojewoda, who also produced the album. Wojewoda helped Foster straddle the line between infectious and inventive, crafting songs that have memorable hooks as well as trippy sonic touches... - The Halifax Chronicle-Herald

Sporting pop-punk hooks and sophisticated folk-tinged arrangements, Fit For Mars is a remarkably eclectic EP by promising solo artist Jennifer Foster. The Toronto-based singer-songwriter may be best known as a member of the Pursuit of Happiness and it was no coincidence that former TPOH front-man, Moe Berg, co-produced Foster’s first album, Speedyhead. This time around she’s enlisted the help of producer/guitarist David Garza (Juliana Hatfield) and the result is a formidable follow-up. Bursting out with the rocket-fuelled “Dumb Down,” the EP immediately shifts gears with a title track that recalls the sonic sensibilities of Aimee Mann. It-girl Sarah Harmer also gets a sly nod on “Homesick Homicide"... It’s a well-rounded effort for Foster who is a gifted songwriter waiting to blossom. - EXCLAIM! Magazine

How close can you get without f—ing up the friendship? So asks Jennifer LFO on one of the catchiest songs on her debut album... But the question may well be metaphorical, as throughout this album she takes her pop songs and stretches them into ’70s prog territory, with tasteful heaps of sonic decoration courtesy of her producer Michael Philip Wojewoda, and a cast of Toronto all-stars. Together, they push this material to extremes and then pull it back to a more straightforward piano ballad or three-chord rocker. Foster’s lyrics stray from conventional fare as well, which makes her all the more believable when she sings: “I know the girl you look for/ you won’t find her too soon/ She’s teaching string theory on Saturn/ she’s playing her synth on the moon.”
- Michael Barclay, Kitchener-Waterloo Record

Foster’s easy going nature and smart-pop songwriting had the crowd from the second she strolled onstage. The band played tightly, and had a great sense of humour that was perfect for the intimate setting... her bare bones rock ‘n’ roll band delivered the goods, and if they keep on going they should turn a few heads. This band definitely took the right fork in the road. (five stars) - Chartattack

Kid, you've got a great voice that you use with all the right inflections; you write real smart songs; and, equally important, you have a sarcastically wry sense of humor that's so black it's almost ultraviolet. In a day and age when female singers all sound like they were stamped from the same laconic sonic cookie cutter, you've got the powerful potential to be the next Grace Slick or Chrissie Hynde via Lene Lovich... - - Jeffrey Morgan, CREEM Magazine

On Aug. 1 at the Blue Olive Jennifer LFO (a.k.a. Jennifer Foster) will be playing live in support of her spellbinding and instantly memorable new release Songs From The Alien Beacon. This release will definitely be in my favourites for 2009. All of you should check out her live to experience the beauty and addictiveness of this compelling artist. I had the privilege of talking to her about the release and her upcoming performance.

Jeff: So you’re originally a hometown girl. What motivated you to move to the big city of Toronto?

Jennifer: It was an instinct, I guess. I felt compelled to explore and I also had a couple of close friends who had recently moved to Toronto from the Maritimes. One of them was Melanie Doane, who was from Halifax. Melanie said "Hey, move up here and live with us!" So I did. She was getting into acting and music at the time so I was inspired and saw that it was possible.
Q: How does it feel to come home to perform?

A: It feels great because all these years I've been cultivating my craft and my skills as a musician and live performer. And it's nice to come home and show people what I've been up to, especially my friends and family who've been so supportive from afar.

Q: What inspires you musically and spiritually?

A: I love music. So listening to music inspires me. Particularly music that seems to come from the heart and is original. It can be classical, it can be something from a Bollywood movie, or it can be punk. If it feels like true expression then it inspires me to do the same. Lyrically, it can be almost anything that strikes me in my thoughts or day-to-day life. Sometimes it can be something I've read in the paper, or perhaps it’s just a simple observation that got me thinking. Writing lyrics is one way I try to process things...

Q: The new record is entitled Songs from the Alien Beacon. How did the title come about?

A: There's a neighbourhood in Toronto where I lived while I was writing and recording many of the songs on the record. It's down near Lake Ontario where there are a number of factory buildings converted into lofts. And there's a huge wind turbine nearby on the lake - it was a fixture there on the skyline. We would jokingly call it the "alien beacon" and it was a bit of a symbol of the neighbourhood. There's something I like about the romantic notion of a beacon sending songs out into the universe, maybe for the lonely hearts or the alienated to hear.

Q: I noticed you have some famous friends contributing to the record including world renowned producer Michael Phillip Wojewoda, Martin Tielli of the Rheostatics, Kevin Hearn of the now Page-less BNL and my favourite retro anti-diva Carole Pope of Rough Trade. How did these relationships come about musically?

A: Most of these relationships were built over time and came about quite organically. I met Michael years ago when he mixed a few of the songs from my first record, Speedyhead, and then a few years later I asked him if he'd mix my second album Fit For Mars, which he did. I think that cemented our creative relationship. I was a fan of his work with the Rheostatics and felt that his creative approach was one that would really fit with what I was going for in my music. I felt very lucky to be able to work with him.

Through him I met Martin Tielli, who I'm also a huge fan of. I've known the Barenaked Ladies for quite a few years now, through mutual friends and through the music community. We were working on Alien Beacon while Barenaked Ladies was in the studio recording Snacktime. Michael was producing that as well at the time, so we went into their studio on one of their days off and Kevin did some really great playing on a couple of my tunes.

As for Carole Pope, I met her through the miracle of Myspace. I had a tune that I knew I wanted some help with, and contacted her through Myspace and asked her if she'd like to be involved. And she said yes. I was so excited.
Q: Moving to the big city made it easier to connect with the industry and like-minded artist. You were a back-up singer for The Pursuit of Happiness and Melanie Doane. Would similar opportunities be possible at home?

A: It's hard to say what might have happened had I taken a different path. There is a huge music scene in Toronto and it's a great place to get exposure and learn how it all works. Interestingly though, it was my Maritime connection through Melanie Doane (who I met at ukulele camp when we were teenagers) that I met The Pursuit of Happiness. It's funny how life works.
Q: What can we expect from you on the Blue Olive Stage Aug. 1? Will there be any over-the-top stage antics or pyro?

A: Yeah pyro! I'll have to see if that's in the budget... Well you can expect to hear many of the songs on the new record plus a few classics from my previous two records. And I'll be joined by Michael Phillip Wojewoda (who used to play in the Rheostatics) on drums, and another wonderful musician and record producer, Chris S - CanadaEast.com