AL FOUL: The One, The Only

Al Foul

The One, The Only

© 2004 Al Foul (616892607625)

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Al Foul is an acoustic one-man band influenced by Rockabilly and Traditional Country artists.

notes

Adopting a surname from his early days with the Foul Mouthed Elves, Boston's notorious "drunk rock" band, Al Foul has been making music for over 15 years. Shortly after hitchhiking to Tucson in 1991, he formed Al Foul and the Shakes, who quickly generated an international fanbase and became known for delivering something most Rockabilly bands at the time lacked: a raw poise and straightforwardness culled from a punk rock background. With Al at the helm, their songs took on a primitive emotional immediacy, preferring to shine with an inner savagery rather than get by on frills alone.

Now, as a one-man band, Al has been able to focus more on whittling his distinctive songwriting and inimitable style into a sharp point that pokes through the trends and fashions to get at something timeless. All the cuts on this album were recorded live with Al simultaneously singing, playing guitar, and drumming in the basement of producer Naim Amor (www.amormusic.com). No overdubs or fixes will be heard on here – just the real deal, what you might hear if Al were playing at a party in your living room. The only things added in post-production were the occasional handclaps and a violin in the background of Frankie Laine’s "Wanted Man." Al’s unmistakable vocals never waver throughout the disc, brilliantly capturing the character of each song with a broad, smooth voice coming from deep inside his beer-soaked guts. Whether it is a desperate love song or the ballad of a troubled troubadour, Al Foul can sing it with a degree of sincerity that cuts to the bone.

Before taking off to Europe in November, Al Foul will be touring the United States in late Summer/early Fall 2004 in his "Tequila Taxi," a 1954 4-door Belair from Hermosillo, Mexico.

reviews

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  • Excellent rockabilly with replayability
    author: Dave Carroll

    If you don't have any rockabilly in your ensemble of music, this might be a good addition right here. Al Foul shouts out sincere tales of the adventurous hard-knock life in The One and the Only. No filler material here - all toe-tapping tracks with highlights like Dropping Quarters for Jane, Wanted Man and the curious Ever Been Hit By A Flying Saucer. Other highlights include Bo-Wang, Ten Bucks and the excellent Gonna Be A Fight. Plainly put, it's one of those CDs that makes you grin while listening and definitely is worth more than one listen.

  • Great one man band with strong lyrics !
    author: Fred "Virgil" Turgis - Jumpin' from 6 to 6

    Being unable to say “yeah” without loosing my beat when I play drums, I’m kinda fascinated by the one-man-bands. Recorded totally live (except for one song, Wanted Man, that have a guest fiddle) with raw and powerful sound, Al delivers a fine collection of Rockabilly-Blues-Country tunes. Apart from his voice, a powerful and soulful growl, Foul’s strength has to be found in his lyrics. In “Flat Broke” he explains the good side of being a one-man-band : “There ain’t no use in me having a band anyhow / just a couple guys I got to learn to pay somehow / 50 dollars divided three ways”. Money, or the lack of it, is also the theme of “10 Bucks” where the poor guy finds himself hanging on the telephone and telling lies to his girl to get 10 bucks cause “10 bucks will get me two six packs and a half pint of old crow”. But the best tune, one that has an immediate addictive effect is “Dropping Quarter For Jane”. This “romantic song” tells us about the singer’s love for… a peep show dancer. The one man band format isn’t a musical limit (like often) for Al, as the songs’ structures are diverse and sometimes rather complex. Add to the mix a couple of covers like Burnette’s Lonesome Tears, Endsley/Robbins’Singing The Blues and the traditional Rock Island Line and you have one hell of album.

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