Pop/retro
Sarah Elizabeth Foster creates contemporary music infused with nostalgic melodies popularized in the 50s and 60s – and she even looks the part too. Born in Texas and having vocal coaching in Germany, her music is big and bold, and her voice is captivating.

It is hard not to find a better mood while hearing something like “Go Home Alone” – the song structure harps back to those carefree chord progressions of the Golden Era of rock and pop, and the vintage organ over that backbeat helps develop that mood to the fullest. Her voice shines above it all, making this track an instant favorite. “Line ‘Em Up” borrows heavily from Nancy Sinatra’s big hit, but it is really an interlude that ends almost as quickly as it begins. The other highlights from this short 7 song record include the pretty mid-tempo number “Waiting For Love” and happy go lucky closer, “Little Love Affair”, which also exhibits just a touch of funk. “Preach To Me” is a soulful and stunning ballad with weepy strings and an affectionate vocal delivery – sounds like it would have been a hit for Aretha Franklin back in the day.

Part B-52s and part Norah Jones, the music of Sarah Elizabeth Foster is smack-in-your-face good.

iPOD-worthy: 1, 5, 6, 7

Sarah Elizabeth Foster on MySpace. Official site.

Listen to “Go Home Alone”