See What You Want to See

With just three albums to his name in seven years, Radney Foster made it clear that he had no interest in bowing to Nashville's commercial demands. His standard of quality is apparent on 1999’s See What You Want to See, which reinforces the strapping down-home songwriting of his early albums with a touch of thunderous rock 'n' roll. “I’ve Got a Picture” had all the makings of a hit, but it’s possible the song was too gritty for alternative rock radio and not corny enough for country radio. A current of anger runs through See What You Want to See, and though it could never pass for pop, it's the country fan’s ideal rock album. “Folding Money,” “Angry Heart," and “You Were So Right” are as gutsy and rootsy as any of Steve Earle’s louder works, but with a sharper edge. The visual isn't cowboy boots but combat boots. Like most guys with a streak of rage, Foster can also be awfully romantic, as evidenced by “I’m In” and “The Kiss,” two love songs free of cliché. Meanwhile, “Godspeed (Sweet Dreams)" is easily the toughest and most touching children’s lullaby written.