A delectable medley of folk, pop, rock, and a whole lot more, Stephen Foster’s ambitious and well storied original album Sharing Perils is a milestone record from the Santa Cruz based singer-songwriter. The songs through the record are rife with melodic masterpieces all around but built on a cinematic undertone that lifts the entire album into something a little bit more imbued and inspired by grandeur and importance. At its core though, Sharing Perils is an undeniable indie folk record that draws from a myriad of other styles, genres, and influences to piece together something a bit more markedly different and opulent than your run of the mill guitar and singer piece.
The acoustic backbone of Sharing Perils is its finest peg. On top of all the little additions that go in an around it, it’s those simple guitar based melodies that really drive you to listen and pique your interest. Foster’s vocal performance, a little bit atmospheric and wholly soothing keeps you in a state of lullaby that puts you to complete rest. The songs on this album feel like lullabies, calming your sensations and dissipating your anxieties as they seep over you slowly and willingly.
There’s an honesty to Sharing Perils, a vulnerability that’s perhaps exemplified in the name of the record itself. Foster’s rustic folk tracks are imbued with a sense of emotive exuberance that, while minimal and restrained, are undeniably evocative in the truest sense of the word. You’re peering into someone’s diary, and understanding their struggles while letting them express your own. A deeply moving record.