Foundations

Description

Foundations is the sophomore album by the American rock band Geoff Moore & The Distance, released on Sparrow Records in 1989. The album was recorded by David Schober at Quad Studios, OmniSound Studios, Downstage Studio, and Studio 19 in Nashville, Tennessee; with Billy Smiley of White Heart fame producing. Mixed by Schober.

After having made four albums, with the latter three establishing his credentials as a heartland rocker, Geoff Moore doesn’t need to work at defining his sound. It’s that obvious comfort with what he’s doing that makes ‘Foundation’ such a pleasure.

The album’s sonic punch relies more on subtlety than overkill, with the guitars, drums, and occasional keyboards leaving space in between each other rather than trying to cram sound into every little corner of the songs.

While the overall tenor of the disc is more pastoral than Moore’s most recent albums, with a greater emphasis on textures and acoustic instrumentation rather than straight-out rock on several cuts, it is also more consistent from song to song. The ballads don’t drop the focused intensity possessed by the rockers that the artist is noted for, with joyful rave-ups like the Lone Justice cover, «I Found Love», and «Hey Jimmy» leading the way.

The lyrics are centered around the theme of building personal foundations on the Lord, with the best example being the pulsing «Wind of Change», a slow rocker that tells the story of the death of Geoff’s father in a way that is moving without being maudlin. This is Moore’s best album to date; a fine mixture of maturity, enthusiasm, and home cooked rock ‘n’ roll. [Jerry Wilson, CCM, May 1989]

> Apple Music (https://music.apple.com/us/album/foundations/720066963)

LP tracklist:

Side One
A1. “Winds Of Change” – 5:55
A2. “Follow You” – 3:51
A3. “Tearin’ Down The Walls” – 4:06
A4. “Hey Jimmie” – 4:14
A5. “The Part Of You” – 4:09

Side Two
B1. “Red Moon” – 4:44
B2. “Foundations” – 3:44
B3. “I Found Love” – 4:30
B4. “The Fortunate Ones” – 4:34
B5. “One Candle” – 4:52
B6. “Mercy For The Memories” – 3:55

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette, 12-inch vinyl LP, and CD by Sparrow Records.

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