The Anglo-Dutch rock/pop act The Dave Foster Band will release their third album at the end of May.
Intriguingly titled and dynamic sounding, âMaybe Theyâll Come Back For Usâ is helmed by acclaimed guitarist/multi-instrumentalist Dave Foster and vocalist Dinet Poortman, but also features star turns from guitarist Steve Rothery of Marillion, bassist Mark King of Level 42 and singer Carly Bryant (ex Big Big Train), as well as regular collaborators that include bassist Neil Fairclough (Queen + Adam Lambert), drummer Leon Parr (Steve Rothery Band), pianist Anthony Hindley and string arranger Stephen Boyce Buckley.
âMaybe Theyâll Come Back For Us’ will initially be available on CD and LP formats (aqua blue vinyl), with download and streaming options to follow on 28th June.
âDelicate Thingsâ has been released today as the second single from the album. “Iâm a big Muse fan and wanted to have a crashing power chord thing going on,â states Foster, âbut itâs Dinet’s melody lines that make this song work so well for me. She’s great at weaving melodies through my odd chord changes.â Poortman adds that her lyric âis about how precious life is, and that the things that really matter are the small things. We can sometimes get so wrapped up in our own perception of life that we forget that everything worthwhile is actually free.â
A video for âDelicate Things’ directed by Simon Lowery ârepresents the preciousness and vulnerability of life,â continues Poortman. âThe main character in it has suffered a major loss and is trying to cope with it. He thinks he has been forgotten by everyone else and is wrapped up in his own grief.â
Discussing the album as a whole, Foster explains that âwe wanted to make sure that the recording process was as relaxed as when we made our last record [‘Glimmer’], as it makes a big difference feeling like you have things under control. We split the studio time between The Forge in Oswestry, where we laid down Leonâs drums and Neilâs bass with Al Unsworth on engineering and mixing duties, and my own home set-up, where we recorded Anthonyâs piano wizardry, most of my guitar work and Dinetâs vocals, which really sparkle.â
Asked about the additional guests, he reveals that âI had previously asked Steve Rothery if he would perform on a track. Once I had the structure for the new song ‘These Tendenciesâ, I immediately thought that he would enjoy playing over it. We’ve known each other for so long and know each other’s playing so well that these decisions become easy. I adore his solo on it.â As for Mark King, he adds: âwe have a mutual friend who I asked to pass on a message enquiring if he might be up for playing on the song âTalent To Failureâ, and thankfully he said âyesâ. It was exciting that he wanted to work with us.â
The cover artwork for âMaybe Theyâll Come Back For Usâ features a distinctive and highly colourful photograph by Japan-based Tsuki Kitsune. âI found him by chance on Instagram and as soon as I looked at his profile I knew I’d found something special. He was great to deal with and I think that the cover is one of the best photographs I’ve ever seen,â Foster concludes.
MAYBE THEYâLL COME BACK FOR US
TRACKLISTING
1Â Â Sleep Spindles
2Â Â Talent To Failure
3Â Â Pollyanna
4Â Â These Tendencies
5Â Â The Optimist
6Â Â Queen Of Maybe
7Â Â Delicate Things
8Â Â Whirling Of Whales
Founded in 2017, The Dave Foster Band has its origins in earlier collaborations between Dave Foster and Dinet Poortman. They were initially introduced by mutual friend Steve Rothery of Marillion and had both been members of previous acts who separately supported that group. Foster also plays in the Steve Rothery Band and has recently been a member of leading multinational prog act Big Big Train.
Given that Foster is based in the UK and Poortman the Netherlands, their first tentative steps were an experiment to see if they could work together effectively, but a number of co-written songs that appeared on Fosterâs solo albums âGravityâ (2011) and âDreamlessâ (2016) proved they had musical chemistry. As The Dave Foster Band, they supported both Rothery and Marillion on European/UK tours while working on their debut album, âNoceboâ, which was released in 2019.
 Its follow-up, âGlimmerâ, was issued in 2023 and was a cornucopia of musical delights appealing not only to fans of guitar-based rock on several songs that balanced dazzling technique with great restraint, but also fans of crossover acts as varied as Air and The Anchoress on other piano-led tracks