Foundling (Deluxe Edition)

iTunes Review

The title track of David Gray’s 2010 album shuffles with a sense of wanderlust. Gray’s muted his Van Morrison-influenced sense of discovery over the years and instead focused on tighter tunes that get to the point. It’s helped him connect with audiences, but it’s made those who fell in love with 1993’s A Century Ends wonder whatever became of that guy. Well, he shows up from time to time, alongside the more traditional tunes. “Foundling,” “Gossamer Thread” and “Holding On” sound like tunes Van Morrison could’ve put together in his prime. Elsewhere, Gray experiments with horns (“A New Day At Midnight”), rustic folk laments (“We Could Fall in Love Again Tonight”) and mild adult-pop arrangements (“In God’s Name”) that show Gray can be all things to all people. His versatility makes him an unusual talent and his prolific abilities — these tunes were written during the same sessions as his previous album, 2009’s Drawn the Line — ensure his legacy as a committed writer. The Deluxe Edition includes eight additional tunes worthy of his voice, especially “Old Father Time,” “Indeed I Will” and “A Moment Changes Everything.”