The Phenomenal

1	'Cuz I'm Here 3:06
2	Heal Yourself 4:32
3	Fruits of My Labor 4:40
4	People Grinnin' in Your Face 3:21
5	Up Above My Head (I Hear Music in the Air) 3:45
6	Harder Than the Fall 3:30
7	Beaver Creek Blues 3:55
8	Mama Said 5:00
9	Phenomenal Woman 4:23
10	A Friend Like You 3:43
11	I Don't Know What to Do with My Heart 4:28

Barnes & Noble

Ignore the inherent hubris reflected in the title of Ruthie Foster's fifth album. Foster more than delivers on this declaration thanks to a rich and soulful singing style enhanced by the Texan's equally formidable playing on guitar and Wurlitzer electric piano. Gospel and blues are obvious influences, notably on the Bill Withers-flavored rhythm arrangement of Sister Rosetta Tharpe's "Up Above My Head (I Hear Music in the Air)" and her going-to-church interpretation of Son House's "People Grinnin' In Your Face" accompanied solely by handclaps and stomps. Equally effective is how Lucinda Williams's "Fruits of My Labor" is transformed via Foster's controlled vibrato and a splash of vibraphone. Most impressive, however, is "Phenomenal Woman," a Maya Angelou poem originally set to music by Canadian artists Amy Sky and David Pickett. With Foster's emotiveness, her ever-present electric piano and the song's female harmonies, "Woman" sounds like an outtake from a late '60s Aretha Franklin album. Throw in self-penned originals like the ultra-funky, organ-driven jam "Heal Yourself" and the lightly orchestrated break-up lament "I Don't Know What to Do With My Heart," and it is clear that The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster is a fitting title. Dave Gil de Rubio

All Music Guide

Ruthie Foster's fifth CD features the singer moving away from her usual genre of modern folk music into soul. While she performs selections by Son House and Sister Rosetta Tharpe and there are bluesy performances, most of the numbers are of more recent vintage. Her powerful voice, which infuses secular music with the power and emotions of gospel, is heard throughout in prime form and she makes a particularly powerful statement on "People Grinnin' in Your Face." Throughout this set, Ruthie Foster sounds a bit like a young Aretha Franklin (although not copying her) and gives one the impression that she could sing in any idiom that interested her. The Phenomenal Ruthie Foster is a strong example of her musical talents. Scott Yanow