David Gray - Foundling

As David Gray began the recording of his 2009 album Draw The Line, it's doubtful that he envisioned that the sessions would yield two distinct projects. But as a solo artist, the singular creative process often proves paramount and while Line proved to be a "band album" on a grander scale, Gray says he found himself writing and recording a parallel solo album "in slices of time in between band recording sessions." Originally intended to be included in a deluxe version of Draw the Line, the songs were ultimately deemed strong enough to stand on their own and Gray conceived of a separate project as a showcase. Foundling (August 17, Downtown) "sort of arrived at my door without my asking it to," says Gray, "so (the name) felt very appropriate for this album."

Originally composed with more intimate stripped piano or guitar, Gray tinkered with the songs, adding "a few overdubs...and  few finishing touches so that they sounded more complete." But in the end, he says, the idea was to reduce the songs to "their absolute bare minimum", a process he says was "a wonderfully liberating feeling." In a strange juxtaposition to Line, Gray thought  "I can go even further with this - I can do even less" and ended up with "my private record" and one he says "I've been wanting to make for a long time." He compares Foundling to his breakout album, 1998's multi-platinum White Ladder while noting that this is also a "stepping off point" for the future. Originally eleven tracks, Gray has also added eight additional tracks on Foundling's bonus second disc including lead track "A Moment Changes Everything."

David Gray - "A Moment Changes Everything" (from the album Foundling)

David Gray - "A New Day at Midnight" (from the album Foundling)