After performing solo from Atlanta to Buffalo in the '90s, with folks like Bob Dylan, the Cowboy Junkies and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, JEFFREY DEAN FOSTER teamed up with old pal and legendary producer DON DIXON.(REM, Smithereens,etc.) They took a batch of songs and a floating group of musicians (long-time Foster collaborator Jon Wurster of SUPERCHUNK fame and old friends Brad Rice and Danny Kurtz from THE BACKSLIDERS AND WHISKEYTOWN) and started recording. Out of these sessions came a new band, The Pinetops, and an highly acclaimed new record, ABOVE GROUND AND VERTICAL. Released in the states by Soundproof/Monolyth (www.monolyth.com) and in Europe by Bluerose Records (www.bluerose-records.com) the recording drew praise from all corners. POP CULTURE PRESS had this to say about the record. This southeastern rock quartet, produced by DON DIXON and led by multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter JEFFREY DEAN FOSTER, has produced what comes damned close to being the best complete album in the genre, a band that is proudly descended from the likes of Gram Parsons, the Springfield, and the Scorchers, isn't wimpy(the most common failing of alt.country bands), isn't "cowpunk", and has a baker's dozen songs worth being covered by other artists, such as "So Lonesone I Could Fly", which manages to combine Hank with Brian Wilson and Crazy Horse, "Shotgun Baby" with echoes of "Cowgirl In the Sand", the brief, bittersweet "Lottery", and the rockin' "Jesus Spoke." This is a band that I'm gonna be playing alot this year, and one that I hope gets to come to town soon. If you like Wilco, Son Volt, and Whiskeytown, but wish their albums were more consistent song-for-song this could be just what you're looking for. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Kent Benjamin-POP CULTURE PRESS The Pinetops could become an underground classic... A mind-blowing debut. MUSICEMISSIONS.COM AMAZON.COM ON-LINE FAN REVIEW Jeffrey foster has captured it as Mr. Frazier captured it in Cold Mountain. So go ahead and sell that car of yours with the automatic transmission and the automatic window roller downers and get yourself a stick shift. Roll your own windows down, take the rural route, but mostly just listen, and just maybe you too will see and hear what's out there --- it's beautiful and it will make you want to share it with your best friends. JEFFREY DEAN FOSTER is completing a new studio lp that promises to be harder rocking and more atmospheric. In the meantime check out the brand new solo record "the leaves turn upside down".(also available at CD Baby) It contains 6 solo live tracks along with studio instrumentals and found sounds. It's got plenty of real live barroom ambience however it's more like a short wave radio signal from space than a typical live record. It's most definitely not Frampton Comes Alive! WWW.JEFFREYDEANFOSTER.COM