Ruthie Foster

Like honky-tonker Dale Watson, Ruthie Foster is more of a style preservationist (be it gospel, blues  or, most recently, soul) than an innovator in her own right. But who needs to reinvent the wheel when you do what you do this well? Recorded in Memphis with producer Chris Goldsmith and an A-team cast including keyboardist Jim Dickinson, guitarist Robben Ford and the Memphis Horns, The Truth According to Ruthie Foster is a deeply satisfying record on every level — a swaggeringly confident showcase of an artist at peak performance. Even the cover of Patty Griffin’s “When It Don’t Come Easy” sounds fresh — no small feat, considering that Griffin covers by her peers are becoming as played out as “Angel from Montgomery.” Equally impressive is the exuberance Foster brings to the reggae-infused “I Really Love You” and her own “Joy on the Other Side,” balanced by the thundering testimony of “Truth!” and the wounded ache of “(You Keep Me) Hangin’ On.” There’s nothing new under the sun here; but, by merit of conviction alone, Foster’s still a one-of-a-kind force to be reckoned with.