Tina Turner Album: “Foreign Affair”

This album is a climax in musical perfection. Only when listening to this album at full blast riding in a car can one truly apreciate this album. Tina Turner always said this album described the feeling you get on a very good day, "with the wind in your hair." Tina is right. This album is a masterpiece and an amazing journey that shall never be repeated.

There are very few albums that become classics and I consider great records. Tina Turner's "Foreign affair" (1989-Capitol/emi) is one of them. Tina Turner hasn't released any bad albums since "Private Dancer" in 1984, but few of them really stand out and become classics. "Break every rule" (1986) was fun. "Wildest Dreams" (1996) was loaded with collaborations with other stars and "Twenty four seven" (1999/2000) was good but not great. Only "Private Dancer" and "Foreign Affair" have turned out the songs we still often hear today on European Radio. "Foreign Affair" is still Tina's most popular album in Europe to date. It is easy to understand why. The record contains so many different genres of music that it still sounds fresh even more than ten years after release. It was Tina's first collaboration with southerner Tony Joe white. She recorded his sassy "steamy windows" and it became a huge hit on mainland Europe at the end of 1989. The single also reached nr. 8 on the UK charts early 1990. Three other Tony JW songs were recorded for this album most notibly her bluesy rendition of "Undercover agent for the blues". European critics hailed it as a return to her roots. The title track, also written by White sounded like the best of Dire Straits and Mark Knopfler did do the guitar solo on the track. Other songs on the album include "The best", undoubtably Europe's biggest hit in the fall of 1989, The Graham Lyle song "I don't wanna lose you" ( he also wrote "What's love got to do with it") which was also a UK and European smash hit + the fantastic Hammond/Knight songs "be tender with me baby" and "ask me how I feel". Foreign affair has sold more than 6 million copies to date in Europe. Why the album only reached gold status in the US and never made it to Platinum is still one of the greatest mysteries in pop music... A must for not only every Tina Turner fan, but a must for everybody who loves popular music.

This is quite possibly Tina Turner's best solo album. Yes, "private Dancer" was a successful comeback album but it was a mixed bag of good and bad tracks. Next came "Break Every Rule" which was fun but commercial sounding. However, in 1989, she blessed us all with this very impressive album full of tracks that remain as fresh today as they did back in 1989. Tina moved away from the commercial synthesizer sound that featured on her previous two albums.

This album's highlights include the very impressive title track which I am surprised wasn't a massive hit single. It's that good. If you get a chance, check out the video for it on her "Simply the Best" DVD. Another great track on this album is "Steamy Windows" a cover of a great R&B classic. Tina makes it her own. The very catchy "I Don't Wanna Lose You" is also included on this album. The big hit single "The Best" is included on this album (probably my least favourite) but the song has its moments.

Even for semi- Tina fans, this is the album to get out of all her albums. Yet sadly overlooked on its initital release in 1989.

For all her prowess in the live arena Tina for some reason tends to be hit and miss with most of her albums. Private Dancer was a good album, but it didn't have a unified sound to it, Break Every Rule, in my humble opinion had too many sappy ballads (Girls is probably one of the most inane songs I've ever heard performed). Wildest Dreams was a few good singles and filler. But Foreign Affair tops them all. It opens you up with a bluesy rocker Steamy Windows, and it keeps you through the entire album. The album is an upbeat, bluesy record that is just so much fun to listen to. I love it. It's my favorite album. My favorite tracks are Steamy Windows, Look me In the Heart, Ask Me How I Feel, and Foreign Affair. I would include The Best, but I think her live rendentions of the song far outclass the recording. If you are new to Tina Turner, or only know her for What's Love...., get this album, you will not be disapointed. It combines many genres and is just simply a pleasure to listen to.

A huge triumph in Tina Turners long and succesful career. This album is consistently excellent from beginning to end. Its multiply produced by Tina Turner herself, Dan Hartman, Tony Joe White, Roger Davies, Graham Lyle and Albert Hammond. The album kicks off with the roaring rock classic, STEAMY WINDOWS and is followed by the triumphant THE BEST which is one of her most famous tracks in her career.YOU KNOW WHO and UNDERCOVER AGENT FOR THE BLUES are excellent, catchy, mid tempo, rock numbers. Other highlights include LOOK ME IN THE HEART, BE TENDER WITH ME BABY, CAN'T STOP ME LOVING YOU and FOREIGN AFFAIR although as said, the entire album is excellent! A truly magnificent classic and a landmark in her career. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!!