Touch Sensitive is the debut solo studio album by Bruce Foxton. It was originally released in 1984, on the record label Arista. Two tracks, "It Makes Me Wonder" and "Trying To Forget You " were co-written by Foxton and Pete Glenister. The remainder of the songs are credited solely to Foxton himself. In March of the same year, fellow Jam counterpart Paul Weller released his first official studio album with the bandthe Style Council, titled Café Bleu. The album was notably his last recording of original material for twenty-eight years, until he released Back in the Room in 2012. Keen to establish himself as a solo artist after the breakup of the Jam, Foxton enlisted the multiple-award winning producer Steve Lillywhite to give the album a contemporary sound. Touch Sensitive received a mixed critical reception on release and retrospectively, which have included criticism that it was too commercial in contrast to his work with the Jam. The album peaked at number 68 on the UK albums chart. Three singles were issued from Touch Sensitive: "Freak", "This is the Way", and "It Makes Me Wonder". The album's lead single, "Freak" was a minor success, peaking at number 23 in the UK. It also provided Foxton with his only Top 40 hit. The album was re-released on 20 August 2001 on Cherry Red Records featuring rare bonus content. The reissue is a CD with the original album digitally remastered from the original 1/2" mix tapes; the bonus content consists of three associated B-sides, including cover versions of the songs "25 or 6 to 4" by Chicago and "Get Ready" by The Temptations, as well as the song "Sign of the Times", an out-take written by Foxton.
Background
When Paul Weller decided to split the Jam in 1982, Foxton suddenly found himself as a solo artist with not a lot of confidence. Bolstered by his publisher, he began writing some songs and got together with session musicians to record what would eventually be known as Touch Sensitive. Some of the musicians working with Foxton were Andy Duncan, Stan Shaw, Anthony Thistlethwaite, Roddy Lorimer, Adrian Lillywhite, and Judd Lander.
Critical reception
Reviewing for AllMusic critic Steve "Spaz" Schnee praised the album stating that the album features "top-notch pop songs with hooks galore" adding that "there are plenty of pure pop gems to satisfy any fan of '80s pop music".
