By Jake Mahr
Staff Writer
Foster the People created massive hype after the release of their single “Pumped Up Kicks” but failed to meet the high expectations with their mediocre debut album “Torches,” released on May 24.
“Torches” was a disappointment because “Pumped Up Kicks” portrayed the band as an indie-rock group. Foster the People actually produces a style of electro pop, dance beat that many fans of “Pumped Up Kicks” don’t care for.
Foster the People is a Los Angeles-based trio consisting of Mark Foster (vocals, keyboard and guitar), Cubbie Fink (bass, backing vocals) and Mark Pontius (drums),whose combined talents come together to form their synthetic sound.
Foster the People started playing together in October 2009 and is relatively new to the music industry. They released their self-titled EP in January, which was a great success for the group.
Their reputation started to slide downhill, however, after the release of “Torches.” Although many people lost interest in the band’s music, the loyal fans maintained their support. However, the failure of “Torches” runs deeper than a simple mislabeling; the album lacks the depth and variety necessary for artistic success.
The three songs released on their EP were the strongest of any songs on their full-length album because of their originality and energetic beats. Yet it seems that Foster the People can’t hold greatness for more than three songs.
The other songs on the album are merely repeats of the first three, containing cheesy choruses, mediocre lyrics and tunes. A general lack of musical substance is Foster the People’s greatest issue.
“Torches” is filled with bouncy bubble-gum melodies and lyrics that are meaningless. Synthesizers are used too frequently, and it is extremely difficult to distinguish any musical quality within each song.
Foster the People is often compared to groups such as Passion Pit and MGMT, who have similar electronic sounds. Yet there is one aspect that Foster the People is missing: depth and clarity of mood and feeling. The band fails to convey whether a song should express cheerfulness, sorrow, anger or hatred.
Another factor that plays into the disappointment of the album is Mark Foster’s soft, falsetto voice. This causes the lyrics to slip away into the background noise, having little or no impact on the songs.
“Torches” has no variety and the lyrics are often the only way the songs can be distinguished from one another.
Yet, all of the blame for the disappointment must not fall solely on the band. Much of the disappointment was a result of their exposure on many alternative radio stations due to the misleading “Pumped Up Kicks.” This caused a lot of attention from people who wouldn’t normally enjoy this style of music.
“Torches” failed to deliver on all fronts, with a blatant lack of emotion and variety. A boring attempt at indie electro pop, Foster the People’s debut neither reached its appropriate audience nor satisfied those who had the misfortune to hear it. The album is available in most music stores on CD-ROM and vinyl, as well as iTunes and other online music downloading sites.
The album was nominated for best alternative album at the Grammys, it has had 4 singles that have charted in the US, it hit #1 on Billboard Rock and Alternative charts (and number 8 on Billboard 200).
I have no idea what you’re basing this article on.. maybe it disappointed you, but many more people liked it.