Three years after Foster the People’s debut album Torches, the melodic electro-rock/pop band has released a new album entitled Supermodel.
Albums following a commercially successful debut can prove to be a difficult task for a band, from the pressures from the fans and media for the band to deliver again, to the sheer amount of planning that can go into making it.
Although Foster the People shows change in their musical approach, they manage to keep influences from their first album- delivering again with a fresh and thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Just as most people formulate an opinion about a book just by reading the first page of it, many listeners will do the same with the first track on an album.
The first song is important in giving the listener a glance into the mood of the entire album. That being said, the first track of Supermodel opens with ascending melodies complimented with atmospheric chords throughout. With its satisfying pleasant sounds coupled with a powerful verse and chorus, “Are You What You Want to Be?” does a fantastic job grabbing the listener’s attention and setting the stage for the rest of the songs to follow suit.
There are many other stand-out tracks on Supermodel, including the psychedelic “Pseudologia Fantastica,” the funky bass driven “Best Friend,” and the guitar driven-falsetto ridden “A Beginner’s Guide to Destroying the Moon”.
Mark Foster, the front man of Foster the People, has stated the album has a deeper meaning: it is a political statement, just like their breakout single “Pumped up Kicks” off of Torches.
“For me, a lot of the record is about Western culture, consumerism and the ugly side of capitalism, I don’t want to hit you over the head with it, but those are the major topics. One thing I find really interesting is our worship of celebrity or politicians…I find that fascinating,” said Foster to the LA Times.
Whether taken from a political or musical standpoint, Foster the People’s Supermodel is a pungent and unique electro-pop influenced album, and while it is slightly reminiscent of the sound of Torches, it is not overly so; the bands sophomore album is truly one that deserves a listen.
