Foster the People – Torches: an album review

As indie/alternative music is ironically becoming more mainstream. One band in particular is taking the indie-pop scene by storm: Foster the People. This relatively new Los Angeles band, has all the makings of an indie-pop classic – a fresh sound, uplifting beats, and the ability to create a stellar album.

Foster the People first burst onto the scene with their hit “Pumped Up Kicks” and a three-song EP, the tracks of which are now included on their debut album, Torches. The album was released last May and has been gaining popularity ever since. A light, summery album with a synthesized, disco, old-school feel, Torches is the perfect addition to your vacation playlist. The floating falsetto vocals of Mark Foster along with the band’s ingenious layers of electro sounds definitely set Foster the People apart, and it is this unwaveringly polished style of music that is causing Torches to become one of the most highly regarded albums of 2011.

While Torches is, overall, a completely original effort, it is not finding difficulty fitting it into a slot on the pop culture radar. Foster the People is being called the “new MGMT” and while their music carries the same well-crafted electronic feel, it seems to be a lot more accessible to wider audiences. The combining of indie and pop genres leaves room for mainstream entry while still maintaining pride at being something offbeat. That is perhaps a large part of the appeal of Foster the People; although their songs may be played often on the radio, when listening to their tracks, one can’t help but feel as though they have discovered the greatness of this fresh-sounding band all on their own. Foster the People’s music feels like it belongs to the listener alone, as opposed to it belonging to the brand-obsessed society that claims ownership of most pop artists.

As much as I am enchanted by Torches, there are a couple slightly irritating things, as with every album. Bits and pieces of the album can be a little too similar to other artists for my liking (“Call It What You Want” seems straight out of Maroon 5’s books). Foster the People also falters in attempting to evoke deeper emotion in songs like “Waste” and “Miss You” which is the only real downfall to the otherwise delightfully lustrous and airy sound of the band.

Pros and cons considered, Torches is an aesthetic album that is easy to listen to and even easier to love. With a completely stunning debut track list under their belt, it is almost guaranteed that Foster the People will have a future that is as bright and substantial as their music.

Check out the entire Torches album on iTunes today!