Foster the People - Torches


Another day, another new indie-pop band. Only, this one is actually enjoying some commercial success - the release of this record, from the Los Angeles quintet, earned them a #8 position on the Billboard albums chart. They've done the usual route to success - performances at South by Southwest and a lot of online buzz has now resulted in the bizarre phenomenon of "bloke in Torquay, capital of cultural abandonment, has heard of them".

The opening track 'Helena Beat' is very promising indeed, a loud synth glare that's bolder and grittier than most club efforts, quickly descending into Empire of the Sun-style falsettos and indie rhythms that's very infectious indeed. Their hit single 'Pumped Up Kicks' follows and it's a very nostalgic affair, sounding a little bit like the Yeasayer fondness for simple riffs, background swishes and megaphone vocals. I'm not really as sold with this track as others on the album, it's not particularly the catchiest either.


What sounds like a robo-dog barking introduces 'Call It What You Want', a childlike chunk of reverie that's got a slight disco-funk rhythm and vocals. The lyrics reject all form of labels - "I'm in the crossfire dodging bullets from your expectancies" - reinforcing the carefree, fun vibe of the whole track. 'Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)' is a much poppier song with its repetitive chorus, joyous "woooo!"s and stop-start vocals that have given us many hits in the past. 'Waste' is a lot less riotous but still manages to pack a nice MGMT-like chorus in (see: light psychedelia, nasal vocals, a catchy beat), vowing to waste time with the special one.

Surely poised for advertising features, 'I Would Do Anything For You' again rolls out another brilliant chorus of euphoric loveliness - before an intro similar to Dizzee Rascal's "Fix Up, Look Sharp" introduces 'Houdini', their second single. It's much more electronic and loud than the rest of the album, showcasing a kind of experimental side with shrill beeps, extended drum sequences and some rather unpredictable vocals (the final section is stupidly head-boppy). You'd swear M.I.A. came up with the intro to 'Life on the Nickel', perhaps a jerky sample feeding into a nice piano tune for a nice blend of pop sensibilities and exciting rhythms (and yet another catchy chorus).

The best drums are then seen on 'Miss You', pitted against an 8-bit gaming soundtrack for one of the least conventional "I miss you" tracks you'll have heard. Closing track 'Warrant' opens with angelic voices and a dream sequence that gradually gets infiltrated with funky basslines and raucous drums, before an 80s ballad-pop piano truly cheesy send-off (think Mika covered by Battles).


It's increasingly difficult in a labyrinth of electro-indie-pop outfits to come up with a debut that'll be as memorable as it is consistent, but Foster the People have pulled off both. With Empire of the Sun out of the picture and MGMT waning, shoegaze-pop has found itself a new purveyor. The album is packed with more recognisable and solid tunes than most such bands can conjure over a career, so it'll be interesting to see (if and) where they go from here.

Rating: 8/10
Highlights: Call It What You Want, Waste, Houdini, I Would Do Anything For You, Helena Beat
Avoid: n/a
Artwork Watch: Their teeth terrify me. Absolute horror.

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