Well, Foster The People is finally back. And boy am I glad. The only song you heard on the radio by them for the past four years is "Pumped Up Kicks." Not saying that its a bad song, just it gets old after awhile. Earlier this year, the band released "Coming of Age," and it was an instant hit among fans who have been waiting too long for a new album from these guys. I, for one, am glad to see them back in the music scene and am enjoying the new album very much. I have seen several negative reviews on the album, but I personally think that is because not that many people actually like indie. If you are a fan of indie music, this album is a must-get.
The album starts off with the Alternative (which is what indie is, in a sense) "Are You What You Want To Be?" The song even has a little bit of a reggae sound, in my opinion. The song talks about how people these days are almost forced to do things they don't want to do. The second track is a nice ballad. "Ask Yourself" opens eyes to a lot of people. A lot of the time, people will dream and when they get what they dreamed of, they are not satisfied and just want more, aka greed.
"Coming of Age" is the band's first single in 3 years and first successful single in nearly 4 years. I love the song, a nice alternative tune with a lot of keyboard. It is about how things (like the band did) will change over time. "Nevermind" starts out with a nice finger picking of an acoustic guitar. The song suggests to forget what you are looking for because sometimes, it could be standing right in front of you.
"Pseudologia Fantastica" is probably my favorite song on the album. From the lyrics, it sounds like it is about the band's journey over the past three or four years. With the new album they almost had to start over since they were gone so long. "Best Friend" is technically the 6th song on the album, but there is an interlude ("The Angelic Welcome of Mr. Jones") between that and "Pseudologia Fantastica." It is probably my second favorite on the album. The title says it all. It is a song about best friends.
The album's 7th track, "A Beginner's Guide To Destroying The Moon," starts out with synths and that is pretty much what leads the entire song. The song has an almost sarcastic tone toward people who have "too much power." Indie can have some of the weirdest songs/lyrics ever, which might be why the album doesn't have as many good reviews as bad ones. That's exactly what "Goats in Trees" is. I kind of feel like its a nice acoustical love song but you never know sometimes. What do you think its about? Every song has a story.
"The Truth" has an almost Dubstep beat throughout the song. Fame can be a tough thing. You are always gonna get people criticizing you and they tell you what too be (which is what has happened to America's sweetheart, Taylor Swift). As most albums do, "Supermodel" ends with a slow song. "Fire Escape" is the only song on the album without keyboard being the main instrument. This world is becoming a scary place to live and you never know what's going to happen, so you have to save yourself.
The album is a little on the long side. The shortest non-interlude song on the album clocks in at 4:22. It could be a little better for working on it for four years, to be completely honest. Other than that, I am glad that these guys are finally back with new music. Now "Pumped Up Kicks" will (hopefully) stop playing so much.
Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Purchase Links: iTunes, Amazon MP3
Top 3 Songs: "Coming of Age," "Best Friend," "Pseudologia Fantastica"
For Fans of: Echosmith, Of Monsters and Men, Switchfoot
