Foster the People
 

Yet another dropped ball by Adidasss. (See, Florence and the Machine)

The album, Torches, has been given a cursory listen but I think its very good, and really disjointed. Which is to say I don't know how Pumped up kicks, Helena Beat, & Don't Stop are on the same album, or by the same band.

I don't know if you folks are hearing the same thing, but I can't merge them. Furthermore, they seem like a similar act to MGMT & Passion Pit which are also some of my favorite new acts. Feel free to jump in here as well.

I really like the commercial jingle song!

Holy Christ. I didn't know you still posted here. How the hell are ya, man?

Yeah I don't know how I feel about that one. When I first heard it I thought "Man this is pretty gimmicky" but knowing their other work I wouldn't make that assumption.

I was pretty shocked that they were the band behind it honestly.

Haha I'm so glad you get my sense of humor.

I was really surprised too, I was expecting it to be "some random indie band I'd never heard of before and will never hear from again" but alas.

And I can say likewise, I didn't realize you still post here! I've been busy being a senior in college and not giving a ****. How's life in the ****astic Northeast?

I took some time off. Place was driving me crazy. The Northeast is as cold and bitter as always. Boston is consistently setting new levels in being ****ty to other people. College is in Detroit or Ohio?

I think with the issue with "Don't stop (Color on the Walls)" is it was used in the commercial. And now I associate it with kids playing soccer and moms trying to be hip driving a station wagon.

I listened to this quite a lot when it came out. They have a nice sound, if a bit watery at times. Favourite on the album would probably be Call It What You Want. I think what made the album for me is that it's an almost perfect Summer Album - it's light, it feels like a hot summer's day somewhere, and it's depressingly optimistic in sound, if not so much in lyrics... I haven't listened to it since the summer, but I have a feeling that it won't resonate so much in this cold weather!

Yeah, I don't have the time to use this site for finding my new music. I've moved on to different means. Still like to come back here and discuss my favorite bands though, and of course for posters such as yourself ;)

Home is in Detroit but college is Miami University in Ohio. Southern Ohio, so the weather isn't quite as bad as Detroit or Boston.

Sox fan by any chance? The way that season ended will get beaneaters infinitely more bitter than some cold weather.

From what I heard, Foster the People did not impress at Lolla. Maybe they aren't ready for the big stage yet...

Well they're one album in. No one is really ready for the main stage at that point unless you've been touring for years prior. Again, they sit in a field of bands I really enjoy. Passion Pit, MGMT, even Phoenix to some degree.

I'll never be a sox fan again. Not until they get new management. What a trainwreck Yawkee way turned out to be.

This album bores me to be honest. I rarely get into any music like this nowadays unless it completely blows my mind.

So this music can appeal to you, but this album does not. Any reason why?

It's just one of those things. They put out an album that really offers nothing new, and is ultimately tedious. I am hardly going to fall in love with it. I can enjoy "Pumped Up Kicks" for what it is, and a few other tracks, but in the end it is just a boring album.

It is basically the perfect album for lazy alternative music fans (not saying you are one, you like it, great) and one that will get a lot of airplay on radio stations that appeal to that audience.

Yeah thats fine but can you give me specifics. Saying its boring, to me, says its on par with Coldplay.

Helena Beat is one of my favorite tracks to play on the train. I wouldn't say its boring. So help me to see where you're coming from.

I say "boring" because the sound has been done a thousand times before, but it's not even a sound that I am particularly fond of. They are one of those "Jack of all trade" bands where every style they incorporate is done rather averagely.

Not one element of their music is inspiring.

Take "Helena Beat" for example, it is sort of catchy, and has a few electronic elements thrown in, regular indie rock and watered down psychedelia. It ticks a lot of boxes that fans of pretty standard bands will like.

I'm not trying for any gotcha questions here, but I'd like to know (again) where you're coming from. Could you give me an example of "standard bands?" (as referenced in the bolded quote)

The two you mentioned (MGMT and Phoenix), acts like Best Coast, Warpaint, Two Door Cinema Club, The Drums, Big Pink, Cults, Beach House (although "Teen Dream" is a fantastic album) and stuff like that.

They are perfectly fine bands, with some good albums, but I am generally looking for songs to skip, rather than wanting more.

I was kinda hoping for a response :)

sorry, things are nuts over here. Also, I thought I did respond but I guess not.

What I'm not getting is what makes them standard? This prompts me to check whether or not you dislike the sound. And to invert the question: is there an outstanding band to contrast with these "standard bands"?

By "Standard", do you mean that it's a sound that has been done before? I would agree that the sound isn't particularly unique (I still enjoy it, as I don't listen to much music of this type), but standard has an altogether different meaning.

Bands I like with a similar sound...? Quite tough. I really like Beach House's "Teen Dream" and I think I would by lying if I said I didn't really enjoy MGMT's "Oracular Spectacular" at least when it first came out.

Best coast are a good example of a band that is hit or miss. I enjoy the songs "Boyfriend" and "When I'm with You", but the rest of the album is a slight drag because it is not focused enough. It's not bad by any means, but it doesn't stand out in any way.

One problem I have is placing bands like The Flaming Lips, Spiritualized, The Breeders, The Polyphonic Spree, Animal Collective, Neutral Milk Hotel, Super Furry Animals etc. alongside the ones mentioned. If they are considered similar, I would say I enjoy them more.

When I say "standard" I mean it is good, nothing particularly creative/innovative and something I personally do not get very excited about.

As I said, the sound itself seems pretty indistinct. The bands I mentioned have all made a few good songs (or albums) but as a general rule, I find myself getting bored if I have to listen to a whole album.

Yeah, see that's not what I would call Standard. In truth, I don't think it would be possible to denote any music as standard, as there is no musical standard... There is standard within a genre, true. Had you said "Standard Alt/Indie-pop", or something similar, I would have been more inclined to agree out of hand.

I think where we disagree is that you refer to their abilities as "average over a wide range of aspects combined into one" and not notable enough to distinguish it from anything else in a genre that doesn't really interest you. Whereas I would say that it is a solid, well worked debut album from a group who show potential in a number of different areas, in a genre that I haven;t had a lot of exposure to, which probably works in the band's favour. No, it is not a breakthrough album, no it doesn't have anything new or revolutionary, but it's fun, it's good, and it'll be interesting to see what they do next, now that they have had public success.

I agree with you on both points. I used "standard" in the wrong context I think.

I tend to think of Standard as a band thats just going through the motions like the Foo Fighters, or U2, or as I said before - Coldplay. Like they've kept producing the same ol' song and you sort or know what you're getting when you listen to a track by them.

As for your other comparisons, I don't know if I'd compare acts like The Flaming Lips, SFA, or NMH to MGMT, FTP, or Passion Pit. To me theres a spacey-distant quality to the latter bands that I don't get from the former, and I think thats one of the aspects I really enjoy. I get the same sense from songs like: (All listed to triangluate my coordinates on what the hell I'm talking about)

"Sweet Disposition" by the Temper Trap
"From Yesterday" by 30 Seconds to Mars
"Where?" by Ultraspank
"Touched" by V.A.S.T.

Are we still talking about the same genre here? 30 Seconds to Mars are absolutely nothing like Foster the People...

I know that. I didn't say they sounded like them.

How could animal Collective be considered in the same universe a these guys or other indie rock-pop bands? Especially when Best Coast comes into play.

Say what?

that's why!

best thing said is this thread... Came into this thread because I think Foster the people is an awesome band... from the name to the music.

funny story, In Toronto we have a major Alternative station and a bunch of top 40 stations, which all sound the same and play an awful set of urban trash and cornball chart music, besides the point. Edge, Alternative station , starts killing Pumped up Kicks and push Foster the people as this indie rock band. Then the album drops, and Edge pretty much erased Pumped up Kicks from memory as the rest of the world learned just how pop cultured the Torches album actually was. Was a funny summer end result being Pumped up Kicks being in heavy rotation for about half of the year .

I think the album is great tho. First listen I could tell they were from Sunny California. It's just so cheery, everything was so cheery. My favourite songs
have to be Hustling and Miss you but the whole thing is one collage of a general idea. Which is important to me with any album.

I also feel like Pumped up Kicks doesn't sit within the demographic of the sessions that made this album. Most likely it was the first recorded song. It was a great song but Torches is upbeat, electronic and poppy. I find it hard to call it alternative at all honestly. Still think it's great tho.

I discovered them a while back now, I actually love Foster The People. Ill edit this later.

I'm still waiting on the aforementioned 'funny story'

I havent really listened to the album much, but soo far I think they are ok

i love 'em

my fave new "discovery"

Really? I can't see the appeal at all.

Pumped Up Kicks is their only song worth listening to.

And only once.

yes and sometimes its one of those songs that gets stuck in your head, or someone gets you all hooked on it . they could have done better on the video

If you're trying to be ironic. Thats the worst song on the whole album.

Well you're entitled to your own opinion.

Whats with all the hating foster the people is happy music for sad days :)

And you your taste.