The boys are back! Since the 2011 release of Torches, Foster the People have been busy spending the past two years touring, traveling, writing, and recording Supermodel, which will be out on March 18. I was lucky enough to see them perform in New York’s Central Park in June 2012 and a year later in July 2013 where they closed out Firefly Music Festival, a three-day long concert in the woods of Dover, Delaware. Their ability to play, powerfully, to audiences both small and large is just a part of their unique style. Most bands in their genre can only manage one type of stage with very little variations to their performances, but Foster the People have proven themselves to be at a different caliber of the indie pop realm.
Mark Foster, Cubbie Fink, and Mark Pontius make up the trio and they are bringing a different flavor to their sophomore album. It is still pretty dance-infused, but there is something else there — more of a human element — and it provides a strong substance that accompanies the hip-shaking vibes. It’s obvious on “Coming of Age,” the first single off the album, that these guys have grown up a bit since the Torches days. The throttle of loose, all-encompassing enjoyment is still there, but again there is a certain vulnerability that shines through.
In a weird way, as they have advanced through their career they seem to be taking themselves less seriously by letting go and embracing the emotional components of their music. Whereas Torches was a splatter of incredibly fun, adrenaline raising tracks, Supermodel seems to serve a purpose, one with a beginning, middle and end. We can’t wait to see where their story goes.