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GLX takes a look at Foster the People's debut album, Torches.



When the average music fan thinks of Foster the People, the first thing that they think of is their song Pumped Up Kicks. The track is perfectly suited for a casual ride down the beach with its laid back yet catchy guitar hook and filtered lead vocals; the lyrics tell the tale of a gun-toting kid while under the guise of a catchy pop tune. While that may be the case, Foster the People's debut album Torches offers more to those that give it a chance.

The opening track Helena Beat features Mark Foster's voice lightly traveling across dark and energetic beats. Call It What You Want is notable for its wanton lyrical flow and piano work. I Would Do Anything For You is a tune that folks should focus on. It's a laid back song with simple drums and keyboard in the verses before moving into a chorus filled with light and charming vocals from Foster and company, backed by a catchy hook from an electric guitar. Tracks such as Houdini and Miss You almost reach a level of greatness, but manage to simply be solid tracks. Waste and Life on the Nickel are just catchy tunes good for casual listening. Don't Stop (Color on the Walls) and the closing track Warrant are decent tracks on their own, but they're clearly the low points of the album.

Torches by Foster the Poster is not an essential album, but it does feature some memorable songs. Pumped Up Kicks and Helena Beat may be on some folk's radar, but Call It What You Want and I Would Do Anything For You are certainly worth your attention. As a whole, Torches walks a fine line between mainstream and indie pop sensibilities. I suggest giving a couple of tracks a listen to get a sense of the album to see if it's right for you.

7.4* out of 10*

Written or Contributed by: GLX


http://www.theouthousers.com/index.php/reviews/entertainment-reviews/16316-torches-by-foster-the-people-review.html/

[xaraan]

I felt about the same. Pumped up Kicks is pretty good (I'm sure most have heard it on the radio by now) and a few others. Nothing blew me away and the album was a little overly mellow for me to listen to all at once.