miRecommend: Foster The People

p.s. I don't care if I'm late. I rarely listen to this music nor radio stations that play it.

Came across this band on Spotify via Billboard Hot 100 singles. "Pumped Up Kicks" is in the top 20. Like the sound of it. I got a Gorrilaz or MGMT vibe from it. Vocals are processed in a similar way, bass sounds like them too. Don't crucify me if you're offended. I'm not comparing the two, just the vibe I got from it. I recognise "Pumped Up Kicks" from somewhere. Not sure if I've heard it on the radio or telly.

"Foster the People is an American indie pop band formed in Los Angeles, California, in 2009. Members Mark Foster (vocals, keyboards, piano, synthesizers, guitar, programming, percussion), Mark Pontius (drums and extra percussion), and Cubbie Fink (bass and backing vocals) formed the band while in their mid-twenties. Mark Pontius used to play drums and shoot/edit the music videos for the indie pop band Malbec." - according to their Wiki page.

Clicked to hear the album, and to be fair, I'm not disappointed. The overall sound and catchy melodies give a really light-hearted feel but the subjects aren't always reflective of that. Oh and some seriously groovy chord progressions.

One of my faves is "Houdini". Great example of the groovy chord progressions.

"Got shackles on, my words are tied
Fear can make you compromise
With the lights turned up, it's hard to hide
Sometimes I want to disappear"

makes me think they're speaking about not wanting to conform to what's expected of them and being in the public eye.

Ends on

"You gotta focus on your ability
Focus on your ability
Now focus on your ability
Focus on your ability
Then they can't get what they want to steal
Can't get what they want to steal"

Which basically translates as "Be true to the game" in hip hop terms or "Nuh sell out" in dancehall/bashment.



Raise your hand if you didn't want to cut the rug/throw some shapes (dance) off-beat when the instrumental break kicked in. Exactly.

Listen to "Pumped Up Kicks" and tell me think about your first impressions.



Then read this:

What is 'Pumped Up Kicks' about?

'Pumped Up Kicks' is about a kid that basically is losing his mind and is plotting revenge. He's an outcast. I feel like the youth in our culture are becoming more and more isolated. It's kind of an epidemic. Instead of writing about victims and some tragedy, I wanted to get into the killer's mind, like Truman Capote did in 'In Cold Blood.' I love to write about characters. That's my style. I really like to get inside the heads of other people and try to walk in their shoes.

Source

Ya didn't get that did ya? I listened a few times before catching there's something else going on.

p.s.:

All my favorite bands have done that -- like Blur. I listen to those records, and I respect them because they can do what they did, whatever they want. And now Damon Albarn is doing the Gorillaz and it's a totally different side of him but you can tell it's him.

Makes sense now.

"I Would Do Anything For You" is the epitome of cheese, but try hate on it.



Check their album Torches if you can. Entertaining.