On their first new album in seven years, the duo's ideas may be overflowing but as a result it's flooding and claustrophobic, where Foster and Innis are throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks And frankly, not much is sticking.
L.A. based project Foster the People, helmed by singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Mark Foster, had its massive breakthrough in 2011 with hit singles like "Pumped Up Kicks," "Helena Beat," and "Houdini" on their debut album Torches. It made quite a splash in the indie/alternative community and made Foster the People a band to watch. Torches was one of my favorite albums during the time and it was honestly the album that I listened to the most back in 2011. It acted as a greatest hits collection of pop hits from a band that loved The Beach Boys harmonies, the electro pop heydays of the 80's, and the sleek package from popular 2000's indie/alternative pop. As a trio, the group continued further with 2014's Supermodel, a record that certainly has its highs ("Coming of Age," "Best Friend") but ultimately results in a mixed bag full of interesting and admirable ideas of folk, punk, and pop. In 2017, the group dropped their bassist Cubbie Fink and expanded by adding two additional studio/touring musicians to the lineup, Sean Cimino and Isom Innis, and released Sacred Hearts Club. A record that fused hip hop, R&B and electronica with their already attained knack for hooks, harmonies and pop sensibilities made this their best record to date. Looking back at that record, it is highly underrated and it's impressive and surprisingly cohesive in what they were able to achieve, since adding a modern hip hop/R&B combo could've easily been a disaster.
The group never exactly reached the same heights from what they achieved on Torches, but they still retained a solid fanbase and made some successful music that continued to push the band forward. Now, in 2024, things have finally picked back up for the project after releasing some scattered singles and an EP in the meantime since 2017. There are many notable changes too. Longtime drummer and cofounder Mark Pontius left the group along with Cimino, leaving the project to a duo. The band also left Columbia Records in favor for Atlantic. So, now a duo and on a new label, Mark Foster and Isom Innis decide to shift in sound once again on their fourth studio album, titled Paradise State of Mind. Pulling from the disco and funk from the 70's, it's another admirable attempt at shifting in sound and creating something new as a band. The duo approach more optimism in instrumentation and songwriting, which isn't surprising since many artists and listeners want an escape from the isolated and hate-filled world that we are living in.
Throughout the album, these ideas make it clear that both Foster and Innis love and are inspired by the glam rock, disco, prog, and funk that came out of the 70's and 80's. But in practice and execution, Paradise State of Mind isn't exactly the paradise that I am looking for. The majority of the songs come off as forced, clunky, and all over the place. The duo's ideas may be overflowing but as a result it's flooding and claustrophobic, where Foster and Innis are throwing everything at the wall and seeing what sticks. And frankly, not much is sticking. For starters, "See You In the Afterlife" is charming with its swagger and quirky synths but it comes off as awkward more than anything. Lead single "Lost In Space" unabashedly embraces disco that's catchy, sticky with its harmonies, elegant strings, and hooks but it is ultimately bland and forgettable once you've heard it a few times. And the synth heavy electro pop instrumental clearly rips off Todd Terje's "Inspector Norse." If you've heard Todd Terje's single, which is one of the best electronic songs of the century, listening to the first few seconds of "Lost In Space" will certainly give the listener a sense of deja vu. I would be surprised if Terje doesn't get a songwriter credit soon. There are also some charming moments that end up being pleasant, like the floating "Take Me Back," the smooth "Let Go," or the harmonious epic "The Holy Shangri-La," but overall these moments are just forgettable instantly after first listen.
Aside from the plain vanilla pleasant moments there are the messy clunkers that warrant a groan or two. "Feed Me," a funky swaggering song is extremely awkward, clunky, and horrid with Foster's attempt at singing like Prince over some horrendously farting synth jabs. "Glitchzig" is another clunker and is by far the album's worst track. The electro beat driven tune is super annoying and its harmonies boringly copies previous ideas Foster's had from his other records. It also ends with a free flowing trumpet solo that is kind of cool, but doesn't exactly deserve its inclusion and comes off as unnecessary and randomly placed. Negative remarks aside, I will say that the album's final two tracks are great, solid highlights. "Chasing Low Vibrations" is a true breath of fresh air that successfully matches Foster's knack for harmonies with a smooth indie pop tune that isn't messy or clunky. It has fantastic harmonies, the best on the album by far, and a solid bassline that's reminiscent of a great Tame Impala cut that we all know and love. The song doesn't try too hard and the duo simply use the tools successfully without adding too much. The album's final track, "A Diamond to Be Born" goes towards a cinematic finish with beautiful strings, sweetly sung vocals from Foster, and a nicely put together synth pop tune that has a great progression. Though the track's scattered autotuned vocals are kind of an ear sore, regardless it's a highlight when compared to the many other duds across this album.
Like the album's hideously overstimulating painting as the album cover (that also looks like an AI-infused art piece), Paradise State of Mind is messy, all over the place, awkward, and tries too many things at once, resulting in the band's worst album to date. On paper, the ideas here are admirable and it's quite clear to me that Foster and Innis are using the influences they're pulling from as an appreciative ode to them. In execution though, the duo simply try to many things at once, they don't execute the ideas in a way that makes these songs cohesive, successful, or memorable. It's very disappointing since this is their first album in seven years and it is in my opinion their first huge misstep in their career. Foster is quite the talented songwriter and Innis is quite the talented producer and it's unfortunate that they couldn't put something together that is as great or cohesive as Sacred Hearts Club this time around. I commend the shift in sound but frankly it's not for me.
My Rating: 5 / 10
Favorite Songs: "Chasing Low Vibrations," "A Diamond to Be Born"
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