AUDIO AWESOMENESSFoster The People "Torches"
Released: May 23rd, 2011
Released: May 23rd, 2011
The Indie Cross-over Curse
Foster The People may seem like a rarity in today's mainstream music market, but the formula and trend they are following is tried, tested and true. Other indie-pop acts have used it for cross-over success with some notables examples being MGMT with their mega-hit "Kids", Peter Bjorn & John's "Young Folks" and M.I.A's "Paper Planes". I call this formula the indie cross-over curse and it looks something like this:
Indie band writes undeniably brilliant pop song, makes it catchy enough to whet the mainstream appetite but keeping it quirky enough for the 'cool kids' and 'hipsters'. Band gets some major plugging from all veritable sources of hype (commercial licensing, radio, YouTube, etc.) and gets signed to a multi-album deal. Band is then expected to re-write the winning formula a few more times to cash in on the initial success. Next thing you know, band becomes the current day version of MGMT in that they are still out there making music, but have not been able to generate enough buzz or success as that one cross-over song did and eventually fade into obscurity.
Foster The People are the current incarnation of this formula. Their brilliant indie-pop song is the heard-around-the-world anthem "Pumped Up Kicks" and don't even try saying you haven't heard the song, trust me you have. It was played in nearly every season finale on television last year and is probably being blasted on the radio, or on somebody's playlist or being hummed by someone at work as you are reading this. Basically, it has become that inescapable song.
Now to be fair, Foster The People have not faded back into indie-pop obscurity like their predecessors have. They are still riding the wave of "Pumped Up Kicks", at least for the next little while. The question with FTP, is whether they can maintain the hype and turn it into longevity, bringing us to the topic of their debut album "Torches".
There is no denying it, "Torches" is a brilliant pop record. The elements that the band have blended into the album make for an undeniable and exhilierating audio experience and FTP make sure they use every hand-clap and vocal enhancement for maximum effect.
Foster The People may seem like a rarity in today's mainstream music market, but the formula and trend they are following is tried, tested and true. Other indie-pop acts have used it for cross-over success with some notables examples being MGMT with their mega-hit "Kids", Peter Bjorn & John's "Young Folks" and M.I.A's "Paper Planes". I call this formula the indie cross-over curse and it looks something like this:
Indie band writes undeniably brilliant pop song, makes it catchy enough to whet the mainstream appetite but keeping it quirky enough for the 'cool kids' and 'hipsters'. Band gets some major plugging from all veritable sources of hype (commercial licensing, radio, YouTube, etc.) and gets signed to a multi-album deal. Band is then expected to re-write the winning formula a few more times to cash in on the initial success. Next thing you know, band becomes the current day version of MGMT in that they are still out there making music, but have not been able to generate enough buzz or success as that one cross-over song did and eventually fade into obscurity.
Foster The People are the current incarnation of this formula. Their brilliant indie-pop song is the heard-around-the-world anthem "Pumped Up Kicks" and don't even try saying you haven't heard the song, trust me you have. It was played in nearly every season finale on television last year and is probably being blasted on the radio, or on somebody's playlist or being hummed by someone at work as you are reading this. Basically, it has become that inescapable song.
Now to be fair, Foster The People have not faded back into indie-pop obscurity like their predecessors have. They are still riding the wave of "Pumped Up Kicks", at least for the next little while. The question with FTP, is whether they can maintain the hype and turn it into longevity, bringing us to the topic of their debut album "Torches".
There is no denying it, "Torches" is a brilliant pop record. The elements that the band have blended into the album make for an undeniable and exhilierating audio experience and FTP make sure they use every hand-clap and vocal enhancement for maximum effect.
What lends credence to the band is that while they are identified as an indie-pop band, the majority of their music is rhythmic, danceable and beat-driven with an under-lying groove allowing them to cross-over into different music genres. They are not loud and angry with noisy guitars. Instead, they have put together a hodge-podge of songs that boasts incredibly catchy hooks with effect-laden vocals that sounds like hundreds of play-ground kids singing in unison. This contributes to the band's whimsical, happy, quirky sound without compromising a single iota of melody. Putting aside "Pumped Up Kicks", the album contains a handful of other potentially massive singles in "Helena Beat", "Houdini" and "Call It What You Want".
The problem for FTP is that while they are the current "it" band, the impending indie cross-over curse is inevitable. Once the initial hype dies out for "Pumped Up Kicks" (and for many, it already has), it will be difficult to repeat the formula with another song. Just ask Peter Bjorn & John who enjoyed a massive, trans-atlantic hit with "Young Folks" in 2006. The song was featured on everything from "Grey's Anatomy" to achieving viral status on YouTube during that year. Fast forward to the current day and the only time their name is mentioned is at the end of the sentence "whatever happened to....".
So while "Torches" is a fantastic indie-pop album and the band are currently experiencing a taste of bona-fide success, it will be interesting to see how they will try to maeuver their way around the indie cross-over curse.
The problem for FTP is that while they are the current "it" band, the impending indie cross-over curse is inevitable. Once the initial hype dies out for "Pumped Up Kicks" (and for many, it already has), it will be difficult to repeat the formula with another song. Just ask Peter Bjorn & John who enjoyed a massive, trans-atlantic hit with "Young Folks" in 2006. The song was featured on everything from "Grey's Anatomy" to achieving viral status on YouTube during that year. Fast forward to the current day and the only time their name is mentioned is at the end of the sentence "whatever happened to....".
So while "Torches" is a fantastic indie-pop album and the band are currently experiencing a taste of bona-fide success, it will be interesting to see how they will try to maeuver their way around the indie cross-over curse.
No comments:
Post a Comment