Foster The People - Supermodel

Even if its breezy tunefulness left you unmoved, it was hard to completely disapprove of Foster The People’s ‘Pumped Up Kicks’, a five-millionselling diatribe against the perils of universal gun ownership. Its subject matter made it one of the most subversive songs to ever crack the American top ten, but presented writer Mark Foster with a dilemma: how do you bottle lightning twice? Three years later, it seems the answer is: you can’t. Lacking the spark that made ‘Pumped Up Kicks’ so addictive (even if you hated yourself afterwards), Supermodel’s 11 tracks are by turns bleak, recriminatory and unfocused. Between the lines it’s obvious Foster, a former Los Angeles jingle writer, has found overnight acclaim difficult to navigate. He appears unsure what sort of band, exactly, he wishes to front. On ‘Ask Yourself ’ he pairs brisk indie guitars with soulful vocals, while ‘Best Friend’ has a harsh funk groove and ‘The Truth’ is an angst-swelling dirge that breathes deep of its own claustrophobia. There’s nothing wrong with variety – the impression here, however, is of a musician who is unsure of where he is going