When your best friend's all strung out
You'll do everything you can
'Cause you're never gonna let it get 'em down
(When you find it all around)
Yeah,...
The sound they've fashioned is glossy and supersaturated while still exhibiting the subversive impulse that yielded the supremely catchy but subtly sinister smash "Pumped Up Kicks." [Apr 2014, p.74]
The crux is the album’s smothering, reverb-heavy, more-is-more production style, which smooths over some of the off-kilter quirks that made Torches’ sprawl so alluring.
Are You What Want Be To Be? 10/10
Ask Yourself 9/10
Coming Of Age 10/10
Nevermind 10/10
Pseudologia Fantastica 10/10
Best Friend 10/10
AAre You What Want Be To Be? 10/10
Ask Yourself 9/10
Coming Of Age 10/10
Nevermind 10/10
Pseudologia Fantastica 10/10
Best Friend 10/10
A Beginner's Guide To Destroying The Moon 10/10
Goats In Tree 9/10
The Truth 8/10
Fire Escape 7/10
This album is incredible and so much more mature than "Torches." That's not to say that I don't like the previous album, because I did butThis album is incredible and so much more mature than "Torches." That's not to say that I don't like the previous album, because I did but this album is just really flawless even in it's flaws, which makes it that much more beautiful. Here's my track by track rating:
Are You What You Want to Be? 9/10
- This is a pretty cool opener where you can hear the influences of Morocco and Foster's world journey. The only complaint is I feel that it's a tad bit too long to really enjoy.
Ask Yourself 10/10
- This song sounds like a mash up between psychedelic rock and 90's alternative, which you would never think could work but this song is really incredible.
Coming of Age 7/10
- As much as I enjoy this 80's influenced and super-synthetic driven song, I find that it can get on my nerves sometimes when it comes to chorus. I can't really explain it, but this song has, in my opinion, the lowest replay value.
Nevermind 9/10
- This is a really cool song with an amazing structure and the chorus is very catchy. It's very dark sounding and spacey. It's very similar at times, especially the verses, to the sounds off of Portugal. The Man's "Evil Friends."
Pseudologia Fantastica 10/10
- This was my favorite song in my entire music library for the past month or so and rightfully so. It feels like Foster the People, MGMT, Portugal. The Man, and a few bands from the 80's came together and this was the product of an incredible mixture. The psychedelic sounds driving the verses and choruses are incredible and that really cool and left-field piano bridge gets me every time.
The Angelic Welcome of Mr. Jones 7/10
- It's hard to really give this a rating and by itself this is a 10/10 but its placement is awkward in the album and I really wish they made it one continuous mix between Pseudologia Fantastica, This, and Best Friend.
Best Friend 10/10
- If this isn't the summer jam for 2014 then I don't know what is. Best song of 2014 so far hands down.
A Beginner's Guide to Destroying the Moon 10/10
- A really deep and different song for FTP, but I feel that it works beautifully on this album, which is very conceptually drive on the ideas of capitalism and affluence in celebrities. This song could really speak to our society and the music itself is really incredible. The piano chorus/bridge parts are pretty awesome.
Goats in Trees 9/10
- This song is a very interesting one and you have to hand it to Foster for delving into different vocal ranges. This slow tune really makes you feel introspective.
The Truth 10/10
- It's all in the title for this one. It sounds like a really interesting 80's song for the verses and then the chorus blasts in and I feel like I'm on some journey back in time.
Fire Escape 10/10
- If I could give this an 11/10 I would, but that wouldn't be too fair for the other songs and my rating system. Very simple yet beautiful acoustic guitar drives this song musically and the vocal mixing and recording choices are very different than the rest of the album, but it really fits to end the regular version of this album with incredibly deep lyrics.
Tabloid Super Junkie 10/10
- If you didn't pre-order this album than you are really missing out on a pretty cool track. Very synthy and sounds like the good music from the 80's
Altogether, this album averages out to a 9.25, but with a weighting system based off of track lengths, my modified score for this album is a 9.6 which rounds to a 10.…Expand
After writing my review for Sacred Hearts Club, I figured I should clear the air. I have no issue with most of the individual styles found onAfter writing my review for Sacred Hearts Club, I figured I should clear the air. I have no issue with most of the individual styles found on that record, but style can definitely define an album in my mind.
Case and point; Supermodel. An album that lives up to its name, taking their previous style from Torches and running with the neo-psychedelia to the point of auditory overload at times, until pulling back at just the right time for an chill or acoustic number. It's great work, to be honest. The soundscapes are dense, but not as overtly unwelcoming as SHC, and the glittery facade upheld by the record (which gives way to some mostly decent but darker lyrical content; a FtP staple that was also almost entirely missing on SHC) truly lives up to the Supermodel concept.
Favourite songs: Coming Of Age, Pseudologia Fantastica, Nevermind, Ask Yourself, Goats From Trees, A Beginner's Guide to Destroying The Moon
Least favourite: The Angelic Welcome of Mr. Jones (it's an interlude, here by process of elimination, it's alright)…Expand
It's a good album. It's not even close to being as smooth or unique as Torches, but it provides a solid follow up. Torches was so differentIt's a good album. It's not even close to being as smooth or unique as Torches, but it provides a solid follow up. Torches was so different that it didn't surprise me when Supermodel slipped into slightly more familiar territory. Still, it's a pretty good listen.…Expand
Supermodel não foi tão bom como se esperava que fosse, porém o novo album contém algumas músicas que mostram uma mudança no estilo da banda,Supermodel não foi tão bom como se esperava que fosse, porém o novo album contém algumas músicas que mostram uma mudança no estilo da banda, diferenciando do primeiro album, que ainda continua sendo melhor.…Expand