Artist Review: Foster the People

The new band from LA, Foster the People, is causing a stir

By Tom Roth

It’s always exciting to watch a band rise to stardom and that’s exactly what is happening with indie LA band, Foster the People.

Formed in 2009 by Mark Foster, Mark Pontius, and Cubbie Fink, the group has blown up in the last few months. Starting with a spot at last month’s South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas. Thanks to a strong following on music blog Hype Machine, the group has burst onto the national scene and was even featured on Spin’s  (SXSW’s sponsoring organization) event mixtape.

The group’s horizons broadened further at California’s Coachella Valley Music Festival in mid-April. With a largely local crowd, Foster the People successfully made a case for their upcoming album, Torches, due out on May 24.

Currently, they have one self-titled EP release, featuring three tracks “Houdini”, “Pumped Up Kicks”, and “Helena Beat”. Pontius’ rhythm-heavy tracks are graced with Foster’s falsetto vocals and supported by Fink’s bass groove. On “Houdini”, the beat and melody are unpredictable throughout, presenting pleasant surprises at every turn.

At first listen, Foster the People sounds like the West Coast’s version of MGMT. That particular brand of sound is undeniably popular and based on FtP’s recent success it seems to be taking hold in the ears of listeners across the globe. Here’s hoping it sticks.

Click here to listen to “Houdini” on Hype Machine.