1. FEEL IT STILL – Portugal. The Man (1)
2. HIGH – Sir Sly (3)
3. BELIEVER – Imagine Dragons (2)
4. DOING IT FOR THE MONEY – Foster the People (5)
5. THE SYSTEM ONLY DREAMS IN TOTAL DARKNESS – The National (6)
6. CAN I SIT NEXT TO YOU – Spoon (8)
7. DON’T TAKE THE MONEY – Bleachers (7)
8. WOLVES – Wide Eyed Boy (4)
9. FEELS LIKE SUMMER – Weezer (11)
10. IN COLD BLOOD – alt-J (12)
11. J-BOY – Phoenix (14)
12. GIVE ME REASON TO DIE – Dyslexic Postcards (13)
13. REVEREND – Kings of Leon (9)
14. DIG DOWN – Muse (16)
15. SILENT SUN – Morning Fuzz (18)
16. REDBONE – Childish Gambino (19)
17. EVERYTHING NOW – Arcade Fire (N)
18. THE MAN – The Killers (N)
19. THE VIOLENCE – Rise Against (20)
20. LIGHTS OUT – Royal Blood (N)
1. FEEL IT STILL – Portugal. The Man (1)
2. BELIEVER – Imagine Dragons (3)
3. HIGH – Sir Sly (4)
4. WOLVES – Wide Eyed Boy (2)
5. DOING IT FOR THE MONEY – Foster the People (6)
6. THE SYSTEM ONLY DREAMS IN TOTAL DARKNESS – The National (10)
7. DON’T TAKE THE MONEY – Bleachers (8)
8. CAN I SIT NEXT TO YOU – Spoon (17)
9. REVEREND – Kings of Leon (9)
10. SIGN OF THE TIMES – Harry Styles (5)
11. FEELS LIKE SUMMER – Weezer (12)
12. IN COLD BLOOD – alt-J (13)
13. GIVE ME REASON TO DIE – Dyslexic Postcards (14)
14. J-BOY – Phoenix (16)
15. LOVE IS MYSTICAL – Cold War Kids (7)
16. DIG DOWN – Muse (19)
17. BLAME – Bastille (11)
18. SILENT SUN – Morning Fuzz (20)
19. REDBONE – Childish Gambino (N)
20. THE VIOLENCE – Rise Against (18)
1. FEEL IT STILL – Portugal. The Man (3)
2. WOLVES – Wide Eyed Boy (1)
3. BELIEVER – Imagine Dragons (4)
4. HIGH – Sir Sly (6)
5. SIGN OF THE TIMES – Harry Styles (2)
6. DOING IT FOR THE MONEY – Foster the People (9)
7. LOVE IS MYSTICAL – Cold War Kids (5)
8. DON’T TAKE THE MONEY – Bleachers (10)
9. REVEREND – Kings of Leon (11)
10. THE SYSTEM ONLY DREAMS IN TOTAL DARKNESS – The National (19)
11. BLAME – Bastille (7)
12. FEELS LIKE SUMMER – Weezer (14)
13. IN COLD BLOOD – alt-J (15)
14. GIVE ME REASON TO DIE – Dyslexic Postcards (16)
15. SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS – The Chainsmokers, Coldplay (8)
16. J-BOY – Phoenix (N)
17. CAN I SIT NEXT TO YOU – Spoon (N)
18. THE VIOLENCE – Rise Against (17)
19. DIG DOWN – Muse (20)
20. SILENT SUN – Morning Fuzz (N)
1. WOLVES – Wide Eyed Boy (1)
2. SIGN OF THE TIMES – Harry Styles (2)
3. FEEL IT STILL – Portugal. The Man (3)
4. BELIEVER – Imagine Dragons (4)
5. LOVE IS MYSTICAL – Cold War Kids (5)
6. HIGH – Sir Sly (7)
7. BLAME – Bastille (6)
8. SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS – The Chainsmokers, Coldplay (8)
9. DOING IT FOR THE MONEY – Foster the People (11)
10. DON’T TAKE THE MONEY – Bleachers (12)
11. REVEREND – Kings of Leon (14)
12. HOT THOUGHTS – Spoon (9)
13. COLD COLD COLD – Cage the Elephant (10)
14. FEELS LIKE SUMMER – Weezer (15)
15. IN COLD BLOOD – alt-J (18)
16. GIVE ME REASON TO DIE – Dyslexic Postcards (19)
17. THE VIOLENCE – Rise Against (20)
18. MIDDLE FINGERS – MISSIO (13)
19. THE SYSTEM ONLY DREAMS IN TOTAL DARKNESS – The National (N)
20. DIG DOWN – Muse (N)
1. WOLVES – Wide Eyed Boy (2)
2. SIGN OF THE TIMES – Harry Styles (1)
3. FEEL IT STILL – Portugal. The Man (4)
4. BELIEVER – Imagine Dragons (3)
5. LOVE IS MYSTICAL – Cold War Kids (5)
6. BLAME – Bastille (7)
7. HIGH – Sir Sly (10)
8. SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS – The Chainsmokers, Coldplay (9)
9. HOT THOUGHTS – Spoon (6)
10. COLD COLD COLD – Cage the Elephant (8)
11. DOING IT FOR THE MONEY – Foster the People (14)
12. DON’T TAKE THE MONEY – Bleachers (15)
13. MIDDLE FINGERS – MISSIO (11)
14. REVEREND – Kings of Leon (16)
15. FEELS LIKE SUMMER – Weezer (17)
16. LOST ON YOU – LP (12)
17. GREEN LIGHT – Lorde (13)
18. IN COLD BLOOD – alt-J (19)
19. GIVE ME REASON TO DIE – Dyslexic Postcards (20)
20. THE VIOLENCE – Rise Against (N)
1. SIGN OF THE TIMES – Harry Styles (1)
2. WOLVES – Wide Eyed Boy (4)
3. BELIEVER – Imagine Dragons (5)
4. FEEL IT STILL – Portugal.The Man (8)
5. LOVE IS MYSTICAL – Cold War Kids (3)
6. HOT THOUGHTS – Spoon (2)
7. BLAME – Bastille (6)
8. COLD COLD COLD – Cage the Elephant (7)
9. SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS – The Chainsmokers, Coldplay (10)
10. HIGH – Sir Sly (13)
11. MIDDLE FINGERS – MISSIO (12)
12. LOST ON YOU – LP (9)
13. GREEN LIGHT – Lorde (11)
14. DOING IT FOR THE MONEY – Foster the People (16)
15. DON’T TAKE THE MONEY – Bleachers (17)
16. REVEREND – Kings of Leon (N)
17. FEELS LIKE SUMMER – Weezer (N)
18. ON HOLD – The xx (14)
19. IN COLD BLOOD – alt-J (N)
20. GIVE ME REASON TO DIE – Dyslexic Postcards (N)
Foster the People are back with a new song “Doing it for the Money” (meaning four of my favorite bands are represented on this list – Foster the People, Cage the Elephant, Coldplay and twenty øne piløts). Bleachers debut with another money song “Don’t Take the Money.” Harry Styles is #1 for a second week, Portugal.The Man’s “Feel it Still” leaps to #8, and Sir Sly’s “High” debuts at #13.
1. SIGN OF THE TIMES – Harry Styles (1)
2. HOT THOUGHTS – Spoon (2)
3. LOVE IS MYSTICAL – Cold War Kids (3)
4. WOLVES – Wide Eyed Boy (4)
5. BELIEVER – Imagine Dragons (5)
6. BLAME – Bastille (7)
7. COLD COLD COLD – Cage the Elephant (8)
8. FEEL IT STILL – Portugal. The Man (15)
9. LOST ON YOU – LP (6)
10. SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS – The Chainsmokers, Coldplay (12)
11. GREEN LIGHT – Lorde (9)
12. MIDDLE FINGERS – MISSIO (13)
13. HIGH – Sir Sly (N)
14. ON HOLD – The xx (10)
15. LOVE ON THE BRAIN – Rihanna (11)
16. DOING IT FOR THE MONEY – Foster the People (N)
17. DON’T TAKE THE MONEY – Bleachers (N)
18. HUMAN – Rag’n’Bone Man (17)
19. HEAVYDIRTYSOUL – twenty øne piløts (14)
20. HOW DID YOU LOVE – Shinedown (16)
Foster the People are one of my favorite bands (see header photo on my Twitter page that I took at their L.A. concert in November 2014), and I’ve been eagerly awaiting the release of new music from them. It’s been three years since their last album Supermodel, and now they’re back with a fantastic three-song EP called III. It dropped on April 27, as a preview of their upcoming album planned for release this summer. Their new sound is a slight departure from Torches and Supermodel, with the introduction of hip-hop influences, though their complex melodies and generous use of synths are still well represented.
III is the group’s first recording after the departure of original bassist Cubbie Fink in 2016, and Isom Innis and Sean Cimino – who’ve toured and played back-up for Foster the People for several years – are now attributed as official members of the band. The current line-up is front man Mark Foster (lead vocals, guitar, piano, keyboards, synthesizers), Mark Pontius (drums, percussion, backing vocals), Isom Innis (piano, keyboards, percussion, backing vocals) and Sean Cimino (guitar, piano, keyboards, backing vocals).
Regarding their new songs, Mark Foster noted “One of my favorite things about music is that it’s unifying. We wrote these songs to reflect joy in a time where people have needed it more than ever, and we thought it was a good time to share them with you.” Well, I can say unequivocally that hearing new music from Foster the People makes me very happy. I love every song they’ve ever recorded, and these new ones are no exception.
The first track “Pay the Man” features a dub step beat and Foster’s rapping, backed by a mix of otherworldly synths and pixie-ish voices. These verses are interspersed with melodic, sweeping choruses more in keeping with the band’s signature sound. As with many of their songs, there’s an abundance of intricate synths, underlain by strong bass and percussion. Foster sings: “Say what you love, it’s alright. Don’t be afraid to find your light. Embrace the day, like night. We hear the fire, we all go wild again. And you have the name of someone I love.”
“Doing It for the Money” features a bass-heavy hip hop beat and crisp synths. I love Foster’s vocals, which include a bit of rapping, and rise to his signature falsetto during the chorus: “So close your eyes, we’re gonna run this light. We live our lives, yeah, we’re not wasting time. Baby, we lost our minds. We’re gonna get, gonna get, get what we can. We’re not doing it for the money.” To my ears, the track has a bit of a quirky Beck vibe.
Note: Several months after I wrote this review, Foster the People released a trippy video for the song. The images shown in the video are supposed to reflect a computer’s fantasies about humans.
My favorite of the three is “SHC” (short for Sacred Hearts Club), possibly because it reminds me of some of the songs on Torches, with exuberant, swirling synths and beautiful chiming guitars. Honestly, the instrumentals on this song are gorgeous, and Foster’s vocals are beguiling. The lyrics seem to address Foster’s relationship with a loved one as well as God: “I’ve been numbing my thoughts for hours. I know you wanted to save me from myself. We’ve been wilting and young for seeds, and I can’t compete until I’m strung to the field. What’s real?”
Needless to say, I’m really looking forward to the release of the full album this summer, In the meantime, I’ll have to enjoy these tracks. To stay up to date with Foster the People, check out their website.
Follow them: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream their music: Spotify / Apple Music / Google Play / YouTube
Purchase: iTunes / Amazon
2011 saw the release of two incredible albums by two of my favorite artists, Adele’s epic masterpiece “21” and Foster the People’s debut album “Torches.” The best song of the year is without doubt “Rolling in the Deep,” Adele’s triumphant song of betrayal, heartbreak and ultimate survival. Foster the People have three songs in my top 10, beginning with “Pumped Up Kicks,” with it’s dark message sharply contrasting with a peppy upbeat melody.
Here are my Top 50 favorite songs of 2011:
1. ROLLING IN THE DEEP – Adele
2. PUMPED UP KICKS – Foster the People
3. MOVES LIKE JAGGER – Maroon 5 featuring Christina Aguilera
4. STEREO HEARTS – Gym Class Heroes featuring Adam Levine
5. READY TO GO – Panic! At the Disco
6. RAISE YOUR GLASS – P!nk
7. HOUDINI – Foster the People
8. HELENA BEAT – Foster the People
9. SOMEONE LIKE YOU – Adele
10. FIREWORK – Katy Perry
11. PERFECT – P!nk
12. EVERY TEARDROP IS A WATERFALL – Coldplay
13. ADOLESCENTS – Incubus
14. PARTY ROCK ANTHEM – LMFAO featuring Lauren Bennett & GoonRock
15. CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT – Foster the People
16. HOWLIN’ FOR YOU – The Black Keys
17. GOOD LIFE – OneRepublic
18. SHAKE ME DOWN – Cage the Elephant
19. MONEYGRABBER – Fitz & the Tantrums
20. ONLY GIRL IN THE WORLD – Rihanna
21. JUST THE WAY YOU ARE – Bruno Mars
22. JUST CAN’T GET ENOUGH – The Black-Eyed Peas
23. FOR THE FIRST TIME – The Script
24. BORN THIS WAY – Lady Gaga
25. MY BODY – Young the Giant
26. THE LAZY SONG – Bruno Mars
27. GIVE ME EVERYTHING – Pitbull featuring Ne-Yo, Afro jack & Nayer
28. GRENADE – Bruno Mars
29. WHAT’S MY NAME? – Rihanna featuring Drake
30. TONIGHT, TONIGHT – Hot Chelle Rae
31. THE CAVE – Mumford & Sons
32. KEEP YOUR HEAD UP – Andy Grammer
33. WALK – Foo Fighters
34. WAITING FOR THE END – Linkin Park
35. RHYTHM OF LOVE – Plain White T’s
36. DON’T YOU WANNA STAY – Jason Aldean with Kelly Clarkson
37. DON’T GOTTA WORK IT OUT – Fitz & the Tantrums
38. THE ADVENTURES OF RAIN DANCE MAGGIE – Red Hot Chili Peppers
39. DOG DAYS ARE OVER – Florence + the Machine
40. THE SOUND OF WINTER – Bush
41. THE EDGE OF GLORY – Lady Gaga
42. YOU AND I – Lady Gaga
43. LAST FRIDAY NIGHT (T.G.I.F.) – Katy Perry
44. UNDISCLOSED DESIRES – Muse
45. YOU ARE A TOURIST – Death Cab for Cutie
46. IF I DIE YOUNG – The Band Perry
47. NOTHING – The Script
48. WITHOUT YOU – David Guetta featuring Usher
49. JUST A KISS – Lady Antebellum
50. NEVER GONNA LEAVE THIS BED – Maroon 5
2012 was an exciting year for music, with more great songs from Adele, The Black Keys, Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson, P!nk and Coldplay. A number of new artists, including fun., Ed Sheeran and Walk the Moon emerged on the music scene with songs that became instant classics. Gotye’s “Somebody That I Used to Know,” was a huge crossover hit, and ended up being the #1 Song of the Year on Billboard’s Hot 100, Rock, Adult Pop and Alternative Charts. It also was awarded a Grammy for Record of the Year, and is my favorite song of 2012. Here are my 50 favorite songs of 2012.
1. SOMEBODY THAT I USED TO KNOW – Gotye featuring Kimbra
2. TONGUE TIED – Grouplove
3. WE ARE YOUNG – fun. Featuring Janelle Monae
4. LONELY BOY – The Black Keys
5. SET FIRE TO THE RAIN – Adele
6. SOME NIGHTS – fun.
7. COUGH SYRUP – Young the Giant
8. CALL ME MAYBE – Carly Rae Jepsen
9. ONE MORE NIGHT – Maroon 5
10. STRONGER (WHAT DOESN’T KILL YOU) – Kelly Clarkson
11. PARADISE – Coldplay
12. BLOW ME (ONE LAST KISS) – P!nk
13. BURN IT DOWN – Linkin Park
14. THE A TEAM – Ed Sheeran
15. PAYPHONE – Maroon 5
16. PRINCESS OF CHINA – Coldplay featuring Rihanna
17. WE FOUND LOVE – Calvin Harris featuring Rihanna
18. GLAD YOU CAME – The Wanted
19. DON’T STOP (COLOR ON THE WALLS) – Foster the People
20. HOME – Phillip Phillips
21. EVERYBODY TALKS – Neon Trees
22. GOLD ON THE CEILING – The Black Keys
23. TAKE A WALK – Passion Pit
24. RUMOUR HAS IT – Adele
25. LIGHTS – Ellie Goulding
26. WIDE AWAKE – Katy Perry
27. IT WILL RAIN – Bruno Mars
28. MIDNIGHT CITY – M83
29. TITANIUM – David Guetta featuring Sia
30. GOOD FEELING – Flo Rida
31. ANNA SUN – Walk the Moon
32. GIVE YOUR HEART A BREAK – Demi Lovato
33. WHAT MAKES YOU BEAUTIFUL – One Direction
34. TOO CLOSE – Alex Clare
35. DRIVE BY – Train
36. LITTLE BLACK SUBMARINES – The Black Keys
37. RUNAWAYS – The Killers
38. THE ONE THAT GOT AWAY – Katy Perry
39. LET ME LOVE YOU – Ne-Yo
40. HALL OF FAME – The Script featuring will.i.am
41. THESE DAYS – Foo Fighters
42. FINE BY ME – Andy Grammer
43. I WON’T GIVE UP – Jason Mraz
44. WILD ONES – Flo Rida featuring Sia
45. CHARLIE BROWN – Coldplay
46. HOLD ON – Alabama Shakes
47. NOT OVER YOU – Gavin DeGraw
48. NOT YOUR FAULT – Awolnation
49. DAYS GO BY – The Offspring
50. MR. KNOW IT ALL – Kelly Clarkson
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 