Album Review: Foster the People - Torches

Foster the People - Torches

Foster the People are a Californian five piece and Torches is their debut album release. Reminiscent of similar indie-pop bands - the Black Kids spring immediately to mind - it's chirpy, effervescent stuff without much of a backbone.

Single Pumped Up Kicks channels the whistling catchiness of Peter, Bjorn and John's Young Folks and is probably the highlight of the album. The rest of Torches is similar throwaway, uptempo pop with Don't Stop sounding like the annoying theme tune to a 90s American comedy show.

I'm a fan of chirpy pop music, but, ironically, I have to confess to being left pretty cold by Torches. Much of it is far too twee and it's one of those records that goes in one ear and out of the other without leaving any lasting impression whatsoever.