Grade: B-
The first single from Foster the People’s sophomore effort, “Supermodel,” is titled “Coming Of Age”. The track shows a modification to the standard Foster the People sound. It trades jingly hooks and whistles for a spacey synth introduction and a snappy snare drum to keep the beat. Vocalist Mark Foster sings of his departure from the people in his life. This removal manifests itself as a sense of personal growth — hence the song’s title. Any hook to be found comes from the background vocals in the chorus, which makes the song sound like a ditty about rising above and beyond the things that hold a person back. It seems too cheesy a sentiment for the band to be writing about, and Foster’s ever-present nasally “whoo-whoos” make him sound like a preteen Brian Wilson of The Beach Boys. As a whole, “Coming Of Age” is a realistic change for Foster the People. Hopefully, more singles will be released from “Supermodel” so as to stem the tide of now ravenous fans.