This morning, I found my wife playing Foster the People's Torches in the living room. Now, I have no inherent problem with this. I've been familiar with this album since it came out. I find them resoundingly mediocre. They are the supermarket white bread of the indie rock world - well, them and a host of other bland-but-not-offensively-bad bands of the moment. But, while we were "enjoying" the record, I realized that, in my head, I kept comparing them to their in-studio set on Soundcheck that I heard last year. And the album versions kept coming up short.
Why would this be? Surely, with time in the studio to redo rough takes, your album version should be the best you can make the song sound, right? You would think. But, in this case, and likely in many others, the recording studio presents a new pitfall. There is a pressure to keep adding to a song until every ounce of available sonic space is filled, not with interesting counterpoint or something else worthwhile, but with '80s-esque synth chords and drum machines.
Compare the version of "Pumped Up Kicks" from the album with this one from Soundcheck, and tell me the song isn't clearer, creepier, and in all ways better without all the synthetic instrumentation. And this is not to rag on Foster the People. They are simply following a trend.
But, for God's sake, people, leave some room to let your songs breathe!
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