Paradise State of Mind

Foster the People took the world by storm with the release of Torches in 2011. It was the sound of the time and may as well have been the Millennial generation's anthem. The era was one of massive potential. Millennials were young and fierce; still riding the high of Barack Obama's monumental election. The economy was steadily recovering from a major recession and it truly felt like the world was soaring into a bright future where climate change and inequality would be taken seriously. Torches reflected that with its joyful optimism and loud, pop antics.

But... Something went wrong. We missed a turn somewhere and didn't quite build that utopia we were hoping for. The lofty promises of technology turned out to be a ruse to get us dolling out our independence in exchange for endless, free content. Out of the pit of despair that is algorithmically charged social media crawled the MAGA monster; spewing forth the most vile and upsetting vision for humanity. Nostalgia for a golden age that never existed pervades the conservative narrative. Polite discourse is dead: trampled under a stampede of fear, hate and willfull ignorance. Meanwhile the next generation of decision makers is too wrapped up in viral memes to notice what's happening.

Paradise State of Mind feels like a direct response to Torches. The joy is still abundantly present here, but there is an underlying anxiety woven into the lyrics and instrummentation. Yet I'm left with a healthy dose of optimism after listening to the album. We should mourn our losses and acknowledge the inevitable progression of time, but try not to despair. You aren't alone. When the loud, hateful opposition feels like the majority, know this: you are on the right side of history.