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. It was an age of potential. We were young, recovering from a major recession, Obama was president and it truly felt like the world was going to tackle serious issues like climate change and inequality. 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 happily dolling out our independence in exchange for free stuff.

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. And yet I'm left with a healthy dose of optimism after listening to the album. We can mourn our losses and acknowledge the inevitable progression of time, but don't despair. You aren't alone.