Album Review: Foster The People - Supermodel

Foster The People's first record, Torches gave us a buttload of killer singles that more than made up for some bleh album tracks. There were plenty of high energy synth and guitar floor-fillers and just enough irony to keep it on the 'indie' side of the dance music spectrum.
There's about a minute at the start of Supermodel where you think it's all going to be okay. It's the kind of fun, driving pop intro and catchy vocal hook we expect from Mark Foster and co. But then the verse kicks in – a weird amalgam of faux 'tribal' drumming, clapping and cringe-worthy, patronising lyrics and references to Champs Élysées and djembes. Just… why?
Ask Yourself, the album's second track, brings with it the stock-standard second album disillusionment with fame, Foster whining, “I tried to live life the way you wanted me to.” Things continue in much this vein until Pseudologia Fantastica, a dreamy, Neon Indian-esque track that's a little more interesting, if still lacking much in the way of big hooks.
Towards the end of this (much too long) album, the band start to go a bit off-book with Best Friend, a super '80s number with funk guitar, horns, excellent bass detail and Foster's best vocal take. But then it all falls apart again with closer, Goats In Trees, a very strange acoustic guitar-based ballad that could be interesting in another context, but here just feels tacked on. There are some glimmers of gold, but mostly Supermodel just isn't much fun.