At the show with DAL
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTCKjfGfGnk

Foster the People - Pumped up Kicks

Calling Foster the Peoples pop hit ‘Pumped up Kicks’ a Indie song is slightly ironic considering its huge international success; ‘Pumped up Kicks’ was by far one of the most played songs in 2011. Indie was originally a term use to describe ‘Independent’ bands; bands who independently recorded and released their own music. Foster the People are signed to Columbia Records – one of the biggest musical oligopolies around.

The song was written and recorded by frontman Mark Foster while he was working as a commercial jingle writer, and you can defiantly hear these influences in the repetitive chorus and upbeat composition. However, despite the songs deceptive pop sugar beat, lyrically it tackles dark themes as it describes a youth's homicidal thoughts of a killing spree.

The incredibly repetitive nature of the song is what first draws you in, and then it becomes its repellent as the song is played on commercials, in movies and not to mention across just about every radio station in every country. Being overplayed is hardly Foster the People’s fault, but to call these guys Indie or subversive is not only slightly off base, it completely undermines the effort of self produced bands struggling to make a name for themselves whilst retaining their individuality.

I give this a 2 ½ out of 5.

Pumped Up Kicks: Foster The People

My initial listen to Foster The People's, Pumped Up Kicks, had me unconsciously bopping my head and tapping the table in a manner that was so jovial it was almost sickening. The upbeat tempo and easy going vibe exuding from the song's rhythm was very reminiscent of Grammy Award winning band Phoenix's Listomania and almost made me forget about the whisper quiet and...if not, slightly disturbing lyrics lingering in the song's backdrop. 

All the other kids with the pumped up kicks 
You'd better run, better run, outrun my gun
All the other kids with the pumped up kicks 
You'd better run, better run, faster than my bullet

These were definitely not the lyrics I'd expect to accompany such a buoyant, cheery and all around endearing beat- making this song possibly the biggest contradiction I have heard in my 20 years of life. That being said, this contradiction stands as the basis behind this track's appeal, creating a mystery about the song that successfully draws people in every time its played.

My only criticism, and this is with a gun to my head (so to speak), would be that overall the song felt just a touch repetitive, as though I were listening to the chorus on a loop. 

All in all however, its not hard to see why this track has been so well received across all mediums and apart from its slightly repetitive nature, it still stands as an all around well calculated indie/pop song, becoming something of an anthem for the summer. It has topped charts across the world and been featured in countless commercials, movies and television programmes and that alone accentuates just how addictive and appealing this song really is, 4 stars :). 

Foster the People: Pumped Up Kicks

It's hard to have listened to the radio's top hits in the past six month's without hearing Foster the People's 'Pumped up Kicks'. Although released in 2010 as their first single, it wasn't until early 2011 that the song reached mainstream radio channels and went viral, with the band meeting sell out tours through the second half of 2011.

This song epitomises the 'indie' genre that really does seem indestructible in the modern music scene. The structure of the song is simple; a boppy, funky bass line backed with a simple drum beat through the verses, where the vocals are distorted through an echoing technique. The chorus introduces other elements into the music; synth, backup vocals, and various electronic effects, none of which are overbearing, compliment the main theme of the music, with the line, 'all the other kids with the pumped up kicks you better run...' repeated in a higher, harmonious tone than the main verse. 

Perhaps the main success of this song is within it's originality; the bridge plays with simple guitar solos and singing techniques, and of course, the familiar whistling throughout the last part of the song adds to the vibrant mood of the song and, if I'm honest, compels you to try and whistle too!

Foster the people's 'Pumped up Kicks' espouses the indie music scene shared by big names like The Shins, Boy and Bear, Fleet Foxes and the increasing community of alternative sounds. In fact, even walking around the city, the influence of indie has pervaded not only music; fashion, jewellery, hairstyles and attitudes seem to be harking back to the sweet seventies, a 'whatever man' glazed look permeating from the eyes of a hipster generation Y.

I first heard this song at the beginning of 2010, during my HSC year at High School. It became my friend's and my anthem during exams and celebrations alike, and for the sheer love of funky bass lines, I'm giving Pumped Up Kicks 5 stars. 

B.Y.O.B - System of a Down

B.Y.O.B – System of Down from the 2005 album Mezmerize.

System of a Down have managed to be both successful and subversive; something that is quite difficult to achieve when bubblegum pop-anthems dominate the music charts. SOAD continues to defy definition by straddling a number of genres, the introduction of B.Y.O.B’s catchy pop-chorus sending metal puritans into an emotional spiral. B.Y.O.B stands for ‘Bring Your Own Bombs’; a political and anti-war statement that SOAD are quickly becoming known for. Mezmerize is the bands first true album since September 11, and the second track, B.Y.O.B serves up a piping hot political commentary in the wake of the Iraq War.

These guys are an absolute powerhouse live – I was lucky enough to see them perform at Soundwave earlier this year. Serj Tankian’s vocals are truly awe inspiring, and the band have a startling knack for creating beautiful, lilting melodies that contrast with their heavy breakdowns. This is a band you either love or hate; but I guess it’s this passion that sets SOAD apart from the less experimental bands that are floating around on the alternative metal scene. There is no denying that SOAD are in a class of their own; nobody can sound quite like them.

I this a 3.5 out of 5.

BYOB: System Of A Down

With it's rapid, almost maniacal instrumentals accompanied by powerful lyrics, a catchy yet captivating chorus and a political message to boot, can its 2006 Grammy nomination and subsequent victory for 'Best Hard Rock Performance', really be argued at this point?

Upon it's face value, System of a Down's BYOB provides a tune which dares all heavy metal fans to do what they do best, 'mosh' like there's no tomorrow. Maybe i'll even go so far as to say that this tune is so infectious that whether your in a large auditorium listening to Serj Tankian himself, belt out a La la la la la la during a live performance, or merely in the privacy of your own room hearing it blast from a stereo, some form of violent, body gyrations are bound to occur whether you like it or not.

When dissecting the song and all of the components that make it the 4 minute masterpiece that it is, its composition can be said to be almost orchestral (only...100 times more violent and damaging to our hearing ability). When listening closely, what one might ascertain as dissonance in the harmony (or lack thereof), can ultimately be attributed as a constant change in tempo (fast in most parts but slow in some). This technique cleverly evokes the entirely 'anti-establishment' message embedded in the lyrics through fun, almost quirky and seemingly nonsensical musical arrangements. Creating a dichotomy between how listeners are meant to feel about the song's message and how listeners actually feel when they hear the song in its entirety- rhythm and all.

To put it simply, I give this track a 5-star rating purely because of its moxy and how well it differs from any other metal song I've heard. :)

With all the political debate on the state of Australia's natural resources being exported to maintain a global, insatiable need for materials (much like the sort I am typing this review on), there can be no doubt that in the music world, the influence of metal is thriving.

System of a Down, the Californian Rock band headlining the metal genre since 1994, released their first single, 'BYOB' (Bring your own bombs), in response to America's facical participation in the Iraqi War. The song won the 'Best Hard Rock' category in the 2006 Grammy Awards, and indeed, I agree this politically charged, stirring sounding music is deserving of all its enthusiastic reception into the music world.
Politically motivated, BYOB emphasises the superficial, unsustainable values operating in modern social atmospheres. Indeed, the chorus highlights the very core messages portrayed through the lyrics; condemning America's participation in warfare as removed from reality, part of the condensed, safe world of exclusive dance floors teeming with celebrity gangsters and spoilt 'biatches'.
I found the music stirring, the lyrics catchy, and the theme intelligent. In an industry intent on pumping out 3 minute hits that really generate as much awe an realising you've forgotten cheese and crackers on your annual comic theme picnic outing (god forbid!), System of A Down's BYOB keeps the light of talent alive and sparkling, as steady as a rock (or dare I say, metal?). This week, BYOB receives 4 out of 5 stars.