Sacred Hearts Club
by Foster the People
  • Record Label: Columbia
  • Release Date: Jul 21, 2017
Metascore
56

Mixed or average reviews - based on 9 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 3 out of 9
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 9
  3. Negative: 1 out of 9
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  1. AllMusic
    Jul 20, 2017
    80
    Ultimately, the beauty of Sacred Hearts Club is that it sounds like a Foster the People album without unnecessarily rehashing the sound that made them famous.
  2. Paste Magazine
    Jul 26, 2017
    74
    Foster’s dismal allusions to The Great Gatsby and Daniel Johnston are clever, yet it strays from the collective sanguinity of the rest of the album. Despite those handful of flaws, Sacred Hearts Club is an enjoyable listen.
  3. Drowned In Sound
    Jul 24, 2017
    70
    Subtract the saccharine throwback 'Static Space Lover', the utterly somnambulant closer 'III', and the ancient prom scrap 'Time To Get Closer', and you’re left with some solid pop bangers that can sync in time with yr racing heart.
  5. Uncut
    Jul 20, 2017
    60
    It's not the kink in the tail of FTP's impeccably groomed pop that makes them so intriguing, but rather their unembarrassed, first-level readability, which is such that you begin to suspect fiendish subversion. [Sep 2017, p.28]
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  6. Pitchfork
    Jul 24, 2017
    55
    Sacred Hearts Club splits the difference between the bookending acts on that Grammys tribute: Maroon 5 and the Beach Boys.
  7. The A.V. Club
    Jul 21, 2017
    42
    Overall, Sacred Hearts Club also signals a return to Foster The People’s more electronic origins, but not in the inventive way that was used on Torches. Rather, it comes off as hackneyed copy, full of the predictable EDM/trap beats that every other chart-topper has shoved in somewhere.
  8. Q Magazine
    Jul 19, 2017
    40
    The poolside psychedelia of Space Static Lover is a sparkling highlight; how much of the rest appeals hinges on your tolerance for ruthless pop efficiency. [Aug 2017, p.103]
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  9. The Skinny
    Jul 19, 2017
    40
    There won’t be many other mainstream pop albums this year that ricochet quite as boldly between styles or pool inspiration from as wide a range of sources. ... But we can’t go any further before we make one thing clear: Sacred Hearts Club contains some of the worst music we’ve heard all year.
  10. The Line of Best Fit
    Jul 19, 2017
    35
    Sacred Hearts Club is record of frustration on the listener’s part--we know they’re capable, but Foster the People have again failed to recapture the brand of youthfulness established in their hype-fuelled industry breakthrough. Equally, they fail to mature into an alternative sound with adequate craft to entice attention.

Awards & Rankings

30
#30 Most Discussed Album of 2017

User Reviews

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User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 155 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 113 out of 155
  2. Mixed: 32 out of 155
  3. Negative: 10 out of 155
  1. Icarus_
    Jul 21, 2017
    10
    Sacred Hearts Club is one of Foster The People's best pieces of work. It jumps almost flawlessly from alternative to electronic to pop andSacred Hearts Club is one of Foster The People's best pieces of work. It jumps almost flawlessly from alternative to electronic to pop and even, to punk rock. With songs such as Lotus Eater and Static Space Lover, this album is very diverse, which is a good thing. It serves for a great listening experience, and I hope they continue to go in this direction in the future.… Full Review »
  2. queenofthecloud
    Jul 24, 2017
    10
    I'm been a huge fan since Supermodel and I'm really impressed with this album. I love the different style's of production and lyrics. It'sI'm been a huge fan since Supermodel and I'm really impressed with this album. I love the different style's of production and lyrics. It's really different from Supermodel but I like that it's a really experimental sound and it's nice to see a band who is not afraid to do something completely different.… Full Review »
  3. edsdomane
    Jul 22, 2017
    10
    My boys have done it again. Mike Foster flexed his creative muscle just a bit on this one. Like Supermodel, there was a point in some ofMy boys have done it again. Mike Foster flexed his creative muscle just a bit on this one. Like Supermodel, there was a point in some of the songs where your about to stop listening altogether BUT then it gets better again. "Doing it For The Money" is a clear example where he got a lot damn better. I'm giving it a 10 because I like Mike Foster's experimental pop sound when it fuses well with a great song. "SHC" and "Pay the Man" are great songs. Writing this after only one listen, this album will grow on me like the rest and I will end up liking all of it.… Full Review »
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