A concept album, Supermodel features common and heavy themes of negativity[citation needed] towards modern popular culture and consumer ideology throughout the record and its related artworks.

The album was heavily promoted by the band and Columbia Records in the lead-up to its release, with an accompanying documentary series of the same name and a 130-foot mural painted in Los Angeles, the largest on the West Coast of the United States.

Capitalizing on their success following the release of Torches, six singles were released by the band across 2011 and 2012: "Pumped Up Kicks", which became a major hit worldwide, peaking at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Australian, Canadian, Polish and Slovakian singles charts; "Helena Beat", which topped the Canadian singles chart and became the most played track on Australian radio station Triple J in 2011; "Call It What You Want", which has been certified Gold in Australia; "Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)", which has been certified gold in the United States and Canada; "Broken Jaw / Ruby", which was released exclusively on Record Store Day; and "Houdini", whose companion music video was nominated for Best Short Form Music Video at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards.

The themes and lyrics of Supermodel have been described by frontman Mark Foster as "angry", with most of the content dealing with personal issues and ideas he had during the recording of the album,[9] most of which revolves around a negative outlook on consumerism ideology and "the ugly side of capitalism".

[11] Supermodel features a more natural sound in contrast to its electronically influenced predecessor, Torches, with a bigger focus on guitar and instruments of world culture.

[13] Supermodel's cover features an abstract surreal depiction of a model surrounded by a crowd of people and paparazzi holding up cameras and taking photographs as she poses on a stand.

"[35] Uncut also gave a positive review of the album, stating in their April 2014 issue that "the sound they've fashioned is glossy and supersaturated while still exhibiting the subversive impulse that yielded the supremely catchy but subtly sinister smash 'Pumped Up Kicks'".

[34] Melanie Haupt of The Austin Chronicle stated that the band, "working on an epic, operatic canvas, hide the spinach of existential angst into sweetly binge-worthy dance pop".

[31] PopMatters writer Jeff Koch opined that the record was "startlingly different from Torches" and a "massive surprise", but nonetheless "achingly, devastatingly beautiful.

"[37] Matt Collar of AllMusic wrote that Supermodel "finds Foster and company sticking to their winning pop formula, while evincing a more organic, less claustrophobic studio sound.

"[26] Garrett Kamps of Spin stated that Supermodel's songs "suck, which is odd, because the formula has not dramatically changed" and that the "devilishly catchy" and "very, very enjoyable" nature of Torches was "virtually impossible [to replicate].

[32] Benji Taylor of Clash wrote a mixed review of the record, describing it as "an unashamedly vibrant collection of variegated pop songs" but commenting that "the uplifting instrumentation is often at odds with the dark themes explored".