The MySpace era may be long gone, but those artists made famous by the website have been enjoying chart success well beyond its termination. Lily Allen, Colbie Caillat, Boys Like Girls, and Owl City, to name a few. But there's something special about Owl City; for one, it's comprised of only one person, Adam Young, and two, well before the release of his sophomore album "Ocean Eyes", his sleeper hit "Fireflies" was busy topping the iTunes charts all over the world. For some reason, the public has seemed to gravitate towards Owl City's tales of lightning bugs and insomnia. It's also interesting that an artist so reserved as Adam Young would gain immense popularity among listeners, maybe he just came in at the right time, maybe the mainstream was crying for some innocent pop songs. Whatever the reason, he was just able to click with a larger audience. Although, with his new fandom has also come a harsh backlash from fans of Postal Service. That's understandable, as Postal Service serves as the template for most of Owl City's work. Then again, with Adam Young's vivid imagination, his lyrics are filled with pastoralic imagery and odd metaphors and similes, and he the pairs it up with music that's so synthesized and ethereal, it makes his lyrics more insubstantial than they already are. This in turn leads to an album that's as sweet as an angel food cake. It looks harmless enough, but when taken in large amounts, it can become quite unappetizing. There's nothing wrong with angel food cake, and there's nothing really wrong with "Ocean Eyes", but with its computerized soundscapes and Adam's strained vocals, it's hard to recommend it very enthusiastically. Not even the guest appearances of Matt Thiessen can completely suck you into its orbit, mainly because their voices are so similar you can't even discern which voice is which. However, in any Owl City album, the particulars don't matter as much as the overall impression. With this album, it follows the same dreamy synth-pop pattern of its predecessor, while it also includes re-mixes of "The Saltwater Room" and "Hello Seattle", and then it tries to add dance-pop and regular, nonsense breezy pop, the kind that's found in "Fireflies". Nothing else on the album can measure up to the charm and thickness of "Fireflies", but there are still some impressive moments along the way. If you forget the lyrics, "Cave In" and "Umbrella Beach" are actually quite enthralling, while "Vanilla Twilight" is a nice little electro-ballad. There are no bad cuts on "Ocean Eyes", but there aren't many knock-out punches either. Most of the time, it's as uneven as the ocean tides themselves. If one really could have eyes like the ocean, then this album would be a perfect soundtrack. It's a twelve-track, forty-two minute acid trip that's as alluring as it is awkward.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. Cave In 2. The Bird and the Worm 3. Hello Seattle
4. Umbrella Beach 5. The Saltwater Room 6. Dental Care
7. Meteor Shower 8. On the Wing 9. Fireflies
10. Tip of the Iceberg 11. Vanilla Twilight 12. Tidal Wave
No comments:
Post a Comment