In “The Real World”, Owl City (aka Adam Young)
claims that “Reality is a beautiful place, but I wouldn’t want to live there”.
That’s putting it mildly; through all the warm synthesizers, ethereal backdrops,
and wispy vocals, Adam Young tries really frickin hard to distance himself from
reality as much as possible. “All Things Bright and Beautiful” is definitely a
bright album, as each track bubbles with electronics and the glassy sheen is
ever shifting, never staying in one place for more than five seconds.
Lyrically, his visual aesthetic is pushed to the limit, as he creates a world
where the sky looks like an alligator, plants can grow on command, and where
rivers taste like fruit. So much effort is used because so much effort is
needed, because despite a platinum selling album (2009’s “Ocean Eyes”), Adam
Young isn’t any different than he was two years ago. Here, he tailors “All
Things Bright and Beautiful” to prove that “Ocean Eyes” wasn’t a fluke, he can
pull the same trick twice. It’s pretty ironic, actually, as “All Things Bright
and Beautiful” is essentially the same album as “Ocean Eyes”, only shorter,
with less focus, and less memorable songs. Dance-pop numbers like “Kamikaze”
aren’t nearly as thrilling as “Umbrella Beach”, and the mid-tempo cuts “Hospital
Flowers” aren’t palatable like “The Saltwater Room” or “On the Wing”. Now, that
doesn’t mean “All Things” is harder to consumer than its predecessor (it’s
easier, actually), but with the same repetitive loops and vibrant backgrounds,
it’s still hard to sit through for 41 minutes. You often have to work your way
through too many dull beats, breathy bleats, and Adam’s straining vocals. He
knows he can’t hit the high notes in “Angels”, but he goes for it
whole-heartedly. There’s nothing wrong with having ambition, but it’s a problem
when you get consumed by it. He tries so hard to work with 80s backbeats in “Kamikaze”,
to make room for a guest rap in “Alligator Sky”, but his unreal, other-worldly
productions don’t mesh with this 80s dance-pop revival, and sound downright
awkward coming from a disc so built with his signature, glitchy sound at its
center. It does have some good moments, the ones found in “Deer in the
Headlights” and “Galaxies”, and Adam retains his sweet presence, but there’s
none of the natural charm that made “Ocean Eyes” a sleeper hit at the end of
the 2000s. Frankly, after the first five tracks of nothing but pastoral imagery
and overly ambitious production, “All Things” becomes quite maddening. And it’s
such a letdown, because Adam Young can make
a good record; his production skills aren’t suited for everyone’s taste, but he
can shape his songs from the ground up without them every being flimsy.
However, “All Things” doesn’t show his potential, and it just straddles the
line between excellence and laziness. Since this is his third album, there’s no
excuse for that at this point in his career.
Recommended Tracks in Bold:
1. The Real World 2. Deer in the
Headlights 3. Angels
4. Dreams Don’t Turn to Dust 5. Honey and the Bee 6. Kamikaze
7. January 28, 1986 8. Galaxies 9. Hospital Flowers
10. Alligator Sky 11. The Yacht Club 12.
Plant Life
No comments:
Post a Comment