Disco de Owl City: “Ocean Eyes”

You'll see a lot of media claptrap about Owl City being a Postal Service knockoff. This is mostly because people in general are sheep who can't look beyond the only similarities (the voices, electronic music, general tone) to look more critically at two albums (Give Up vs Ocean Eyes) and see they don't have that much in common. For anyone who follows their music it becomes apparent that Jimmy Tamborello and Adam Young get to some of the same places in very different ways and both can be very entertaining.

What you will notice about Ocean Eyes is that even when the tone and lyrics go a little overboard in the sap department you can be absolutely dazzled by the mindbogglingly intricate production, and the fervent attention to detail that has been put into this album. Literally every moment of this CD has been filled with some kind of hook. Often the foreground and background mixes are fading in and out from each other with a keen understanding of how long to linger on any individual beat, when to separate, and then when to join them back together. For anyone who has actually sat down a tried to do this you know how hard it is to make it right. Owl City gets it right on almost every track. The result is a house feel that never overstays its welcome a always feels fresh. The deep, layered instrumentation is almost the polar opposite of Jimmy Tamborello's much more minimalist approach, and it works just as well from the opposite direction. The depth of the album is only added to by the tight adherence to its concept. All the tracks work together to make a real album in its entirety. A welcome change. Technically, this is the event horizon of Pro Tools recording.

Ignore the haters. This is one of the best mainstream electronic music releases this year, and for those who enjoy hearing a master DJ who can (gasp!) actually play a few instruments... well you'll love this album.

Overall Grade: B

Hilights: Hello Seattle, Dental Care, Fireflies

The suspicion here is that Ben Gibbard of The Postal Service changed names, switched bands, and gave in to the increasingly popular auto-tune. "Ocean Eyes" is fresh and corny, delivering the kind of tunes that you can't really tell apart on your first listen or two. Combining witty lyrics like "I'd rather pick flowers than fights" with club beats and melodic warbles makes this record a sort of hipster dance party, ensuring that the emo movement isn't dying, it's just adapting to the pop culture. Expect something simple and ordinary, wonderful if you're into diary scribbling, and so happy that it's almost awkward.

Owl City, led by musical prodigy and twilight vampire Adam, has released his 2nd album titled Ocean Eyes. Ocean Eyes continues where 'Maybe I'm Dreaming' left off, causing 13-year old girls everywhere to scratch their collective heads and wonder how Owl City can continue his streak of unprecedented hit-making. Like prior accomplishments by Owl City, Ocean Eyes is a collection of synth pop gems that will delight the most hardened and discerning of musical fanatics. Part synthesizer, part katana to the gonads, Owl City mellifluously blends rainbows, purple love berries, sea ponies, stickers, and MySpace into the most breathtaking aural waterfall.

Listening to Ocean Eyes makes you feel like being an overweight kid in 4th grade, and then one day receiving a passed note that reads, "I think your [sic] cute. Will you go out with me?" Yes Adam. Hugs. We'll go out with you.

Walk, nay -- soar on an eagle -- to your nearest record store and pick up a copy of Adam's opus. In the case of Amazon, add this to your cart now!

I am blown away by this guy and his creations. I started out hearing "Fireflies" now and again on internet radio, and I kept thinking that's cool I need to remember that name and get that song. Months later I finally did and then bought the CD hoping it wasn't a one-hit wonder. I am a full-blown addict now. I would name my favorites but literally all but 2 songs on here are so perfectly amazing to me that I listen to them constantly. The only 2 I usually skip are The Bird and the Worm and Dental Care.

I absolutely love the twists and turns that each song comes up with musically. All the little details are incredible. Each song has these rhythm and melody twists that work together so well I can't even describe it. It is pure magic for my ears. I would love to watch him create a song.

I have read so many comments on comparing him to some group called Postal Service which I'd never heard of...but then I heard some of it recently and it was nowhere near Adam Young's quality. It was not musical at all and it wasn't nearly as smooth or magical or beautiful. I like everything from classical to heavy metal but Owl City is something so new and sweet to me it makes me happy.

There are some wonderful romantic lyrics as well, I have to add. This album is the most refreshing thing to come along for me in ages. 100 stars to Adam Young!

"I wish I could cross my arms and cross your mind

Cause I believe you'd unfold your paper heart

and wear it on your sleeve

All my life I wish I broke mirrors

instead of promises"

~ Tidal Wave

Owl City's "Ocean Eyes" is instantly compelling although at first you may think you are listening to "Ben Gibbard." Adam Young's voice is similar but seems to have a much more vibrant clarity. The lyrics on "Ocean Eyes" are some of the most creative I've ever heard in this lifetime. They are at times magical and at other times profound. Each song is catchy in its own way.

"Hello Seattle" is one of those songs you won't be able to get out of your head once you listen to it six times. I like the way the song takes off into a subtle ecstasy and then comes to a startling halt. It leaves you wanting more which is why "Umbrella Beach" starts almost instantly sending you on wave after wave of tantalizing beats. You can't help but feel happy while listening to this music. I love "The Saltwater Room" with its romantic melodies which are so pure and beautiful. Breanne Duren's voice mingles with Adam Young's voice in such a sweet intimacy it is addictive.

"Meteor Shower" is stunning even though it is the shortest song on the album. In my opinion it ends too soon. "On the Wing" has some unique moments at the start that sound like a bird's wings beating. You get the feeling you are flying above some vast forest with the night sky as a backdrop. I always get the feeling that I want to turn this song up to full volume.

"Fireflies" is purely a fun song that feels magical and seems born of Adam Young's issues with insomnia. One part of the song always makes me laugh. "The Tip of the Iceberg" is a much more relaxed song with amazing vocals by Melisa Morgan. It ends with a dancy pop reverie.

"Vanilla Twilight" is romantic and ecstatic in places. In "Tidal Wave" Matthew Thiessen and Adam Young's voices are so similar it is almost impossible to tell them apart. I think this is a great song to end the album because it seems to give you hope.

Of course when the album is over you may feel the urge to listen to the songs again. In fact they can be rather addictive. I've listened to this album on two headphones and the Sennheiser headphones make this sound incredible. The AKG headphones were also fairly good but the Sennheiser seems to reveal some of the "sparkly" magic in the music.

~The Rebecca Review