The much buzzed about electronic act Owl City have released their debut album titled Ocean Eyes. Owl City is essentially the solo project of Adam Young from Owatonna, MN and is accompanied by a backing band that features a bevy of synthesizers, keyboards, and piano that add an ambient and atmospheric feel to the album.
The album's opening track, "Cave In" is a wonderful and majestic track with an abundance of instrumental effects delivered via keyboard and other assorted instruments. "The Bird and The Worm" is a melodic and laid back number that is guaranteed to make you smile and is the perfect song to dance along to with your significant other with its optimistic lyrics and pleasant melodies to go along with it. "Umbrella Beach" sounds like a track that you would probably hear at a dance club or a rave with its thumping bass effects and vivid lyricism that both work together incredibly well here.
Other standout tracks include "Dental Care", a melodic and upbeat number that is rich of calm and ambient keyboard effects that builds up into one spectacular listen from start to finish. "Meteor Shower" is a terrific song that is a prime example of capturing the mood of a particular theme running through the song, in this case meteors, and that is one of the most intriguing aspects of Owl City and its ability to capture the landscape of each song from a variety of different viewpoints.
My favorite track off the album and the disc's first single is "Fireflies", a wonderful and majestic track that gets better and better each time you hear it. This track features the vocal stylings of Matthew Thiessen, who is the frontman for Relient K and is also featured on 3 other songs on this album. Adam said that he started writing and producing music in his parents' basement and began to suffer from insomnia from long hours spent down there writing and recording. References to insomnia can be heard at various points in the lyrics to this song.
In retrospect, a very enjoyable and fulfilling listening experience from Owl City. This album takes the listener on a journey of different emotions and these songs reflect that vast journey with melodies that conjure up vivid imagery that is prominently identified in each song. Highly recommended and one of the most unique albums of 2009!
Album Score: 4.5/5
Track Listing:
- Cave In
- The Bird and The Worm
- Hello Seattle
- Umbrella Beach
- The Saltwater Room
- Dental Care
- Meteor Shower
- On the Wing
- Fireflies
- The Tip of The Iceberg
- Vanilla Twilight
- Tidal Wave
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