Owl City Ocean Eyes CD

Owl City: Adam Young.
Audio Mixer: John Goodmanson.
Audio Remasterer: Ted Jensen.
A surprising and unexpected indie success in 2007, garnering over a million plays on his Myspace page, Minnesota-based songwriter Adam Young is poised for major success with his project, Owl City. A follow-up to MAYBE I'M DREAMING, Young's critically acclaimed 2008 debut as Owl City, OCEAN EYES (2009) finely hones his already prodigious songwriting talents to a pleasing mix of sweetly lovelorn indie pop and electronica-influenced beats.
Filled with bubbling electronics and light, G-rated club anthems, Ocean Eyes sets its sights on the MySpace generation, targeting the younger siblings of those who bought the Postal Service's Give Up six years earlier. This is computerized pop music, replete with programmed drum loops, digital symphonies, and all the amenities of modern recording software. Only Adam Young's vocals carry a hint of human presence, and his fanciful lyrics -- which turn even the most mundane content (see "Dental Care," a good ol' fashioned ode to oral hygiene) into whimsy -- serve to strengthen the album's escapist appeal. Such syrupy sweetness builds to a feverish pitch throughout the album's 12 tracks, peaking during the viral sensation "Hey Seattle" and its sonic cousin, "On the Wing." Ocean Eyes ultimately winds up too sugary for its own good, though, having focused on dessert without giving its listeners any sort of meaty, substantive entrée. A handful of ballads do add variety to the album's pace, but Owl City is largely a vehicle for the one song Adam Young knows how to make. ~ Andrew Leahey
Filled with bubbling electronics and light, G-rated club anthems, Ocean Eyes sets its sights on the MySpace generation, targeting the younger siblings of those who bought the Postal Service's Give Up six years earlier. This is computerized pop music, replete with programmed drum loops, digital symphonies, and all the amenities of modern recording software. Only Adam Young's vocals carry a hint of human presence, and his fanciful lyrics -- which turn even the most mundane content (see "Dental Care," a good ol' fashioned ode to oral hygiene) into whimsy -- serve to strengthen the album's escapist appeal. Such syrupy sweetness builds to a feverish pitch throughout the album's 12 tracks, peaking during the viral sensation "Hey Seattle" and its sonic cousin, "On the Wing." Those who don't have a sweet tooth should stay away, but Ocean Eyes will serve as a tasty dessert for those who can stomach it. ~ Andrew LeaheyAlternative Press (p.111) - 3 stars out of 5 -- "[T]here are some charming slices of pop. Young has a good chance of becoming a worthy replacement for the Postal Service..."