Music - Owl City Appreciation #1 - "Everything is never as it seems."

**SuperGirl** · 09-28-2009, 07:19 AM

Welcome to the Owl City
Appreciation Thread

Biography

Owl City is the name of a project formed in early 2007 consisting of one member,
Adam Young. Young started out making music in his parents' basement,
which he claims is a result of his insomnia.

Owl City found early popularity through its own MySpace profile, which has
received more than 5 million plays on tracks, such as "Hello Seattle". Young is
joined by Breanne Duren on several tracks; the most noted of which being
"The Saltwater Room." Relient K vocalist Matt Thiessen has also collaborated
with Owl City on several tracks.

Owl City's first two records were released while Young was unsigned.
In early 2009, Owl City was signed to record label Universal Republic with the help
of entertainment attorney Ken Abdo.

Discography

Of June (2007)

Swimming in Miami 4:55

Captains and Cruise Ships 3:22

Designer Skyline 3:29

Panda Bear 3:07

The Airway 3:23

Fuzzy Blue Lights 4:41

Hello Seattle 2:55

Maybe I'm Dreaming (2008)

On The Wing 5:05

Rainbow Veins 4:41

Super Honeymoon 3:20

The Saltwater Room 4:56

Early Birdie 4:16

Air Traffic 3:02

The Technicolor Phase 4:27

Sky Diver 2:45

Dear Vienna 3:58

I'll Meet You There 4:17

This Is The Future 2:53

West Coast Friendship 4:06

Ocean Eyes (2009)

Cave In 4:02

The Bird and the Worm 3:27

Hello Seattle 2:47

Umbrella Beach 3:51

The Saltwater Room 4:02

Dental Care 3:11

Meteor Shower 2:14

On the Wing 5:01

Fireflies 3:48

The Tip of the Iceberg 3:23

Vanilla Twilight 3:52

Tidal Wave 3:10

Fanlisting:

1. **SuperGirl**
2. own worst enemy
3. hann
4. sashanaa
5. spadiceous
6. rebeccacullen
7. breakingdawn_
8. cmn24601
9. OneTreeHillSweetie
10. McAwesome
11. sit_spin
12. AnABlu

(Please ask to be added.)

blackhearts08 · 09-28-2009, 01:45 PM

I quite like Owl City.

own worst enemy · 09-28-2009, 09:01 PM

Me too! I bought some random tracks off iTunes...but I might just buckle and get the whole album.

hann · 10-01-2009, 07:05 AM

He's amazing!! My brother and sister got me hooked on them (by buying his newest album with my Itunes account

) They've just started playing Fireflies on a local radio station here! It's very exciting!

**SuperGirl** · 10-01-2009, 12:15 PM

Yay!

So excited to see more fans.

This isn't really my style of music, but a friend sent me the "Hello Seattle" song since I'm from there, and I just haaad to hear more. After I heard Vanilla Twilight and Fireflies, I was hooked.

I still only have the newest album though.

Do you guys want to be added to the list?

hann · 10-01-2009, 01:47 PM

Yes please!! I'd love to be added

**SuperGirl** · 10-03-2009, 07:06 AM

Awesome, I'll add you now!

Also, check out this great review this person made. Nooothing but good news.

Quote:

I needed to take a shower.

Some things are immutable. You’ve got to show up for appointments on time. But I couldn’t get up from the computer, I needed to hear “Fireflies” one more time. And then again. And again.

That’s the mark of a hit record.

Not where it is on the chart, how many people have bought it, but whether your mood completely changes when you hear it, and what you desire most in life is to hear it again!

Driving on Pico I caught the tail end of the song on Sirius XM’s “20 on 20″. Reminded me of the old days, driving on the Santa Monica Freeway, pushing radio buttons, desirous of hearing “Sexual Healing” one more time.

One listen is almost enough. To make you want to hear it once more. Then, with each listen you want to hear it one more time. You play it again, getting into a trance. Kind of like Alanis Morissette’s “Hand In Pocket”, getting infected is worse than contracting swine flu. Better than any drug, a hit song will make you feel exuberant and alive, even if the rest of your life positively sucks.

It’s not about the lyrics. Hell, you catch the lyrics last. But I love that he uses “bizarre”, as in “my dreams get real bizarre”. Don’t yours? Happens all the time, you barely remember what happens, but you wake up off-kilter, positively alone except for the characters in your nighttime escapade who are too often fictional, or possess different personalities than the people with the same visages in real life.

Where does the magic start?

Sure, there’s an ethereal intro, but it’s not riveting.

Then there’s that hooky groove, with the big bass beat, without sounding like what’s on Top Forty radio, which is only groove, sans melody. This guy with a thin voice is singing up and down the scale, this is not a Timbaland production.

Then there are the strings! Brian Wilson knew the power of strings, they’re not anathema to pop music, they’re not inherently schmaltzy, they add meaning, and texture.

Then the processed vocals when the song breaks down, kind of like Steve Marriott in “Itchycoo Park”, if Steve Marriott was a wimp.

Then, when the verse begins again, there’s more in the track. The calliope-like sound brings in joy, those strings add counterpoint. The line about the disco ball warms you up, then the whole track comes alive, like a denizen finally awaking from a slumber.

Then, back into that verse groove. You may tire of counting sheep, but now you’re fully enraptured, you’ve left the planet, you’re in music wonderland.

“I’d like to make myself believe”

That this track will be inspirational, that it will cause the business to do a 180, that melody will return, that music will eclipse marketing, that a whole row of infectious tracks will come driving down the pike.

Doubtful.

But this guy did cut this wholly alone, in his basement. He didn’t go on “American Idol”, didn’t need Kara DioGuardi to polish it into oblivion. All he needed was tools, to follow his muse.

I’d like to make myself believe that music this good doesn’t need a major label to break through. That just putting it up online is enough to get you started. That appears to be the Owl City story, then again, who knows where truth lies.

But the truth is “Fireflies” is a ****ing great track. The best on the Owl City album, but not the only good one.

Check it out . . .

Source

**sashanaa** · 10-03-2009, 03:00 PM

Add me! I adore him

spadiceous · 10-03-2009, 03:23 PM

An Owl City thread!

Add me?

His music always puts me in a good mood.

rebeccacullen · 10-03-2009, 07:46 PM

Ooooh! Add me please? Love his music so, so much.

**SuperGirl** · 10-04-2009, 08:31 AM

Yaaay, more fans!

Added those of you who asked.

It's great to see so many more fans.

Do you guys have a favorite track? I know you do.

hann · 10-04-2009, 07:44 PM

That review was amazing!! It's awesome to see him getting the praise he deserves!!

**SuperGirl** · 10-05-2009, 05:54 AM

I know, I've been hearing Fireflies a lot more on the radio lately. Usually I don't like artists to get all mainstream and overplayed...but gaining a few more fans doesn't hurt, right?

Which song is your favorite?

spadiceous · 10-05-2009, 01:50 PM

My current favorites are Hello Seattle and Hot Air Balloon.

hann · 10-05-2009, 04:08 PM

I love Fireflies and Hello Seattle...I think those are my 2 current favorites. But I really like anything he does.