Review Summary: Maybe the reason why his last album wasn't that great, was because it was recorded in his parents basement?
All Things Bright and Beautiful is the third full length album by Adam Young, or Owl City as he's most known as. In June 2009 he released his debut single "Fireflies", and has ever since been on a everlasting wave of success and plublicity. Young has himself stated that he took more time making this album as good as possible, and just maybe... Maybe the reason why his last album wasn't that great, was because it was recorded in his parents basement? All Things Bright and Beautiful is a relaxed and fun record worth a listen.
The album starts off with a pretty slow track called "The Real World", which is basiclly a track that easily could have been on his previous record "Ocean Eyes", with the only different being better production. "Ocean Eyes" was basiclly filled with slow and relaxed tracks, hopefully this is not the case with "All Things Bright and Beautiful" as the second track "Deer in the Headlights" is catchy, high tempo, etxtremly addictive and easily one of the albums best track.
If I'm going to be really rough around the edges, after listening to these two tracks, you have a pretty good image of what's going to come. Not saying the tracks are bad or anything! It's just the truth. This album has two types of songs; low beat, and up beat.
So what do you really get in this album?
Nothing new really, it is typical Owl City, only with better songwriting. It's an improvement compared to his previous albums, but it still really sounds kind of alike, but I guess that's the price you gotta pay with this style of music, "there's really only two ways to turn a coin." As far as the lyrics goes, if you were against his childish, cute and random lyrics, this album will only piss you off more, I mean read this "Where was I when the rocket's came to life and carried me away to the alligator sky?". Although I do enjoy this, I find it quite amuzing having someone like Adam making special music, wich is really the case of Owl City. Please tell me, can you tell me one Owl City clone? Because, I can mention several In Flames, Britnety Spears and 50 Cent clones...
Let's cut to the chase! This album WON'T change your mind about Owl City if you didn't like it in the first place. If you weren't sure either you like, or didn't like it, this album might change your mind, and if you're like me and enjoy Adam's music you won't be dissapointed, I'll tell you that! His vocals are better, and he's usuing his voice to a much larger range than all his older soft songs. He's using more elements. Like guitars, witch is a really cool mix-up to his sound, although keyboards is still really the main instrument. Something that's back on this album as well is the guest artists, the album features Breanne Düre (known for singing on his older song "The Saltwater Room") on "Honey and the Bee", the ever super cute Lights on "The Yacht Club" as well as Shawn Chrystopher on the lead single "Alligator Sky", a receltly new rapper who really reminds me off B.o.B, ironiclly since he's featured on a alternate version of the song.
All in all a really decent album. I won't say it's genere busting, or the best thing I've ever heard, far from it! Although it is the best thing I've heard from Owl City. There are some let downs like that sometimes some songs can get a bit boring or that the keyboards are raging through every single song... Not that I mind, he pulls it off really well! I only would have though that a song lead by the guitars would have been nice as well.
Tracks to download
"Deer in the Headlights", "Honey and the Bee" & "The Yacht Club"
