My buddy Terry has some interesting thought on Owl City’s newest album Ocean Eyes, and because 1) my thoughts on the album closely resemble his, and 2) because I am far too lazy to write my own, I offer you his in replacement. Full credit goes to him!

Thoughts on Ocean Eyes by Owl City.

-Disclaimer: Normally I wouldn’t write a music review. Music is way more subjective than movies or books. The film UP is good. Everyone concurs. Some people love Insane Clown Posse and think it’s good. Some people think it’s shit. See my point?

-Pop Escapism. It’s Postal Service sound (turned up an octave) with it’s Yellowcard lyrics (and violin) are insanely catchy. Who doesn’t think that sometimes your friends are enemies? Who doesn’t want to dance with 10,000 fireflies? The riffs are cute and fun. I totally understand the draw to easy access pop.

-Even though I hear Owl City all the time I have no idea when people listen to this music. I don’t understand how this music exists outside of CW shows and Target ads.  I tried listening to it in my car, but felt it too distracting and siren-like. I listened to it while reading, but Adam Young insists on echoing himself and it creeps me out, e.g. “Close your eyes (close my eyes) Feel the shine (feel the shine)”. I even turned it on while I was showering, but realized the song Hot Air Balloon is like an annoying G-rated slash-fiction version of UP and got annoyed.

-I suppose it’s best consumed while through ear buds while bopping along the street on the way to Urban Outfitters/American Apparel. 

-The real problem I have with Owl City is how it falls in to the whiny-bitch-meets-indie-pop category.  If Joseph Gorden-Levitt’s character from 500 Days of Summer wrote and album this could very well be it.

-Some lyrics make no sense: “All my clothes smell like you cause your favorite shade is navy blue” from If My Heart Was A House

-Some lyrics are totally creepy: “I will disguise myself as a sleeping pill. And descend inside of you.” from Hello Seattle

-Possible religious moment? “Then I was given grace and love, I was blind but now I can see Cause I found a new hope from above, and courage swept over me” from Tidal Wave

-In the song Vanilla Twilight Young writes, “Pour me a heavy does of atmosphere”. This is the exact advice I’d give young on his next album. Put some fucking atmosphere, mood, and weight in your music and then maybe I won’t always think your music sounds like the theme song for every MTV reality show.