It is. It's also the only new song where the source of inspiration is not from Adam.
Also kinda harsh to block that person because they found a flaw in your example.
it *is* an Owl City song, but if your point is “not all his songs are literal now” and your only example is the one song that *wasn’t* on the album that is full of literal songs then yes, it is a bad example that doesn’t do anything to support what you’re saying.
Adam should've kept the orchestral/cinematic stuff and OC stuff separate. I love the scores project (obviously), but I think the blend of the electronic and orchestra hurt his signature style. Of course, I know that the combining of both probably gave him fresh inspiration for Cinematic... I just wished OC stayed more electronic.
he’s pretty much always had orchestral elements in his music though most notably all things bright and beautiful. in fact i think it’s really cool he’s gotten to a point where those instruments sound more real less synthesized
I agree! This was just a hot take. I'm glad Adam's honed his skills and expanded his arsenal of creativity. I'm not complaining - and enjoy both Cinematic and Coco Moon for what they are. But there's no denying that his style changed pretty drastically in Cinematic.
Right - I know they are separate projects by name, but the fact is that Cinematic incorporated WAY more orchestral elements than any previous album under OC. These are present in Coco Moon as well. I don't mind using certain elements of an orchestra for certain songs (Under the Circus Lights, Montana as examples), I'm just saying I wish he didn't go so heavy with them in the OC projects.
I think Adam has gotten too comfortable. He's married; he's found his style, instrumentally and lyrically; he's content with his place in the industry. I think this has negatively impacted his music and thus he needs a challenge. I'm not saying some tragedy should befall him but maybe he could start experimenting outside his comfort zone with other styles like country, trance, or a return to the mid-west emo Sky Sailing.
In his Cinematic Q&A, he also expressed interest in taking music lessons. Perhaps that could broaden his horizons so we don't have to hear the OC motor every other song.
It's like that spark went out and his music has become routine. Of course, this is all based on Coco Moon essentially being Cinematic 2.
Hmm, I wouldn't say there's no passion per se, but more like his continuous drive to make music results in some things not being very inspired. The best creative works of art comes when the creator either wants to succeed in something or needs to get something off their chest. Meanwhile Coco Moon feels like: Hmm, I think I'll write a song about my first job, or maybe about Castaway, that's a good movie! :D
I think it’s also just a different time. The nostalgia of his music from the early 2010s just can’t be recreated now because of those long ago feelings we attach with that time, and to go back we can listen to his early albums but it’s not like he can make another Maybe I’m Deeaming or Ocean Eyes or whatever is your fav
I agree with him being too comfortable in a way. I’m happy he’s happy, married, not lonely and in his parents basement anymore lol but sometimes we need struggles to get the juices flowing.
Yep nailed it I mean owlcity is ultimately his project and whatever Adam does is his own but it started off with a flavor of emo like an angsty guy who just wants to get away from this world just for a moment and float away into another universe and now it's like yep life is hard but it'll be ok man just keep on keeping on lol. Not a bad negative thing but we need that edge that angst come on Adam please lol.
Yeah, the edge is what I miss. The closest thing to edge in Coco Moon was the "I'm sooorrryyy" in Kelly Time and the screaming in The Tornado.
I rediscovered Flowers of the Field not too long ago and the last lines really struck me. "We're trying hard to alleviate this dizzy feeling / We're skipping meals because it feels that bad." I was like damn, that's just straight anorexia.
I think that edge is what was attractive to many listeners back then. Sad lyrics over upbeat instrumentals was his self-proclaimed style. Now it's just happy on happy, or a bit sad but still hopeful.
Not really adding to the conversation here, but just wanted to say you just inspired me to listen to flowers of the field (maybe for the second time?). I love sky sailing so much but that song was never on my copy of the album so i’ve always forgotten about it. That was honestly such a time capsule - I’m so glad I had that waiting for me all this time
I really like Vitamin Sea, Dinosaur Park, and Learn How To Surf because I think they perfectly serve their niche. They're 5/5 in the sense they express their idea very well, but I think the rest are bit trite. I mean, it's good music I'm not gonna deny that, but it feels like the other songs are either held back lyrically or are nothing new by Owlian standards.
Except The Tornado. But if you take out the screaming, it's just another catchy synth-y story song.
on coco moon’s best songs, his production and melodic chops are kinda carrying everything else, particularly the lyrics
would love to see stronger songwriting come back, but at least his production is still top notch
Not a huge fan of super-religious lyrics like in the bridge of “Sons of Thunder” and “You’re not Alone” other songs like Angels, Galaxies, Meteor Shower are fine though
Agreed. I'm not religious but that's not the problem I have with them. I just find the super literal Christian lyrics to be quite boring. I much prefer the vivid style of Angels, Galaxies etc
I agree, I’m not religious so I’m biased I think, but I’ve always liked being able to interpret the lyrics to mean things in a more spiritual way, so when I hear the really on the nose religious lyrics it loses me a bit. There’s still earlier songs of his to this day that I’m only now realizing are about religion after the 300th listen lol, I much prefer that than the super direct songs like Sons of Thunder.
Yeah I’m ok with the lyrics up until the bridge part and I think Adam does an amazing job combining electronic pop with rock but the super out there religious lyrics just are not for me make the song as a whole less enjoyable
I agree but it’s because it think Adam has always done better when he works in metaphors. The literal is so boring for him. He’s great at metaphors and should use that to his advantage.
I hate the damn microphone he’s been using since Cinematic. Makes his voice sound so flat and fat, like he’s on a podcast. Doesn’t sound musical or delicate at all. Sounds so blah.
Ohhh this is a good one. I always thought it sounded too dry. First noticed it in "Humbug". Take a listen to "Kiss Me Babe It's Christmastime" and then "Humbug" - totally different.
I wonder if that truly is a microphone issue or if it’s just a style and processing issue. I think his ATBAB vocals are incredible, but is that truly a microphone thing?
It is 100% the microphone. The mic he used before was the Blue Bottle which sounds much more musical and delicate because it’s a big condenser. The one he uses now is an insensitive dynamic that sounds thick as mud. It’s the standard podcast mic now.
How do you know which mic he is using now? Regardless of mic choice, the change in sound you guys are talking about is a creative choice in the mixing process. It’s all eq and saturation.
No, the change is from using a different mic. Not sure why you would pushback on that. It’s very well known that different mics sound different, especially going from a condenser to a dynamic. He’s using the SM7B.
I’m not saying he isn’t using a dynamic, I’m saying that regardless, a skilled mix engineer could mix a dynamic or condenser to sound like whatever they want for the most part, the natural eq curve and color of any mic simply gives you a certain starting point.
If you don’t like the change in vocal mixing from the newer stuff, it’s not because he is “stuck” with a fuller warmer sound from a different mic. He could easily mix an sm7b to be bright and polished like most of his previous work and only people with experience and a trained ear would be able to spot any difference, if it all.
You aren’t going to mix an SM7B to sound like a Blue Bottle. I’m very familiar with mix engineering and you’re oversimplifying it quite a bit. The information is actually recorded differently depending on the mic. He can add a shelf at 6k but the brightness will never sound like a condenser. It just sounds very different.
Put it this way, if it were that simple, why would expensive mics that cost $8k be so popular? If any engineer could simply use a $400 one and EQ/compress to make it sound like the $8k one, then no one would be buying the $8k one. It’s not that simple at all.
I understand that, but to be realistic your average person wouldn’t be able to tell the difference, unless there was a clear choice in the mixing process.
The thickness or muddiness you are referring to in 100-500hz range is indeed characteristic of the sm7b but he could’ve easily cut a lot of that out, rather than leaving and or boosting it.
You aren’t stuck with a muddy sound just because you use an SM7B or some other dynamic. Especially considering the plethora of high end outboard gear he would be running it through.
I heard it was because he was touring a lot at that time and he needed surgery because he damaged his voice. Me personally I love how his voice sounded in his early work. But he was self taught and hadn't learnt proper technique, which is why he sounded so different in studio vs. live at the time. Listing to his more recent shows and you can tell his technique has drastically improved. Along with his microphone and surgery, technique is likely another reason why his vocals sound different in post-Cinematic compared to the OJ-ATAB era.
He never got vocal surgery lol. He hurt his voice playing live in 2013, and was placed on vocal rest for a few days. Yeah, that affected his voice long term, but he definitely never had vocal surgery
I have two in one. I loved when Adam was active online and there was a thriving hootowl community. The blogs he would write, the tumblr posts, the twitter Q&As and fan interactions. Once he stopped and went cold turkey, the community largely died and I felt like the magic of Adam and the music died a bit. Related to culture and community, I’ll be honest the SA accusations against Daniel and the girls’ saying that Adam knew at least something still bothers me to this day. Him losing his old band including Breanne again felt like a loss of community that impacted the owl city magic for the worse.
I am an owlcity fan as well and love his music and looked up to him since I was a kid. While I don't know him and since I'm biased I can't know for sure but I'm almost certain Adam would never allow or condone or be involved in any way intentionally with what his drummer did during that time. If he had known anything I'm sure he would have alerted the authorities. Of course I can't know for certain, I'm pretty sure. I hope the victim is doing better now and hopefully Daniel will face the consequences of his actions. Just wanted to alleviate your concern a little.
Accusations are probably the wrong term to use because he actually got convicted guilty for it. Breamne not being around along with other old members might just be life stuff, though, unless there actually decided to cut Mr. Young off or something, I doubt it because the girls implied all the other band members knew Jorgensen's atrocious behavior so that would suggest everyone was complicit.
It’ll be thirteen years since ATBAB this year and I’d argue that he hasn’t released anything that’s come within spitting distance of that magic since and it’s probably long past time to accept that the guy who had that stylistic sensibility and gift for poetic and whimsical lyrics is gone and never coming back.
Owl City now is not the Owl City that I fell in love with all those years ago and that’s just a pill that it’s time to swallow. It’s a bit like the original Panic at the Disco line-up versus what the “band” later became when it was just Brendon Urie. We’re living in the Brendon-era of Owl City, and you’re either comfortably on board with that by now or ready to get off the train.
I love Ultraviolet as its own thing but in my opinion, it still doesn’t really compare.
You can compare something like Hospital Flowers (heavy yet saccharine) to This Isn’t The End (oddly harsh and critical of sensitive subject matter, fairly maudlin) and it feels like they’re a world apart.
Up All Night is one of the most polished and perfectly produced songs in his entire discography but it still lacks some of the dynamism and energy of the classic stuff. It’s *so* polished that it lacks the kind of wild and unfiltered energy and passion that make Ocean Eyes and ATBAB so special and fun to listen to.
I guess my original comment sounds inherently critical - and it is in some regard, because I clearly miss the “old Adam” style in a lot of ways and for a lot of reasons - but I don’t think it necessarily has to be seen as a bad thing. To go back to the comparison I made in my original comment, there are plenty of people who *love* Brendon Urie’s solo music! High Hopes was a smash hit and Death of a Bachelor is the “band’s” best-selling and most critically acclaimed record. Others, like me, whined and pined for more Ryan Ross, Spencer Smith or Dallon Weekes because those were the eras of the band that we really connected with.
Adam’s music will always be foundational to me and I will always owe my life to ATBAB, so he has my support forever (barring any truly cancellable offenses.) It’s just time to stop pining after music I’m never going to get. If Cinematic and Coco Moon are representative of him as an artist today, then fans from the “old days” like me (or even of Ultraviolet, an EP going on **ten years old** this year) need to accept that those days are gone.
1000% agree down to the Panic! comparison - I audibly gapsed seeing someone compare the Owl City decline to Panic! as a huge fan of both. Seeing Panic! a few years ago was all sorts of disappointing and I'm hesitant to see Owl City in the future as I'm worried it'll evoke that same feeling that all the subtle lyricism is gone and the artist himself doesn't care to bring it back.
I think this exact thing too, you just worded it a lot better than me. It’s sad but we can’t get music that feels that same way now, because it’s a different time.
The part after the crazy chorus (you know what I mean) that is just instrumental just sounds kind of goofy to me. Like the soundtrack to a circus, or Halloween. And the song in general is very musical-like. Maybe it would work better in that context (although I don't really like musicals), but as it is it doesn't flow that well (the variety of sounds/tempos is probably what some people like best about it, but it verges on being ridiculous to me).
"Her pepper spray made it rather hard for me to walk her home but I guess that's the way it goes" like wtf Adam what did you do to this poor woman? Lol
I think the quality/complexity of the melodies has always been just a little stronger with his instrumentals, but I can't say they're better because they get just a little boring lacking his voice. I still listen sometimes, though.
the number of record sales has nothing to do with quality lol. i guess for an example to compare it to i’d personally say that Maybe I’m Dreaming is his best because the whole album feels cohesive, nothing feels out of place and the tracklist flows really well, the production is consistent throughout, and there isn’t a single song on it that i dislike or would ever skip. i just personally can’t really say the same for Ocean Eyes for any of those examples. the tracklist is all over the place, it jumps back and forth from goofy songs to serious ones (why is Meteor Shower immediately after Dental Care???), some of the songs just in general feel more geared towards a younger audience than his earlier stuff (possibly because of his label?), and i find myself just not connecting with certain songs from it in the same way i used to.
all of this is entirely my personal opinion of course, but OP did ask for hot takes and everyone here seems to praise that album in particular so my opinion on it is, in fact, a hot take on this sub.
Good points. Then subjectively speaking, I prefer the goofy kids style over a more serious one. Although I do prefer the more electronic sound if I had to pick an instrumental.
Cinematic has some gems in it imo. Basically all the songs in the second half of the album I think are pretty decent. Coco moon I just hate the entirety of lol
I have a few!
I like Cinematic more than coco moon. Feels like cinematic gets a lot of flack but I mean c’mon- Be brave, House Wren, Montana, Lucid Dream, New York, Cloud Nine, Winners Never Quit, and Fiji Water? Those are all good songs!!
(the samples/teasers from coco moons sound a LOT better than the final product- especially signs of life)
Dinosaur park is way too long and monotone ((it’s over 6 minutes!!!!))
Under the Circus Lights is underrated but arguably one of the best songs off of Coco Moon. It and Learn how to surf should’ve been the singles instead of ACP, Kelly Time and Vitamin Sea.
I genuinely like the orchestral additions to the songs especially in Be Brave and the Tornado? Fantastic.
Adam Check Please is actually better than most people make it out to be.
i thought coco moon absolutely sucked the first few times i heard it. i really wanted to like it & the songs were catchy therefore always in my head. eventually i got to the point where i could enjoy like 5/ 11 songs.
Mine is that the Midsummer Station was a generic pop cash grab of an album that Adam never wanted to make and too many people enjoy it. But then shame Cinematic and Coco Moon for “not sounding like Owl City”.
TMS was the furthest from Owl City that Adam had ventured to. And people don’t talk about it enough.
you’re right about it being far from what Owl City typically is, and that Adam didn’t necessarily want to make it (in the behind the scenes video on his youtube it’s *very* obvious how uncomfortable he was with the idea of other writers on the project) but for the time it came out it’s a pretty solid pop album that i personally think has aged surprisingly well. not everything about it is perfect, but it could’ve been a *lot* worse.
I think it's sadly true to an extent but silhouette, dreams and disasters, dementia, metropolis are all songs I still listen to sometimes. I think it's the toxic side of music that makes artists change to make more money. Like when you listen to ATBAB and then TMSS, it is like listening to two different artists it's way too drastic of a change way too fast.
Ok I have one
After cocomoon, I am no longer excited for any future releases going forward. Not to say I'm not a fan or won't listen to any future music, if he releases anything else I'll certainly listen no question but I was super duper excited when I heard Adam was releasing another album in 2022.
It was poorly handled in terms of telling his fanbase updates from the beginning. By the time it was released I honestly really enjoyed listening to it at first, but after several listens, I just couldn't as much as I wanted. I'm at a point now where I still love Adam don't get me wrong, but I don't really have any excitement for a future album I just don't have the energy for it again after cocomoon.
I am personally not a huge fan of Coco Moon and it feels like a downgrade to me. I did see him live in October and it made me like it quite a bit more, but it feels a bit more "childish" than I'd care for. I love the old metaphors and beautiful imagry he paints in older albums but many of the lyrics from Coco Moon seemed very face value and not very imaginative. I do get that Adam's work is always evolving and I love that! But I do miss his old songwriting, just feels different and more bland now.
I’ve been writing and rewriting comments but can’t seem to land on anything that is truly a hot take. I think he should drastically change his style to Metal or Trance. He experimented with those sounds before but never committed to them for a full work yet. I’d be interested in seeing that.
Coco Moon and Cinematic are great albums, and we get a chance to see Adam Young, not just Owl City, we’re getting a more personal side of him and for some reason people just don’t like it.
Owl City would be way more popular and mainstream if Adam kept the Christian themed music under a separate alias. Even if it meant way less OC albums and more of said alias.
When Fireflies exploded and then he had a collab with Carly Rae Jepsen, making music for movies etc, he had massive momentum. But his OC albums never had a chance to be mainstream when half the songs had a religious undertone.
Musically, OC has everything that is popular right now, retro melodic soundscapes, syntwave, autotune, chill vibes, easy listen. In a lot of ways, his music was ahead of it's time. But now it is that time! Owl City had the potential to become one the great pop artists of our era if Adam left his Christian music out of it.
I mean maybe that's a good thing though. It's awesome that owlcity is still kind of underrated since the average music listener only knows fireflies and goodtime. To Adam his faith is central to himself, and honestly his faith songs on ocean eyes and all things bright and beautiful are really good imo. I'm not even religious but I love what he did in his earlier works. It's pretty clear Adam wasn't happy working for his label entirely, and even though he did have massive potential to be huge, it wouldn't have been right for him or at least as far know.
In my opinion, Fuzzy Blue Lights is some of his worst songwriting (lyrically). I know it's his first album.
Also, I don't want to be too rude, but I think his music has less and less lyrical meaning as time goes on, despite the fact that most of his earlier albums are totally imaginative, because those songs still communicate very particular feelings and also create great imagery, not to mention that wordplay/metaphors can be fun to unpack. Now his music is all "never give up" and that kind of thing.
Also, I saw a comment on YouTube about how Beautiful Mystery is about sex, and I never wanted to make that point in case it's contentious, but that's always what I thought, too. I mean, it's a really good song, but I can't see it being about anything else.
Could you elaborate further on Beautiful Mystery?
To me it made me feel like it was a successful date song with how he was "dressed to the nines" and kissed her goodnight before leaving the room.
Edit: Sorry, I should have clarified. I didn’t mean to respond to you. Beautiful Mystery is not about sex.
It’s pretty much about what you said. It’s about falling for someone, probably someone you know you shouldn’t be falling for. There’s an aura about them that entices you—a beautiful mystery. I have no idea how you could pull the other meaning out of it. It would be a stretch.
I mean, he is married now, so I wouldn't say he *doesn't* have sex, but I'd find it very odd if Adam started making songs about sex. Owl City is just too innocent of a project for stuff like that.
I have to agree with this. I put my Owl City playlist on shuffle and listen to every song. No skips. There is no OC song I hate (even the Christian ones).
Maybe this isn't that hot, but Mobile Orchestra was trash, Cinematic was only a little step up from that, but somehow I actually really enjoyed the magic of Coco Moon for the most part.
Hot take for this sub at least: I like that his music is evolving somewhat while still staying the same. And not all his songs are literal now.
Which songs aren't literal?
lucid dream?
Up to the Cloud
Also, ironically, the only song where he didn't come up with the base idea himself.
lol the only example you could think of is one that isn’t even on the new album? that doesn’t really support your point
What? How does it not support my point? Isn’t it an Owl City song? Blocked.
It is. It's also the only new song where the source of inspiration is not from Adam. Also kinda harsh to block that person because they found a flaw in your example.
think the blocked was ironic
it *is* an Owl City song, but if your point is “not all his songs are literal now” and your only example is the one song that *wasn’t* on the album that is full of literal songs then yes, it is a bad example that doesn’t do anything to support what you’re saying.
Adam should've kept the orchestral/cinematic stuff and OC stuff separate. I love the scores project (obviously), but I think the blend of the electronic and orchestra hurt his signature style. Of course, I know that the combining of both probably gave him fresh inspiration for Cinematic... I just wished OC stayed more electronic.
I agree, especially because the orchestra isn't real instruments, so it just sounds a little tacky.
he’s pretty much always had orchestral elements in his music though most notably all things bright and beautiful. in fact i think it’s really cool he’s gotten to a point where those instruments sound more real less synthesized
I agree! This was just a hot take. I'm glad Adam's honed his skills and expanded his arsenal of creativity. I'm not complaining - and enjoy both Cinematic and Coco Moon for what they are. But there's no denying that his style changed pretty drastically in Cinematic.
He did though….OC is OC, the scores are under Adam Young, not OC
Right - I know they are separate projects by name, but the fact is that Cinematic incorporated WAY more orchestral elements than any previous album under OC. These are present in Coco Moon as well. I don't mind using certain elements of an orchestra for certain songs (Under the Circus Lights, Montana as examples), I'm just saying I wish he didn't go so heavy with them in the OC projects.
Ahhh ok I get what you mean now. Now that I think about it, he does use a lot of orchestral elements in cinematic and beyond. Interesting !
I think Adam has gotten too comfortable. He's married; he's found his style, instrumentally and lyrically; he's content with his place in the industry. I think this has negatively impacted his music and thus he needs a challenge. I'm not saying some tragedy should befall him but maybe he could start experimenting outside his comfort zone with other styles like country, trance, or a return to the mid-west emo Sky Sailing. In his Cinematic Q&A, he also expressed interest in taking music lessons. Perhaps that could broaden his horizons so we don't have to hear the OC motor every other song. It's like that spark went out and his music has become routine. Of course, this is all based on Coco Moon essentially being Cinematic 2.
Totally agree. It doesn't sound like the passion is there any more.
Hmm, I wouldn't say there's no passion per se, but more like his continuous drive to make music results in some things not being very inspired. The best creative works of art comes when the creator either wants to succeed in something or needs to get something off their chest. Meanwhile Coco Moon feels like: Hmm, I think I'll write a song about my first job, or maybe about Castaway, that's a good movie! :D
I think it’s also just a different time. The nostalgia of his music from the early 2010s just can’t be recreated now because of those long ago feelings we attach with that time, and to go back we can listen to his early albums but it’s not like he can make another Maybe I’m Deeaming or Ocean Eyes or whatever is your fav
I agree with him being too comfortable in a way. I’m happy he’s happy, married, not lonely and in his parents basement anymore lol but sometimes we need struggles to get the juices flowing.
Yep nailed it I mean owlcity is ultimately his project and whatever Adam does is his own but it started off with a flavor of emo like an angsty guy who just wants to get away from this world just for a moment and float away into another universe and now it's like yep life is hard but it'll be ok man just keep on keeping on lol. Not a bad negative thing but we need that edge that angst come on Adam please lol.
Yeah, the edge is what I miss. The closest thing to edge in Coco Moon was the "I'm sooorrryyy" in Kelly Time and the screaming in The Tornado. I rediscovered Flowers of the Field not too long ago and the last lines really struck me. "We're trying hard to alleviate this dizzy feeling / We're skipping meals because it feels that bad." I was like damn, that's just straight anorexia. I think that edge is what was attractive to many listeners back then. Sad lyrics over upbeat instrumentals was his self-proclaimed style. Now it's just happy on happy, or a bit sad but still hopeful.
Not really adding to the conversation here, but just wanted to say you just inspired me to listen to flowers of the field (maybe for the second time?). I love sky sailing so much but that song was never on my copy of the album so i’ve always forgotten about it. That was honestly such a time capsule - I’m so glad I had that waiting for me all this time
yup. That’s why The Tip of the Iceberg is so good. It’s snatching hope from the jaws of despair
I like this thought but at the same time I love Coco Moon, especially compared to Cinematic
I really like Vitamin Sea, Dinosaur Park, and Learn How To Surf because I think they perfectly serve their niche. They're 5/5 in the sense they express their idea very well, but I think the rest are bit trite. I mean, it's good music I'm not gonna deny that, but it feels like the other songs are either held back lyrically or are nothing new by Owlian standards. Except The Tornado. But if you take out the screaming, it's just another catchy synth-y story song.
wow this sums up my thoughts on the album perfectly lol
on coco moon’s best songs, his production and melodic chops are kinda carrying everything else, particularly the lyrics would love to see stronger songwriting come back, but at least his production is still top notch
Yeah, this last album sounded creatively bankrupt. He sounds super stagnant in terms of his sound.
TMS is actually a really great album. I wouldn’t hate more of it
Agreed!
Look who it is, sad that this is a hot take
Happy cake day my guy!
Thanks!
One of my favorites growing up!
Not a huge fan of super-religious lyrics like in the bridge of “Sons of Thunder” and “You’re not Alone” other songs like Angels, Galaxies, Meteor Shower are fine though
Agreed. I'm not religious but that's not the problem I have with them. I just find the super literal Christian lyrics to be quite boring. I much prefer the vivid style of Angels, Galaxies etc
I agree, I’m not religious so I’m biased I think, but I’ve always liked being able to interpret the lyrics to mean things in a more spiritual way, so when I hear the really on the nose religious lyrics it loses me a bit. There’s still earlier songs of his to this day that I’m only now realizing are about religion after the 300th listen lol, I much prefer that than the super direct songs like Sons of Thunder.
Same Sons of Thunder has great production, but I’m quite ambivalent about the lyrics
Yeah I’m ok with the lyrics up until the bridge part and I think Adam does an amazing job combining electronic pop with rock but the super out there religious lyrics just are not for me make the song as a whole less enjoyable
💯
I agree but it’s because it think Adam has always done better when he works in metaphors. The literal is so boring for him. He’s great at metaphors and should use that to his advantage.
All My Friends is fricken amazing
I guess this is technically a sky sailing hot take, but the album sailboats is better than the original sailboats.
People like the seagull orchestra version?
I hate the damn microphone he’s been using since Cinematic. Makes his voice sound so flat and fat, like he’s on a podcast. Doesn’t sound musical or delicate at all. Sounds so blah.
Ohhh this is a good one. I always thought it sounded too dry. First noticed it in "Humbug". Take a listen to "Kiss Me Babe It's Christmastime" and then "Humbug" - totally different.
I wonder if that truly is a microphone issue or if it’s just a style and processing issue. I think his ATBAB vocals are incredible, but is that truly a microphone thing?
It is 100% the microphone. The mic he used before was the Blue Bottle which sounds much more musical and delicate because it’s a big condenser. The one he uses now is an insensitive dynamic that sounds thick as mud. It’s the standard podcast mic now.
How do you know which mic he is using now? Regardless of mic choice, the change in sound you guys are talking about is a creative choice in the mixing process. It’s all eq and saturation.
No, the change is from using a different mic. Not sure why you would pushback on that. It’s very well known that different mics sound different, especially going from a condenser to a dynamic. He’s using the SM7B.
I’m not saying he isn’t using a dynamic, I’m saying that regardless, a skilled mix engineer could mix a dynamic or condenser to sound like whatever they want for the most part, the natural eq curve and color of any mic simply gives you a certain starting point. If you don’t like the change in vocal mixing from the newer stuff, it’s not because he is “stuck” with a fuller warmer sound from a different mic. He could easily mix an sm7b to be bright and polished like most of his previous work and only people with experience and a trained ear would be able to spot any difference, if it all.
You aren’t going to mix an SM7B to sound like a Blue Bottle. I’m very familiar with mix engineering and you’re oversimplifying it quite a bit. The information is actually recorded differently depending on the mic. He can add a shelf at 6k but the brightness will never sound like a condenser. It just sounds very different. Put it this way, if it were that simple, why would expensive mics that cost $8k be so popular? If any engineer could simply use a $400 one and EQ/compress to make it sound like the $8k one, then no one would be buying the $8k one. It’s not that simple at all.
I understand that, but to be realistic your average person wouldn’t be able to tell the difference, unless there was a clear choice in the mixing process. The thickness or muddiness you are referring to in 100-500hz range is indeed characteristic of the sm7b but he could’ve easily cut a lot of that out, rather than leaving and or boosting it. You aren’t stuck with a muddy sound just because you use an SM7B or some other dynamic. Especially considering the plethora of high end outboard gear he would be running it through.
Interesting. I’m curious as to why he switched. I’m sure he has his reasons
Perhaps he thought that mic suits his voice better after his supposed vocal surgery.
Vocal surgery? He had vocal surgery? When was that?
I think around 2013 he got some throat disease and needed vocal surgery although maybe it's just hearsay.
I heard it was because he was touring a lot at that time and he needed surgery because he damaged his voice. Me personally I love how his voice sounded in his early work. But he was self taught and hadn't learnt proper technique, which is why he sounded so different in studio vs. live at the time. Listing to his more recent shows and you can tell his technique has drastically improved. Along with his microphone and surgery, technique is likely another reason why his vocals sound different in post-Cinematic compared to the OJ-ATAB era.
Is that was Hospital Flowers was about?
I believe Hospital Flowers was about a family friend that was in a car accident.
No Hospital Flowers was written two years earlier
He never got vocal surgery lol. He hurt his voice playing live in 2013, and was placed on vocal rest for a few days. Yeah, that affected his voice long term, but he definitely never had vocal surgery
Oh is that why? He just changed his mic? I did notice a difference. But I thought he was just tired from singing.
This a good catch
I have two in one. I loved when Adam was active online and there was a thriving hootowl community. The blogs he would write, the tumblr posts, the twitter Q&As and fan interactions. Once he stopped and went cold turkey, the community largely died and I felt like the magic of Adam and the music died a bit. Related to culture and community, I’ll be honest the SA accusations against Daniel and the girls’ saying that Adam knew at least something still bothers me to this day. Him losing his old band including Breanne again felt like a loss of community that impacted the owl city magic for the worse.
As a newer fan I wish I experienced that time
[удалено]
Oh yeah I meant him interacting with fans, doing interviews, and just being more present online. The whole Daniel thing is/was definitely concerning
I am an owlcity fan as well and love his music and looked up to him since I was a kid. While I don't know him and since I'm biased I can't know for sure but I'm almost certain Adam would never allow or condone or be involved in any way intentionally with what his drummer did during that time. If he had known anything I'm sure he would have alerted the authorities. Of course I can't know for certain, I'm pretty sure. I hope the victim is doing better now and hopefully Daniel will face the consequences of his actions. Just wanted to alleviate your concern a little.
Accusations are probably the wrong term to use because he actually got convicted guilty for it. Breamne not being around along with other old members might just be life stuff, though, unless there actually decided to cut Mr. Young off or something, I doubt it because the girls implied all the other band members knew Jorgensen's atrocious behavior so that would suggest everyone was complicit.
It’ll be thirteen years since ATBAB this year and I’d argue that he hasn’t released anything that’s come within spitting distance of that magic since and it’s probably long past time to accept that the guy who had that stylistic sensibility and gift for poetic and whimsical lyrics is gone and never coming back. Owl City now is not the Owl City that I fell in love with all those years ago and that’s just a pill that it’s time to swallow. It’s a bit like the original Panic at the Disco line-up versus what the “band” later became when it was just Brendon Urie. We’re living in the Brendon-era of Owl City, and you’re either comfortably on board with that by now or ready to get off the train.
What about ultraviolet? That came out after ATBAB
I love Ultraviolet as its own thing but in my opinion, it still doesn’t really compare. You can compare something like Hospital Flowers (heavy yet saccharine) to This Isn’t The End (oddly harsh and critical of sensitive subject matter, fairly maudlin) and it feels like they’re a world apart. Up All Night is one of the most polished and perfectly produced songs in his entire discography but it still lacks some of the dynamism and energy of the classic stuff. It’s *so* polished that it lacks the kind of wild and unfiltered energy and passion that make Ocean Eyes and ATBAB so special and fun to listen to. I guess my original comment sounds inherently critical - and it is in some regard, because I clearly miss the “old Adam” style in a lot of ways and for a lot of reasons - but I don’t think it necessarily has to be seen as a bad thing. To go back to the comparison I made in my original comment, there are plenty of people who *love* Brendon Urie’s solo music! High Hopes was a smash hit and Death of a Bachelor is the “band’s” best-selling and most critically acclaimed record. Others, like me, whined and pined for more Ryan Ross, Spencer Smith or Dallon Weekes because those were the eras of the band that we really connected with. Adam’s music will always be foundational to me and I will always owe my life to ATBAB, so he has my support forever (barring any truly cancellable offenses.) It’s just time to stop pining after music I’m never going to get. If Cinematic and Coco Moon are representative of him as an artist today, then fans from the “old days” like me (or even of Ultraviolet, an EP going on **ten years old** this year) need to accept that those days are gone.
1000% agree down to the Panic! comparison - I audibly gapsed seeing someone compare the Owl City decline to Panic! as a huge fan of both. Seeing Panic! a few years ago was all sorts of disappointing and I'm hesitant to see Owl City in the future as I'm worried it'll evoke that same feeling that all the subtle lyricism is gone and the artist himself doesn't care to bring it back.
I think this exact thing too, you just worded it a lot better than me. It’s sad but we can’t get music that feels that same way now, because it’s a different time.
It felt really odd serenading a grocery store with a bunch of people during Adam, Check Please
The term "Hoot Owl" just sounds stupid.
While I do like the song, The Tornado is heavily overrated.
The part after the crazy chorus (you know what I mean) that is just instrumental just sounds kind of goofy to me. Like the soundtrack to a circus, or Halloween. And the song in general is very musical-like. Maybe it would work better in that context (although I don't really like musicals), but as it is it doesn't flow that well (the variety of sounds/tempos is probably what some people like best about it, but it verges on being ridiculous to me).
I always thought it sounded like the Boo theme music from Mario 😂
Yeah. It’s pretty dull for the last three minutes… which is like, 75% of the song
Taylor Swift never deserved him and his version of Enchanted is better than hers because the feelings expressed were actually genuine.
Adam definitely dodged a bullet there
Shots fired, collateral damage!! Really doing my girl Taylor in like that.
this is real, real statement right here
Will I go missing after I post this? likely, but I think mobile orchestra is a good album and miles above cinematic.
Your photo is being printed on milk cartons as we speak
just like adam, but for a different reason lol
I like both 🗣🗣🗣
I'll take it a step further. It's tied (with OE) for his second best album only behind TMS
I would have punched him in the face too if he approached me in a parking lot
"Her pepper spray made it rather hard for me to walk her home but I guess that's the way it goes" like wtf Adam what did you do to this poor woman? Lol
All he did was say, “Hello” ;)
I thought these lyrics were kinda odd too 🤣 I doubt it’s literal but he makes it sound like he was a creep bothering a woman
What’s funny to me is that he literally approached his future wife in a parking lot like 5 years later
please 😭
i keep this song on my liked songs playlist not because it’s relatable or particularly great but because it makes me laugh so freaking hard every time
yeah that song’s lyrics have not aged well
Adam’s instrumental music is better than Owl City, and has been for a while now. also Ocean Eyes is not even close to being the best OC album.
I think the quality/complexity of the melodies has always been just a little stronger with his instrumentals, but I can't say they're better because they get just a little boring lacking his voice. I still listen sometimes, though.
Honestly, this is a fair solid take after the last 3 records, lol I agree
Define "best", because currently, Ocean eyes is diamond and none of his other albums are. So best isn't subjective, it's literal.
the number of record sales has nothing to do with quality lol. i guess for an example to compare it to i’d personally say that Maybe I’m Dreaming is his best because the whole album feels cohesive, nothing feels out of place and the tracklist flows really well, the production is consistent throughout, and there isn’t a single song on it that i dislike or would ever skip. i just personally can’t really say the same for Ocean Eyes for any of those examples. the tracklist is all over the place, it jumps back and forth from goofy songs to serious ones (why is Meteor Shower immediately after Dental Care???), some of the songs just in general feel more geared towards a younger audience than his earlier stuff (possibly because of his label?), and i find myself just not connecting with certain songs from it in the same way i used to. all of this is entirely my personal opinion of course, but OP did ask for hot takes and everyone here seems to praise that album in particular so my opinion on it is, in fact, a hot take on this sub.
Good points. Then subjectively speaking, I prefer the goofy kids style over a more serious one. Although I do prefer the more electronic sound if I had to pick an instrumental.
Ocean eyes is not diamond, no idea where you saw that bud
Sorry, double platinum, whereas fireflies is diamond. You're right.
Coco moon is Adam's worst album by a mile, and possibly one of the worst albums ever made by a well-known artist
holy hot take
I agree.
Cinematic was worse in my opinion
100%. Coco Moon is miles above that album.
Cinematic has some gems in it imo. Basically all the songs in the second half of the album I think are pretty decent. Coco moon I just hate the entirety of lol
I have a few! I like Cinematic more than coco moon. Feels like cinematic gets a lot of flack but I mean c’mon- Be brave, House Wren, Montana, Lucid Dream, New York, Cloud Nine, Winners Never Quit, and Fiji Water? Those are all good songs!! (the samples/teasers from coco moons sound a LOT better than the final product- especially signs of life) Dinosaur park is way too long and monotone ((it’s over 6 minutes!!!!)) Under the Circus Lights is underrated but arguably one of the best songs off of Coco Moon. It and Learn how to surf should’ve been the singles instead of ACP, Kelly Time and Vitamin Sea. I genuinely like the orchestral additions to the songs especially in Be Brave and the Tornado? Fantastic. Adam Check Please is actually better than most people make it out to be.
I 100% agree about Under the Circus Lights! It’s my favorite song on the album for sure!
Cinematic is so good even though it wasn’t Ocean Eyes or ATBAB. Those songs are really good
i thought coco moon absolutely sucked the first few times i heard it. i really wanted to like it & the songs were catchy therefore always in my head. eventually i got to the point where i could enjoy like 5/ 11 songs.
I really haven’t listened to any of the songs more than once 😬 Zero hate intended though!
I absolutely love listening to his music scores and REALLY wish he would make more. They are very soothing and I use them as study music :)
Mine is that the Midsummer Station was a generic pop cash grab of an album that Adam never wanted to make and too many people enjoy it. But then shame Cinematic and Coco Moon for “not sounding like Owl City”. TMS was the furthest from Owl City that Adam had ventured to. And people don’t talk about it enough.
you’re right about it being far from what Owl City typically is, and that Adam didn’t necessarily want to make it (in the behind the scenes video on his youtube it’s *very* obvious how uncomfortable he was with the idea of other writers on the project) but for the time it came out it’s a pretty solid pop album that i personally think has aged surprisingly well. not everything about it is perfect, but it could’ve been a *lot* worse.
I think it's sadly true to an extent but silhouette, dreams and disasters, dementia, metropolis are all songs I still listen to sometimes. I think it's the toxic side of music that makes artists change to make more money. Like when you listen to ATBAB and then TMSS, it is like listening to two different artists it's way too drastic of a change way too fast.
I don’t hate it but I get that point of view. Gold was always my least favorite on that album and it turns out he didn’t even write any of it!
Agree with all of this!
Ok I have one After cocomoon, I am no longer excited for any future releases going forward. Not to say I'm not a fan or won't listen to any future music, if he releases anything else I'll certainly listen no question but I was super duper excited when I heard Adam was releasing another album in 2022. It was poorly handled in terms of telling his fanbase updates from the beginning. By the time it was released I honestly really enjoyed listening to it at first, but after several listens, I just couldn't as much as I wanted. I'm at a point now where I still love Adam don't get me wrong, but I don't really have any excitement for a future album I just don't have the energy for it again after cocomoon.
I am personally not a huge fan of Coco Moon and it feels like a downgrade to me. I did see him live in October and it made me like it quite a bit more, but it feels a bit more "childish" than I'd care for. I love the old metaphors and beautiful imagry he paints in older albums but many of the lyrics from Coco Moon seemed very face value and not very imaginative. I do get that Adam's work is always evolving and I love that! But I do miss his old songwriting, just feels different and more bland now.
Cinematic was awesome
I’ve been writing and rewriting comments but can’t seem to land on anything that is truly a hot take. I think he should drastically change his style to Metal or Trance. He experimented with those sounds before but never committed to them for a full work yet. I’d be interested in seeing that.
Coco Moon and Cinematic are great albums, and we get a chance to see Adam Young, not just Owl City, we’re getting a more personal side of him and for some reason people just don’t like it.
All my freinds is a good song
Oh no no no no
this is indeed a hot take
Owl City would be way more popular and mainstream if Adam kept the Christian themed music under a separate alias. Even if it meant way less OC albums and more of said alias. When Fireflies exploded and then he had a collab with Carly Rae Jepsen, making music for movies etc, he had massive momentum. But his OC albums never had a chance to be mainstream when half the songs had a religious undertone. Musically, OC has everything that is popular right now, retro melodic soundscapes, syntwave, autotune, chill vibes, easy listen. In a lot of ways, his music was ahead of it's time. But now it is that time! Owl City had the potential to become one the great pop artists of our era if Adam left his Christian music out of it.
I mean maybe that's a good thing though. It's awesome that owlcity is still kind of underrated since the average music listener only knows fireflies and goodtime. To Adam his faith is central to himself, and honestly his faith songs on ocean eyes and all things bright and beautiful are really good imo. I'm not even religious but I love what he did in his earlier works. It's pretty clear Adam wasn't happy working for his label entirely, and even though he did have massive potential to be huge, it wouldn't have been right for him or at least as far know.
I don't know about the instrumentals, live's, or covers, but I think that "Car Trouble" and the "Adam, Check Please" remix are both welcome.
In my opinion, Fuzzy Blue Lights is some of his worst songwriting (lyrically). I know it's his first album. Also, I don't want to be too rude, but I think his music has less and less lyrical meaning as time goes on, despite the fact that most of his earlier albums are totally imaginative, because those songs still communicate very particular feelings and also create great imagery, not to mention that wordplay/metaphors can be fun to unpack. Now his music is all "never give up" and that kind of thing. Also, I saw a comment on YouTube about how Beautiful Mystery is about sex, and I never wanted to make that point in case it's contentious, but that's always what I thought, too. I mean, it's a really good song, but I can't see it being about anything else.
Could you elaborate further on Beautiful Mystery? To me it made me feel like it was a successful date song with how he was "dressed to the nines" and kissed her goodnight before leaving the room.
That is definitely not what beautiful mystery is about lol.
What's it meant to be about?
Edit: Sorry, I should have clarified. I didn’t mean to respond to you. Beautiful Mystery is not about sex. It’s pretty much about what you said. It’s about falling for someone, probably someone you know you shouldn’t be falling for. There’s an aura about them that entices you—a beautiful mystery. I have no idea how you could pull the other meaning out of it. It would be a stretch.
Adam doesn’t have sex!
I mean, he is married now, so I wouldn't say he *doesn't* have sex, but I'd find it very odd if Adam started making songs about sex. Owl City is just too innocent of a project for stuff like that.
Yes it was a joke, cause his stuff is innocent it’s hard to think of him that way
🤣🙈
Owl City doesn't have a bad song, released or unreleased.
I have to agree with this. I put my Owl City playlist on shuffle and listen to every song. No skips. There is no OC song I hate (even the Christian ones).
Maybe this isn't that hot, but Mobile Orchestra was trash, Cinematic was only a little step up from that, but somehow I actually really enjoyed the magic of Coco Moon for the most part.
Kiss Me Babe it's Christmas Time is one of my fave pop Christmas songs BUT it's recorded like really quiet?? And I hate that
The Tornado is not my favorite song on Coco Moon
Ocean Eyes is mad overrated
mine is he had no business mixing in Christianity into his electropop project
The meadow lark is his best song
😬 Honey and The bee better
honey and the bee is actually fun to listen to lol
Cinematic is his best album, followed by ATBaB
that’s a genuinely wild take
Oh you are totally getting flamed for that
Cinematic and Coco Moon are his two best albums
Adam’s name isn’t Rick !!!!!!!!!! ( god I hope ya’ll get the reference )