I Fought the Record Label and the Record Label Won
Posted August 22, 2012
By username2,
It only felt like yesterday that Adam Young of Owl City put out his sophomore album All Things Bright and Beautiful. That's probably because it was yeasterday, proverbially speaking. ATBAB was released just over about 400 days or so ago and now we get to look forward to his third outing The Midsummer Station. Does this album continue the trend of fun electro dance pop music that Owl City is known for? Does Young craft more lyrical poeticism that makes these songs have more depth and meaning? Yes... kind of for the first question and not really for the second question. Yes there are some fun sounding songs on here but the beats don't sound up to the level and quality that Owl City provides. See, All Things Bright and Beautiful didn't sell all that well and the label, Universal Republic, basically made Adam to make an Owl City album that would sell. That's why this is coming out so soon after the last album and that's why you hear Carly Rae Jepsen, of all people, being a guest vocalist on one of the songs. Lyrically, Adam tries to write more of that excellent poetry that was apparent on the previous albums but the label influence appears here as well and what he ends up with is just your average pop song lyrics minus the sex references.
The Midsummer Station is an album that screams label influence. The electro sounds Adam Young is known for end up sounding like any other mainstream pop album and the lyrics aren't as deep as they were in previous albums. Songs like "Embers," "Silhouette," and perhaps the best track of the album "Take It All Away" show us the Owl City of old and are the highlights of the album. As it stands, The Midsummer Station is probably my least favorite Owl City album to date.
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