Spring Break
listen up!: Girls, Owl City
RYAN BROOKS, SOPHIE LOGHMAN
Issue date: 11/5/09 Section: Out & About
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Album
For the past few weeks, I couldn't get away from the San Francisco pop duo, Girls, the latest indie media darlings. They've been super-hyped - blogged about or put on the radio almost everywhere.
But there is something about the band that grabs me and doesn't let me go. The music has amazing staying power, and I have a sneaking suspicion that it's because the songs discuss the most played-out of played-out music ideas: the break-up song.
Lead singer Christopher Owens has a voice that is composed, conversational and engaging. He manages to be heartbreaking without sounding like he's crying into the microphone; I hope that whoever the titular subject of "Laura" is, she listens to this album.
The pitch for "Album" so far in other media has been recounting Owens' life in the extremist Children of God cult, where his brother died because of the cult's disbelief in medicine. He ran away from the cult at 16, wandered around for a bit and started producing music with Chet White - part two of the band.
Then, as the story goes, they did a lot of drugs and made a record.
Does this matter? The album is a solid piece of optimism; it really is a big old sugar cube - even tracks like "Hellhole Ratrace," the best track on the album. Or is that missing the point too? Does drug-fueled madness have to result in psychedelic jams that assault and confuse the senses?
Besides "Ratrace," "Lust for Life" is also good, but other parts of the album sound more haphazard and rushed and can be strung along the background with Owens' "tragic nerd" voice.
Don't let this defer you from Girls, however. The duo won't be stopping in Atlanta or Athens anytime soon, but when and if it does, you should not be doing anything other than going to see it in action.
VERDICT: Overall, a fantastic pop act who can cut a mean single, but whose first album can drag a bit.
- Ryan Brooks
OWL CITY
Ocean Eyes
Owl City, a one-man band formed in 2007 by 23-year-old Adam Young, has released its second album, "Ocean Eyes." The 12-track album is comprised of quirky topics such as travel, dentistry, worms and weather, all of which contain symbolic double-meanings. It is already one of the top albums sold on iTunes.
Songs such as "Fireflies" and "Hello Seattle" are extremely catchy and have already made waves on the radio. So this is your heads-up: the album can be very addictive and contagious, as each song is catchy in its own way.
Owl City, which is categorized as electronica/pop, should appeal to those in search of a more upbeat Death Cab for Cutie. Young, a Minnesota native, in a way, is targeting all those who loved The Postal Service and Reliant K as well.
Tracks such as "Hot Air Balloon" are much more poppy than The Postal Service, but if pop isn't your genre of music, don't let that turn you away. "The Saltwater Room" is slower and more calming.
Young's innocence and joyful high spirits are conveyed through his CD and hit you right in your gut.
The funky electronic background music and Young's unique voice give listeners a happy-go-lucky album to listen to when trying to feel upbeat and positive.
"If my heart was a house, you'd be home," murmurs Young in his dreamy love song "If My Heart Was House."
If this sounds too mushy for you, maybe you shouldn't give Owl City a try - most of his songs have some level of mushiness to them.
And no, I wouldn't say this album is the best thing I have heard this year, but it is a great listen for those who want to escape and take a break from the seriousness of life.
VERDICT: "Ocean Eyes" should be added to your playlist. The cheerful, lighthearted album should rightfully appeal to listeners who want music that will help boost their spirits.
- Sophie Loghman
