James Arden checks out the garage rockers latest album.
The Christian rock band from Brighton bring religion to the masses.
Recipe for modern R'n'B album: liberal helpings of guest rappers and an overdose of sexual euphemisms.
Therefore, the album opener ‘The Real World’ sounds far too reminiscent of the previous effort: in fact, it is possible to go so far as to say the track sounds as if it had been recorded for Ocean Eyes and then discarded as there was much stronger material. The continued trend appears to be one of ignoring this reality in favour of a happier, idyllic one and whilst this is fairly easy listening, there is no true sense of inspiration.
Creative problems plague the album throughout: ‘Honey and the Bee’ plays like a rearranged version of the rather ingenious ‘The Bird and The Worm’, whilst ‘Galaxies’ appears a dance remix of the ideas and beats spouted in ‘On The Wing’. Hindering the album then is not so much the material itself, but the lack of any new sound or progression that should dominate and encompass a great deal more of the proceedings.
Slight rock elements are then a welcome addition and are carefully plugged at the beginning of the album so as to entice the listener with an apparent change in sound. Both ‘Deer In The Headlights’ and ‘Angels’ are the album highlights for their electro rock approach; but the new found influence is firstly managed in a poor fashion that has the material reminiscent of gushing teen pop and latterly, it is forgotten as quickly as it appeared.
‘Alligator Sky’, the lead single from the album, is one of the only tracks that feels completely fresh and probably the reason it was chosen to represent the material. Not only does it feature a rap that highlights the possibility of new directions and muses that should be explored by the project, but the synth music takes some new and deeper influence from 80s pop, string orchestral movements and a tinge of electric guitar boy bands. Perhaps this angle needs to be considered more fully in any future releases.
However, as a ‘project’, Adam Young is able to call it a day on Owl City at any point and he has made repeated references as to how he may do this in the coming future. Who knows, this could be a potential commercial gimmick: buy my album and I’ll give you more music. However, the current output need be rearranged. Whilst there is nothing particularly wrong with All Things Bright and Beautiful and it would indeed be an album to carelessly listen to on a summer’s day, this reviewer would still recommend Ocean Eyes in exactly the same scenario. A project should be something much more experimental than playing safe ground – the rinse, recycle, repeat formula does not best showcase potential talent and leaves this album rather unmemorable.
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