Mobile Orchestra

Never have these words felt more appropriate than after listening to this album. Owl City came to my attention in 2010, like most people, with his huge hit fireflies which went number one in many countries and straightaway I need I'd found something special. He would soon become my one of my favorite artists of all time. The blend of dreamy synths and wacky lyrics hooked me. The perfect escape music that I can see connects with all different age groups. His first major album Ocean Eyes was light headed and soft which really drew you into his world but had its limitations. The last album midsummer station was much louder and full of dancy pop totally different that despite fitting right into popular music lacked a lot of that signature owl city sound. Both albums were great but only on his 2nd album all things bright and beautiful did he become a true icon of music. That album just felt like perfection and brimmed with positivity perfectly honing the owl city sound developed on his earlier work so if you've just discovered this artist then I would recommend that as a starting point. Anyway I came here to talk about this album. His fourth studio album (some say fifth) mobile orchestra. This album is definitely his most interesting album to date. This could have been a disaster with the fact that they're many collaborations and the early singles didn't impress me. There was a fear that this album could go the way of midsummer station and lose more of the owl city signature sound. After listening to the album in full I couldn't have been more wrong. This album is an emphatic success from start to finish. It's unique in the fact that it blends many different genres of music together and manages to include past owl city sounds with future/present owl city sounds. I make the statement in the title because many people don't know that Adam Young is owl city. One person not a band. Yeh he collaborates and sometimes gets other people to help him make songs on the album but for the most part he produces,mixes,writes and sings all these songs with no real help. This is what makes him such an exciting artist with you really believing in the music that he creates. This album is a clear reflection of his talents because he takes a giant risk but manages to pull it off. It's like instead of another owl city album with another style you take a dip into his creativity and see many different routes that he could take or has taken. I've never done track by track reviews because usually songs are quite similar on albums and you can just review the overall focus of an album. But this is different and deserves more of a break down: 1. Verge - Great start - just a fun song that flows well. The collab works well delivering more of an edge to the song. 2. I found love - So different from verge - connects perfectly with his early work on ocean eyes without going to dreamy. (simplicity is the key) 3. Thunderstruck - already a firm favorite with fans - similar to all things bright and beautiful yet brings something different with the dubstep sounds. Again the collab works perfect. His collaborations with lighter female vocals always work well. 4. My Everything - A song that wasn't expected to work because it concerns faith and god and could come across preachy or hard to connect with if you don't believe in that. Instead it's one of the strongest songs on the album. It feels so genuine with the chorus bright and uplifting. 5. Unbelievable - fun song. The highlights are the wacky lyrics, the nostalgic feel and upbeat chorus. 6. Bird with a Broken Wing - a perfect example of how owl city branches out into new territory and succeeds. A perfect anthem with more rocky influences. Reminds of past owl city sounds for some reason. one of the songs owl city will be remembered for. 7. Back Home - Again a new genre that shouldn't work. A country song that is gentle and easy to listen to. Sometimes the collab takes over and it becomes more of his song but he sounds good so it doesn't really matter. Enjoyed it. 8. Can't live without you - Might be my favorite on the album. The verses are sad and build to a loud EDM chorus like a mad release of energy that is infectious. Reminds me of thunderstruck. 9. You're not alone - Perhaps the weakest on the album. Mainly because it stays on a similar level throughout. Again it talks about a faith like my everything but doesn't work as well as that song. That being said it is still a good pop song that calls to mind his many animation movie songs. 10. This isn't the end - The perfect end. Really tells a story that is dark and sad but manages to end on a positive note. one of owl city's most memorable songs. I could ramble on for ever about owl city and this album is particular but I'd best stop now. Mobile Orchestra is Owl City's defining album mixing genres and styles while still retaining the classic owl city sound. Don't be fooled by the negative reviews. This is a perfect showcase for the genius of owl city and why he is one of the top musicians of our time. I would highly recommend this.

I really liked his song "Fireflies" so I purchased the CD with this song on it. That CD was brilliant so I purchased the rest of Owl City's CDs which are also brilliant. I saw this one was being released so it was a pre-order. I've had this CD for about two weeks now and I was blown away. To date I think this new work is a masterpiece and his best of the best so far. Every song is a gem on this one. I think he could have a hit with any song on this CD, especially "Unbelievable"! If you're an Owl City fan, I highly suggest this CD. It's a definite must. Like I said, every CD he's put out is brilliant but I can't get enough of this one. This has to be the best of the best from Owl City.

As an older fan of Adam Young I found this CD to be unusual compared to previous offerings. It is a very Christ-centred CD and one that demonstrates his faith to a huge degree. As someone who found their faith later in life I absolutely adore all the songs but especially Hallelujiah - the words are extremely moving to me and I have used them for my own meditation and prayers. However it's just as good a listen if you not a person of faith in that the words could easily apply to a loved one. Good job Mr Young and God bless you.

Very well produced very tuneful and very Adam Young. Maybe its a bit formulaic and lacking a little of the originality of his earlier stuff however. Maybe he should do albums more like his like live concerts with more drums and guitars and soul.

Beautiful album, really good production on every track and the entire album leaves you wanting more. Adam dabbles in different genres and the artist being out of his comfort zone creates a great diversity on this album. Tracks for everyone. Personal favourite: Thunderstruck

Great album, all the songs are memorable and very nice to listen to, I've had it on repeat since I received it!

It's a Cd. I got what I expected :) If I was to review the album itself, I always loved all of Adam's works so I wasn't disappointed.

Most of the tracks are excellent, have not played it more than once.I am very happy I bought it.

I have loved Owl City since 2009. The tunes are catchy and imaginative, the lyrics are poetic and clever, and the overall message of hope and purpose is uplifting. On a car trip, this is one of the bands the whole family can agree upon and enjoy, and the music is diverse instead of all sounding the same. The first two albums contain some of my all-time favorite songs: the poetry and imagery of that music are amazingly vivid, and now that I've had these songs in my life for so long, they're full of powerful nostalgia for me. 2012's "The Midsummer Station" disappointed me, because that album seemed to pander to pop radio culture instead of providing an alternative. Unimpressed with the pop sound and shallow lyrics, I only bought three songs from that album, and when Adam Young announced "Mobile Orchestra," I was excited, but also leery. Even though I like the singles he had produced in the meantime, I did not want to get my hopes up for a new album and then be disappointed. It was a risk for me to pre-order this album, but I'm so glad I did, and have enjoyed listening to this continually since: the lyrics have not recaptured the same dreamlike and wonder-filled sense that I adored from "All Things Bright and Beautiful," but the style and lyrical messages are different from the rest of the music on the scene today, and it's thrilling fresh air. The album has different sounds, styles, lyrics, and contributing artists, keeping it interesting. This is the kind of CD where you both read the lyrics and turn up the music extra loud to pick up on all the audial complexity. This album also has songs with clear Christian messages, and I admire Adam Young for refusing to be pigeonholed as a Christian or secular artist, making art that expresses his beliefs but is still accessible to a wider audience. His songs are always full of hope, and "Mobile Orchestra" makes it abundantly clear where that hope is grounded. This CD far surpassed my expectations, and I know I will be listening to it for years. There are some albums which you listen to for a period in your life and never return to, but this is one which I know I'll still be enjoying in ten years, returning to it for both nostalgia and its inherent delightfulness.

Le cerveau derrière Owl City prouve une fois de plus que sa créativité n'a pas de limite : intelligent, super agréable et décidément porteur de bonne humeur, Mobile Orchestra confirme ce que l'on sait depuis un moment ; Owl City est un petit bijou. Chacun y trouvera son compte, et on attend qu'une chose : encore plus de musique.

owl city大好き

Ich liebe diese Gruppe und habe jedes Album von Ihnen, man kann die CD von Anfang bis Ende laufen lassen was ich nicht von jeder Gruppe behaupten kann.

Highly recommend this album! One of my favourites of Owl City❤️