First Impressions is a segment where we let you into our early thoughts on a highly anticipated album, This week, we have our early views on Owl City’s Ocean Eyes. It drops September 1st, 2009.
After selling nearly 300,000 individual songs and 30,000 albums digitally on their own, Owl City will be taking a shot at the big time on July 28th with the release of Ocean Eyes on Universal Republic. If the past year has taught us anything it’s that Myspace success doesn’t equal sales, but I think this record has a chance of being huge. If you’ve ever liked anything from Owl City in the past, you’ll love nearly every aspect of this record as it’s a more expansive and I think, catchy version of the previous work with better production and overall quality. Songs like the dance inducing opener, “Cave In” and heartfelt “Meteor Shower” are sure to stick with you long after they play even if it’s just a single listen. Many have compared Owl City to The Postal Service and while that is true, I think Owl City has something to offer that TPS doesn’t and it’s not just more songs. Owl City has a more youthful and fun sound that still maintains a very down to Earth honesty that you can’t help, but fall in love with every time you hear it. I honestly have sat with the record for about two weeks now trying to write this little piece without gushing like a school girl due to how simply great it really turned out to be. Ocean Eyes is the kind of record that from the first time you play it, you know you’ll be coming back to it again and again for years to come. Though it’s not a true debut album as two came earlier, it is the first to really strive for international recognition and it deserves it. Ten fold. No questions asked. Say hello to the next music phenomenon.