The Midsummer Station Album Review

So I received my hard copy of this baby just yesterday and thought since I am way into music, I may as well take this golden opportunity to write a review for one of the hottest albums of summer, The Midsummer Station by Owl City.

Many fans have dissed his recent efforts claiming that Adam Young has gone all-out mainstreamed by using generic, unoriginal lyrics and completely changing in order to sell well. Only one thing is true in that statement, Adam HAS changed, but he isn't selling out (at least not yet). There are a few known reasons why his music seems so different to everyone.

Adam Young has come out of his caged-up-in-the-basement-alone stage in life and is more involved with his fans, friends, and family, all while getting some well-needed fresh air. Angry fans should at least be proud that he is indeed much healthier than before. 

Another factor is that he doesn't just have his basement and his keyboards and computer anymore, he's got a studio with higher quality equipment and the musical experts helping him out with everything. As a bonus, Matt Theissen was very involved with creating of The Midsummer Station, so die-hard Relient K fans should get some kicks from this album.

Now I could be wrong, but judging by Adam's blog posts and recent interviews (and listening to the CD myself) he seems to be far more focused on the musical part of his songs rather than the lyrical. The results were stunningly constructed instrumentation. What Midsummer Station has done to surpass Ocean Eyes, for example, is intensify the depths of sound and rhythm, putting emotions into the beats, and exploring corners of the world of music he's never been before. Through this he has brilliantly tied together his art with what's popular now. 

This is not to say that the creativity has been completely drained from the lyrics either. Traces of his old writing style are subtly laced throughout, namely in Dreams and Disasters, Embers, Silhouette, and Metropolis. The new writing style is more simplified, emotional, and repetitive, but it is more relatable and easy to understand. Each song is written from different events that took place in his life, things that he took to heart, so lyrically there's just as much depth and perspective than any of his old stuff, it's just done in a different style. The Midsummer Station is meant to be enjoyed by a broader audience, and is definitely more fun.

No matter how depressing the subject, Young always seems to provide shades of light and a positive outlook in both his music and life experiences. And that is just what most critics hate about Owl City. They can't stand the fact that he won't express a strand of negativity or any form of edginess in his songs. But isn't that what critics should be acclaiming; something that is different? Haven't there been enough language-laden pop songs about sex, temporary relationships and partying? As someone who appreciates the generic along with the unique and the obscure, I found The Midsummer Station to be quite refreshing. 

Change can be difficult, but to an artist it's usually very good. The last thing any musician wants to do is have all their songs sound the same or be caught in a musical rut. Experimentation prevents one from getting bored or doing what's already done. As Adam Young himself puts it, he is "merely different colors and different brushstrokes over the same canvas". To my relief he's the same ol' Adam with his same love for musical art. He's simply coming at it with a different medium. With the whole "which Owl City do you like better" I'm like, 

Yes, indeed

Are these works not both considered art? They are  allowed to be admired equally.

Mm YEAH!!! 

While the haters mope around I'm going to indulge in the melodious beauty of my personal favorite tracks, Metropolis and Bombshell Bomb. 

Peace out, because I know you're gold! You are treasured!

Ever wondered...

...why reading and sitting on the toilet go together so well? I haven't. 'Til recently, like a few days ago. Man, bathrooms are pretty awesome once you think about it!

Anyway this post isn't really about toilets n' bathtubs. It's about me. Because you all should know, It's ALL about me! (Not really, duh.)

I just wanted to talk a bit about what's been going on lately in my life, since well, this is my blog. Lately I've been receiving the message from Heaven over and over "to sing a new song," and "to sing the sweeter song," and "to do something different". Since this message is fairly "new" for me, I'm still going about doing life and asking God what he means by that. With a message that important, it's going to be a gradual learning process for me, I'm sure, so I am not expecting any answers right now. Patience is needed for God's lessons and that's another good lesson for me to learn since I tend to be a pretty impatient person. So far what I've learned from this process is that God is taking me a different direction than I expected. For example, ever since I could hold a pencil, I've been an artist. I love to draw, paint, sculpt with clay, and create things with my hands. I thought that maybe that natural talent would be a part of my future, like my career, etc. But lately it seems that God has introduced me to another talent that I apparently have that He wants me to use for His glory instead. I had no idea He would want me to do something other than what I've been doing, but that's the way God is. Of course, this doesn't mean I give up art completely or that it's NOT used for His glory, HECK NO, but He just simply wants me to do use another medium to send His messages to others. And that's ok. Use me the way you want to, Father.


But besides that, something else occurred to me.....

.....Sing to the Lord a new song....  I feel like God has been telling that to all of His children for a loooooong time. Because, like the book of Ecclesiastes says, nothing is NEW under the sun!!! Sure, we're living in "the future" right now, with technology, etc., but honestly, what hasn't changed over time? Ever since the fall of Adam and Eve, there has been war, famine, world hunger, poverty, disease, hatred against our brothers, separation, broken love, and confusion on what's right and wrong! Why? Because of our OWN choices! People always test Christians by asking "If God is really good and loving like you say He is, how come (insert bad event here)?" Many "Christians" don't even know how to answer. This, my friends, has been going on forever. You can even look in the Bible and see that even God's most loyal prophets have screwed up. Yes it's true, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God, and sometimes we really make fools of ourselves. When I get to college there's constant pressure to party, have sex with a hundred guys, and to "live it up". This has been bearing down on me hard everywhere I go. So what happens if I give in? EVERYONE'S doing it!

*yawn* BOOOOORING. Heard all THAT before......

My mom told me once that what the world really desires is someone who's different. I don't know about you, but I think the coolest people in the room are always the ones who wear the artsy clothing and don't care what others think, the ones who would rather play the bagpipes than the electric guitar, the ones who do math for fun, and who aren't afraid of who they are. They're weird. I've found that people generally are  naturally attracted to that kind of person. These are the ones who, in high school, were probably made fun of or put down by others.

The ones who don't change despite the constant pressure are the strong ones. They're not afraid of the world, because, honestly, what could the world possibly do to them besides destroy them only if they were to give into its pressures?

What automatically turns the cool factor WAY up with any person is when they are not afraid of who they are because God fearfully and wonderfully created them, thus they are not ashamed of the gospel or of God. They never miss an opportunity to share what they know to be true to others, and they expect persecution, but WALK onward anyway. That's what the world really has been longing for. Now I'm not talking about the "team Jesus" cheese that "Christian" teens sometimes do, especially when they wear their Christian shirts and count that as evangelizing or expressing their faith. Hey, Christian tees are cool and all, but people should be able to tell you are a Christian by your very presence, not by what you wear on the outside.

So now, moving onto something even more important. Here is the REAL question that is connected to the title of this post... (not the toilet question)

Ever wondered...
...what your song sounds like?

When I get to Heaven, I want to see God's works in my life orchestrated through every fiber of my being, woven perfectly into a pleasant song, because I want to be perfect as God is perfect. Others will tell me perfection isn't possible, and that's true, well, on the world's standards. God gave us forgiveness and redemption for when we do mess up, and He died so that we can BE like HIM!


As our callings become more evident in our lives, never fail to seize the opportunity to do what God has set out for you. The world needs Him. Help light the way.


Bye bye my keyboards! God bless you all.

Will that be all for you, MA'AM?

Hey there my java beans!

You know what really got on my nerves not too long ago? The fact that a lot of people think I'm older than I actually am.

So I am 18 now, so technically that makes me an adult, right? I do not have a problem with this. I do not have a problem with people looking at me or treating me as a young adult. I also do not have a problem with people having far higher expectations of me. All this comes naturally as you get older! Duh.

For some reason people have been thinking I am in my 20's. A lot of fishy college students are envious of this because they want to look like they are at least 21 when they make fake ID's so that they can get into all the bars and clubs. I have never done that and I will not do that, thank you very much.

A lot of people I know would ask me why I thought that that was such a bad thing. Really it wasn't, and honestly, I'm not totally sure why it bugged me so much. What set me off wasn't necessarily because grocery store clerks who are older than me always call me ma'am everytime I shop there. That would be a lame reason, anyway. It wasn't really because of the time when this one person working at the mall thought I was 23. It wasn't really when this weird guy on campus was hitting on me because he thought I was 22... No, it wasn't really any of that. It could because of this one time my dad and I went on a retreat and the young lady working their thought that we were married. OK, my dad is in his forties, and I, at the time, was 17...

I started to question myself over the matter: Is this because of my height (I am very tall)? Is it because of how much makeup I wear? Is it because I don't dress like an 18-year-old? Does this mean that I shouldn't be hanging out with high schoolers???? These stupid questions just made me feel more unconfortable. I tried not to let it really get to me, and I kept telling myself it really wasn't anything to sneeze at, I mean, it wasn't like people thought I was 35 or anything (although that situation with my dad made me question that too). But then I remembered another incident of someone thinking I was in my twenties that made me feel much better.

One of my coworkers when I first started my job asked me how old I was, and I told her I was 18 and fresh out of high school. She said, "Oh! I thought you were in your twenties because you just seem so mature and sophisticated." Then I thought, Wow! Mature? Sophisticated? ME???  

I finally drew the conclusion that me worrying about what people thought of my age is one way of being too caught up in what others think about me. So what if it is my height?? That can't be helped. Besides, I love being tall. What if it is how much makeup I wear or the way I dress? I am just expressing myself and being who I am. And who cares how old your friends are? *CLICHE ALERT* Age is only a number.

The more and more I thought about the questions I would ask myself, the more ridiculous and immature they seemed. I mean, it really doesn't matter at all. God made me this way. Even if people were to constantly tease me or make fun of me for the way I look,  I am who I am and that's who I am. I am a woman of God, I'm not a high schooler anymore. I told myself:

All that was a good mini lesson I needed to learn. I am an adult now, I need to not just act like one, but think like one too. For me, this means advancing in my relationship with God into levels I probably never would've reached when I was a bit younger. It also helped me to remember what was really important and to not take things to heart too easily those silly things that people say. So you!!!! DON'T LET WHAT PEOPLE SAY MAKE YOU FEEL UNCONFORTABLE ABOUT YOURSELF!

See you dudes and dudettes l8er.