It seems as if at the beginning of this year there weren’t many people on the Owl City bandwagon. According to the numbers, there are plenty of people aboard for 2010. Owl City’s latest album, Ocean Eyes, was recently certified gold and the “Fireflies” single has sold more than 2,000,000 copies making its status double platinum. For a guy as young as Adam Young (no pun intended), he’s been making all the right moves in his career.

Owl City will be headlining a North American spring tour as a full-functioning band and will have guests LIGHTS and Paper Route join in on the fun. It’s a little early in the game and last minute changes can always occur, but this is the list of confirmed dates for next year’s tour:

03.30.10 Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
03.31.10 Spokane, WA @ Knitting Factory
04.01.10 Seattle, WA @ Paramount Theater
04.03.10 Portland, OR @ Roseland Theater
04.05.10 San Francisco, CA @ Fillmore
04.06.10 San Francisco, CA @ Fillmore
04.07.10 Pomona, CA @ Fox Theater
04.08.10 San Diego, CA @ Soma
04.09.10 Los Angeles, CA @ Club Nokia
04.10.10 Phoenix, AZ @ Marquee
04.12.10 Salt Lake City, UT @ Salt Air
04.13.10 Denver, CO @ Ogden
04.15.10 Austin, TX @ Stubbs
04.17.10 Dallas, TX @ Nokia Theater
04.19.10 Nashville, TN @ War Memorial
04.20.10 Atlanta, GA @ Tabernacle
04.22.10 Washington, D.C. @ DAR Hall
04.23.10 Boston, MA @ House of Blues
04.24.10 New York, NY @ Terminal 5
04.25.10 Philadelphia, PA @ Electric Factory
04.28.10 Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues
04.29.10 Detroit, MI @ Royal Oak
04.30.10 Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
05.01.10 Minneapolis, MN @ State Theater
05.02.10 Milwaukee, WI @ Eagle Ballroom

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For more information on Owl City, visit owlcitymusic.com.

It seems as if Adam Young found his niche in the world. He does what he does well because swarms of indie scensters pack the venues he sells out in advance (over and over again). Well he’s at it again. He’s barely taking a break and starting things back up with his new 2010 tour dates.

If you want a chance to actually get in to a show rather than stand out in the cold and wet weather this year while you watch everyone inside having a blast in the warmth, MySpace is continuing its fight to remain relevant by offering advanced ticket sales. You can check out Owl City’s MySpace page for details. The pre-sale starts on October 16th and runs until October 23rd.

01.21.10 Kansas City, MO @ Beaumont Club
01.22.10 Oklahoma City, OK @ Diamond Ballroom
01.23.10 St. Louis, MO @ Pageant
01.24.10 Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room
01.26.10 Madison, WI @ Majestic
01.27.10 Cincinnati, OH @ 20th Century
01.28.10 Columbus, OH @ Newport Music Hall
01.29.10 Towson, MD @ Recher Theater
01.30.10 Norfolk, VA @ NorVa
02.01.10 Charleston, SC @ Music Farm
02.02.10 Jacksonville, FL @ Freebird Live
02.03.10 Tampa, FL @ State Theater
02.04.10 Ft. Lauderdale, FL @ Culture Room
02.05.10 Orlando, FL @ House of Blues
02.06.10 Athens, GA @ Melting Point
02.08.10 Birmingham, AL @ Workplay
02.09.10 Baton Rouge, LA @ Varsity Theater
02.10.10 Little Rock, AR @ Rev Room
02.11.10 Valparaiso, IN @ Valparaiso University
02.12.10 South Bend, IN @ Notre Dame
02.13.10 Grantham, PA @ Messiah Univ.
02.14.10 Baltimore, MD @ Univ. of Maryland

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For more information on Owl City, visit owlcitymusic.com.

Unicorn Kid opened the show with a set of upbeat synth sounds and infectious beats which made you want to get up and dance. Wearing his signature tiger hat, this 17-year-old Edinburgh boy not only brought me back to the discos in Europe but also melted every teen girl’s heart in the room. Singer-songwriter Kate Havnevik felt like a trip back to Lilith Fair. With a voice that reminds me of Sinead O’Connor, she has an interesting sound and kept the crowd entertained (despite all the technical difficulties).

Everyone held their breath waiting for Owl City to come on. And when the nicely-dressed quintet stepped onstage, the School of Rock exploded. With soothing vocals over classical strings and a steady rhythm section, this is one group you can’t avoid (not that you’d ever want to). Hearing them live reminds me a bit of Postal Service, but Owl City hold their own and bring a breath of fresh air to music that leaves you wanting more.

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For more information on Owl City, visit owlcitymusic.com.
For more information on Unicorn Kid, visit myspace.com/unicornkid.
For more information on Kate Havnevik, visit katehavnevik.com.

09.09.09 Nashville, TN @ Rocketown
09.10.09 Atlanta, GA @ The Loft (SOLD OUT)
09.11.09 Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle (SOLD OUT)
09.12.09 Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel (SOLD OUT)
09.14.09 Toronto, ON @ El Mocambo (SOLD OUT)
09.15.09 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom (SOLD OUT)
09.17.09 South Hackensack, NJ @ School of Rock
09.18.09 Boston, MA @ Paradise Rock Club (SOLD OUT)
09.19.09 West Chester, PA @ The Note (SOLD OUT)
09.21.09 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
09.22.09 Pontiac, MI @ The Eagle Theater
09.24.09 Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection
09.25.09 Chicago, IL @ The Metro
09.26.09 Minneapolis, MN @ The Cabooze
09.27.09 Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
10.06.09 Boston, MA @ WFNX Disorientation 2009 (Venue TBA)
10.08.09 Des Moines, IA @ House of Bricks
10.09.09 Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room
10.10.09 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theatre
10.11.09 Salt Lake City, UT @ Murray Theatre
10.12.09 Boise, ID @ The Venue
10.13.09 Spokane, WA @ The Big Dipper
10.15.09 Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore
10.16.09 Seattle, WA @ Neumo’s (SOLD OUT)
10.17.09 Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theatre
10.19.09 San Francisco, CA @ Slim’s
10.20.09 West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour (SOLD OUT)
10.22.09 Anaheim, CA @ House of Blues (VENUE UPDATE)
10.23.09 San Diego, CA @ Epicentre
10.24.09 Scottsdale, AZ @ Martini Ranch
10.25.09 Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
10.27.09 Tulsa, OK @ The Marquee
10.28.09 Dallas, TX @ House of Blues – Pontiac Room
10.29.09 Dallas, TX @ House of Blues – Pontiac Room
10.30.09 Austin, TX @ Emo’s Alternative Lounge
10.31.09 Houston, TX @ Meridian
11.18.09 Hong Kong, China @ Grappa’s Cellar
11.19.09 Guangzhou, China @ TBA
11.20.09 Shanghai, China @ Zhijiang Dream Factory
11.21.09 Beijing, China @ Yugong Yishan
11.24.09 Shibuya-ku, Tokyo @ Shibuya Club Quattro
11.25.09 Chuo-ku, Osaka @ Osaka Club Quattro
11.26.09 Naka-ku, Nagoya @ Nagoya Club Quattro

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For more information on Owl City, visit owlcitymusic.com.

»Album Reviews For Release Date: 07.28.09
by Joshua Krage

While there are technically some big names out this week, I don’t consider gangsta rappers, R&B club singers, or High School Musical alumni things about which I feel like writing. So I colored in the indie releases a bit because there are some really good ones:

David Arkenstone
Bad Boy Bill
Bad Veins

Band of Skulls, Baby Darling Doll Face Honey – seriously muscular UK trio that have the full-volume urgency of Muse, the airtight male-female dynamic of the Von Bondies, and a grasp of how to swing from a wall of sound to a subtle acoustic interlude. These guys arrived fully formed, deserving of the heaps of buzz and press they’ve been receiving across the pond.

Birdman
Blur – best of
Kristinia Debarge
Fabolous
The Features
Trevor Hall

Howling Bells, Radio Wars – huge cinematic scope on the sophomore set from this indie-label heavyweight in the wings. With support slots opening for Coldplay, The Killers, and Snow Patrol under their belt, this shadowed and sinewy foursome are ready for the big time and have brought the perfect album to take their shot. Bonus style points for frontwoman Juanita Stein’s reverb-colored desolate croon — that’s ambience, baby.

Neon Horse

The Octopus Project, Golden Beds EP – one of my favorite fringe indie experi(instru-)mental pop groups. Definitely obtuse but playfully so. This is just a taster EP but still full of head-scratching moments of instrumental grandeur and hip, mopey lyrics with a cute, fuzzy edge.

OST – Adam
OST – Funny People

Owl City

Nitin Sawhney
Starflyer 59
George Thorogood and the Destroyers

Timber Timbre, Timber Timbre – slow, quirky folk blues out of the Toronto branch of indie Canadian label, Arts & Crafts.

Ashley Tisdale
Wrabit

YACHT, See Mystery Lights – geez, every major and minor music magazine and interwebkin seems to be going gay over this band, who is really just a really musically-enlightened programming genius and whoever happens to be playing with him at the time. This is a case where all the love, hype, and press is well deserved, because this guy is Interesting (*<--capital "I"*). The band is conceived as a way of life, a social commentary, and a business venture, but the fact that they're signed to James Murphy's DFA label should tell you that they're 1) indie and 2) danceable. In spades, indeed.

If you live in the UK, this is festival season for you, so you may have already seen some of these bands live on stage, from a sweaty throng of hooligans who may or may not have been throwing spent beer bottles full of their own product. If so, bully for you, good show. We’ve got some of our own festivals stateside, so if you Yanks are able, check ‘em out and report back! We’re really hitting the days of summer now…

P.S. Enjoy a sampling from this week’s new songs on my MySpace page. It’s updated pretty much weekly now…

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To view past reviews, visit our archives.

It’s always good to put a name with a face. In this case, it’s good to put a video with the music. Until now there hasn’t been an official video for any of the tracks on Ocean Eyes. Last week we mentioned the free download of Owl City’s track “Fireflies” on iTunes. If you took your time getting around to it, then your chance to grab the track for free has passed. Instead you can download the entire album on iTunes or watch this pretty cool video that Owl City recently put together for you.

The video’s nature is kind of quirky — but then again, you shouldn’t really expect anything different from Adam Young. You’re about to revisit your childhood (or the childhood of the kids you used to babysit) when you see an army of toys make their appearance in Owl City’s “Fireflies.”

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For more information on Owl City, visit myspace.com/owlcity.

Owl City is already making an impression in the digital world by being ranked #2 on iTunes’ Top 100 albums.
Head on over to iTunes to grab your free single or download your copy of Ocean Eyes for just $7.99.

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For more information on Owl City, visit myspace.com/owlcity.

Track Listing (that you’ve been dying for)

Ocean Eyes
Release Date: July 14th (via iTunes) / July 28th (in stores)

01. Cave In
02. The Bird and The Worm
03. Hello Seattle
04. Umbrella Beach
05. The Saltwater Room
06. Dental Care
07. Meteor Shower
08. On The Wing
09. Fireflies
10. The Tip Of The Iceberg
11. Vanilla Twilight
12. Tidal Wave

If you’re familiar with Owl City’s prior albums, then you might notice a few tracks that you’ve bobbed your head to once or twice (“The Saltwater Room,” “Hello Seattle,” and “On The Wing”). We’re not complaining because they’re (still) good songs. As a whole, Ocean Eyes isn’t taking a new direction from the last album, Maybe I’m Dreaming. The good old Owl City beats which you fell in love with are still evident so you won’t be disappointed with Ocean Eyes.

There are some songs that seem to cross over to a more serious side of Owl City that we’re not used to hearing much of. I mean, singing about make-believe oceans and talking sea creatures is fun and all, but there are a few tracks that seem to have a more mature sound, overall. But there’s no need to fear, the same lovable imaginary world that Adam Young hides behind still exists throughout the majority of the tracks on Ocean Eyes.

Sara Kiesling Photography

“Meteor Showers” is a short track (2:14) but one of the more memorable ones because of its unique relationship to the rest of the album. This song takes the slow lane-approach to the rest of the album by existing in the background of the more upbeat tracks. The calmer arrangements heard in tracks such as “Meteor Showers” prove that electronic music does not always have to come equipped with ecstasy and glow sticks. Like I said, it’s a pretty short song, here are the lyrics:

“I can finally see that you’re right there beside me.
I am not my own,
for I have been made new,
please don’t let me go–
I desperately need you.”

Songs like “Meteor Showers” build Owl City’s stronger side and make tracks like “Vanilla Twilight” relevant to the album. It’s comforting to hear softer trance-like melodies merging with serious material (relationships made with humans rather than nature) such as the kind that “Vanilla Twilight” has to offer. It balances the album out very well and offers a serving of reality rather than constant fantasy.

Sara Kiesling Photography

That’s not to say that the roots of Owl City have flown the coop. If you still want your bubbly scenarios and electronic beats, then you’re only a few tracks away. Songs like “Dental Care” bring out the playful side of this album which can’t be denied. Who thought a twenty-something could sing about the fears of the dentist and still hold an audience’s attention? At first, I was weary of these kinds of tracks. Even though they seem silly to sing along to, you can’t hide from the amount of catchy arrangements which you can fit into three minutes.

“And with a smirk he says,
‘don’t have a fit this will just pinch a bit,’
as he tries not to grin.
When hygienists leave on long vacations
that’s when dentists scream
and lose their patience.”

Ocean Eyes is a nice follow-up to the prior Owl City tracks we’ve heard in the past. It’s familiar yet promising of growth all at the same time. It’s that album that can play throughout your day and make that day feel short and carefree. The dichotomy of mellow and upbeat seem to be prevalent throughout the entire album. The traditional happy roots of Owl City overpower the serious and mature tone that is heard throughout the album, even if that mature tone is sometimes heard from a distance. Regardless, if you’re looking for the right pick-me-up then you should be sure to grab Ocean Eyes on July 14th exclusively on iTunes.

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For more information on Owl City, visit owlcitymusic.com.

The original release date for Owl City’s upcoming album, Ocean Eyes, was posted for September 1st. I’m not sure if it had anything to do with crossed fingers, anxious individuals, or pleading fans, but the release was pushed in a good direction. iTunes has the honor of revealing Ocean Eyes to the public on July 14th until July 27th. If you’re anti-iTunes and prefer to have hard copies of everything you listen to, then you’ll have to wait until July 28th, which is the day that Ocean Eyes is available to everyone. Pre-orders are available and are expected to deliver on (or around) the 28th so you can have your dose of Owl City along with everyone else.

In the meantime, here is something to keep you entertained while you wait:

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For more information on Owl City, visit owlcitymusic.com.

This is what Young had to say about his latest release:

“I spent last summer mountain climbing with a host family in Tibet and actually witnessed a live avalanche from across an immense ravine. Needless to say, it was both terrifying and awe inspiring. After returning home that night, I slouched on the couch and ate a bowl of Cheerios with fresh strawberries. I thought getting hit in the face by a huge strawberry avalanche would be the most romantic way to ‘buy the farm.’ And I’m the farthest thing from a farmer.”

See? Inspiration comes from all the strangest places. If that’s the case, then I’ll be sending my regards to red wine and good literature instead of Cheerios and death mountains—but, to each his own.

“Strawberry Avalanche” is the second in the series of early released singles from the new album, Ocean Eyes, that will be available to the public on September 1st.

In celebration of the new album, Owl City will be kicking off a Fall 2009 tour that you have no excuse to not be a part of if you attend the pre-sale. The pre-sale for the new tour starts this Friday, June 5th at 12 pm EST through Friday June 12 at 10 pm via MySpace Music. You have to be Owl City’s friend on MySpace in order to be eligible–so get friendly.

Here is the official list of the Fall 2009 tour:

09.09.09 Nashville, TN @ Rocketown
09.10.09 Atlanta, GA @ The Loft
09.11.09 Carrboro, NC @ Cats Cradle
09.12.09 Washington, DC @ Rock and Roll Hotel
09.14.09 Toronto, ONT @ El Mocambo
09.15.09 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
09.17.09 S. Hackensack, NJ @ School of Rock
09.18.09 Boston, MA @ Paradise
09.19.09 West Chester, PA @ The Note
09.21.09 Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
09.22.09 Pontiac, MI @ The Eagle Theater
09.24.09 Grand Rapids, MI @ The Intersection
09.25.09 Chicago, IL @ Metro
09.26.09 Minneapolis, MN @ The Cabooze
09.27.09 Milwaukee, WI @ The Rave
10.08.09 Des Moines, IA @ House of Bricks
10.09.09 Omaha, NE @ Waiting Room
10.10.09 Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
10.12.09 Boise, ID @ The Venue
10.15.09 Vancouver, BC @ Biltmore
10.16.09 Seattle, WA @ Neumos
10.17.09 Portland, OR @ Hawthorne Theater
10.19.09 San Francisco, CA @ Slims
10.20.09 Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour
10.22.09 Anaheim, CA @ Chain Reaction
10.23.09 San Diego, CA @ Epicentre
10.24.09 Phoenix, AZ @ Modified
10.25.09 Albuquerque, NM @ Launchpad
10.27.09 Tulsa, OK @ Marquee
10.29.09 Dallas, TX @ Pontiac Room – HOB
10.30.09 Austin, TX @ Emos
10.31.09 Houston, TX @ Java Jazz

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For more information on Owl City, visit owlcitymusic.com.