We were first introduced to Owl City’s Adam Young as a goofy, well-meaning dude in his early 20s. These days… well, he’s a goofy, well-meaning dude in his late 20s. Aside from that, not much has changed; he’s still making gee-wizz electro-pop for youth pastors and wimpy kids.
However, he’s decided to bring some friends along for the ride this time. Soul-man-cum-EDM-star Aloe Blacc sprinkles some baritone over opener Verge, which works far better than any song of its ilk has the right to. Unfortunately the other collaborations are less successful – the countrified Back Home has Jake Owen phoning in some autotuned drawl, while the inclusion of Hanson on Unbelievable (a song about how awesome it was growing up in the ‘90s) is an irony that won’t be lost on many.
Mobile Orchestra works best when Young isn’t preoccupied with clunky storytelling (This Isn’t the End) or Jesus (My Everything, You’re Not Alone). When he puts his mind to it, he’s capable of delivering a penetrating sugar-rush – his 2012 hit, the Carly Rae Jepsen featuring Good Time, is proof of this. Unfortunately, he doesn’t have his head in the game enough to make Mobile Orchestra truly worthwhile.
BY DAVID JAMES YOUNG
