The Midsummer Station
Adam Young, a.k.a. Owl City, seems to be a nice guy, and he knows how to put together a pop song. But he’s also a menace. On Young’s fourth LP, he delivers universally annoying synth-pop pep talks – “It’s time for you to shine brighter than a shooting star”; “Follow the light through the dreams and disasters” – in a dweeby Mr. Magoo whine that makes him one of the more insipid popvocal stylists of his generation, if not any generation. His fluency with pop forms only makes things worse; Young spoils everything he touches. The Carly Rae Jepsen duet “Good Time” is grating enough to make you hate Jepsen, “Call Me Maybe” and also good times in general.
Listen to “Good Time”: