Adam Young

I would have titled this Owl City, but since Adam is also Sky Sailing, we have to make the distinction. Whatever he's calling himself at the time, I love his music. I love the mellow tone of most of his songs, especially the older ones. But, of everything, what gets me most are the lyrics. He sings a lot about travel, flying, water, relationships, and places he loves.

Now, sometimes it's a bit tricky to tell exactly what connection he's trying to make with some of the words in his songs, but that can make it even better. Even when you wonder exactly what he means, the words add to the overall feel of the song. His lyrics often seem a little random associative, in that there is always a connection, but the looser the better. He uses puns, oxy-morons, sharp juxtaposition, and just clever little twists of thought paths that make sense but you know you never would have thought of on your own.

In that way, it fulfills one of the great principles of music. Music expresses things there aren't words for, and in Adam's seemingly random lyrics I feel he gets across those things that normal, linearly logical lyrics can't.

Just for a taste, here's "Hello Seattle" for you:

Hello Seattle, I am a mountaineer
In the hills and highlands
I fall asleep in hospital parking lots
And awake in your mouth

Hello Seattle, I am a manta ray
Deep beneath the blue waves
I'll crawl the sandy bottom of Puget Sound
And construct a summer home

Hello Seattle, I am the crescent moon
Shining down on your face
I will disguise myself as a sleeping pill
And descend inside of you

Hello Seattle, I am a cold seahorse
Feeling warm in your sand
I sing about the tide and the ocean surf
Rolling in the evening breeze

Hello Seattle, I am an albatross
On the docks and moored boats
I sail above your inlets and interstates
Through the rain and open wind

Hello Seattle, I am an old lighthouse
Throwing beams of bright lights
Red in the morning, blue in the evening sun
Taking heed for everyone

Hello Seattle, I am a mountaineer
In the hills and highlands
I fall asleep in hospital parking lots

Take me above your light
Carry me through the night
Hold me secure in flight
Sing me to sleep tonight

Take me above your light
Carry me though the night
Hold me secure in flight
Sing me to sleep tonight