Owl City

Having signed to Universal, Owl City has definitely broken out of the bedroom. His electro-pop sounds are more expansive than ever, with the bleeps retreating behind lush, Elliott Smith-like arrangements on "The Bird and the Worm," while re-recorded fan faves like "Hello Seattle" and "On the Wing" benefit from ever-so-subtly enhanced production. Musically, he still cuddles up to emo at its most twee and feel-good, with lyrics ripped straight from journal pages and melodies so sweet that they make the Postal Service sound almost abrasive in comparison.

"The stars lean down to kiss you/And I lie awake and miss you," murmurs Minnesota
MySpace sensation Adam Young on "Vanilla Twilight," a typically dreamy track from his
major-label debut. Throughout Ocean Eyes, Young sets his breathy croon over gentle
laptop beats and goes on about romance, the joy of spying fireflies and how he gets
nervous going to the dentist. Often, Young sounds like a cuter version of the Pos... More >