All Things Bright & Beautiful, Owl City, LP

Owl City's Adam Young, a 24 year old small town Minnesotan who had never been on an airplane until two years ago, has experienced many extraordinary moments over the past 18 months, including calling his mom back home on his cell phone while standing on the Great Wall of China. Young's travels came in the wake of the blockbuster success of Owl City's major label debut album the lush, lovingly created OCEAN EYES, which was released in July 2009. Young's adventures are evocatively detailed on the impossibly catchy Eectro Pop songs that make up Owl City's self produced new album, ALL THINGS BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFUL, which finds Young expanding his sonic palette as he takes his listeners into a verdant musical dreamland on such tracks as first single "Alligator Sky," "The Real World," and "Dreams Don't Turn to Dust." Throughout the album, Young retains his trademark optimism, letting the listener know that no matter how tough times get, there's always light at the end of the tunnel.