Reviewed by Tony Cummings

Seldom has an album split the critics like this one. A recent review in NME talked about this album's international hit "Fireflies" as being 'cringe-making' and "Adam Young's dripping-wet paean to nature" while another reviewer pronounced 'Ocean Eyes' as a "masterpiece in electronic pop music". The truth is somewhere in the middle. The bleepy, daydreaming emo pop of this Owatonna, Minnesota recluse may not be to everyone's taste, but in truth Adam does brilliantly in creating wistfully pretty, ethereal music which is far more accessible than the work of The Postal Service (whom more than one critic has indignantly suggested that Young has ripped off). NME particularly detested Adam's approach to lyric writing, though less prejudiced listeners will find something rather poetic in his use of nature imagery while "Dental Care" demonstrates no little wit ("Rather than flaunt my style I'll flash you a smile of clean pearly whites/I've been to the dentist a thousand times so I know the drill"). And even if macho types find his talk of ten-million fireflies lighting up a world as he falls asleep unbearably wet, he carries them off with delightfully deft computer rhythms. Hidden in his lyrics are references to Young's faith with "Hello Seattle", "Tidal Wave" and particularly "Meteor Shower" all referencing the transcendent, and though the NME hack was particularly enraged by the lack of references to sex in Adam's songs (bizarrely equating sex with "real life experience"), the Minnesota songsmith's romantic paeans invoke a touching mood of emotional fragility. All in all, if you liked the single, you'll love the album.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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