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Mobile Orchestra

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Untitled

Mobile Orchestra is the fifth studio album by American electronica project Owl City, which was released on July 10, 2015.[3]

Singles

After the song was previewed on ESPN's "Draft Academy" on May 5, it was announced that "Verge", featuring Aloe Blacc, would be released on May 14 as the album's lead single.[4] A lyric video of "Verge" was later published on Owl City's Vevo channel on YouTube on May 13, 2015, along with an announcement for an upcoming music video.[5]

On June 5, 2015, the music video for "My Everything" was released on VEVO and YouTube.[6][better source needed]

On June 26, 2015, "Unbelievable" featuring Hanson, was released.[citation needed]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic50/100[7]
Review scores
SourceRating
The A.V. ClubC+[8]
CCM Magazine[9]
The Guardian[10]
HM Magazine[1]
Jesus Freak Hideout[11]
New Release Today[12]
New York Daily News[13]
PPCORN[14]
USA Today[15]
The National[16]

The album received mixed reviews from music critics before its release. Brian Mansfield, rating the album two and a half stars out of four at USA Today, opines, "Young's light-hearted approach doesn't always work, though, even when his heart's in the right place".[15]Awarding the album four stars from CCM Magazine, Andy Argyrakis states, "he has never been shy about his faith, which continues alongside the mounds of sugary surges that permeate...Mobile Orchestra".[9] Sarah Brehm, giving the album three stars at HM Magazine, writes, "Mobile Orchestra is a solid electronica album".[1] Rating the album four stars for Jesus Freak Hideout, Scott Fryberger describes, "another solid pop album...Mobile Orchestra is a big, fat, shiny diamond".[11] Jessica Morris, indicating in a four and a half star review by PPCORN, says, "Mobile Orchestra is unpredictable, electric, vibrant and full of meaning...absolutely fantastic".[14] Signaling in a four and a half star review from New Release Today, states, "Mobile Orchestra is easily the best alternative music album of the year...this album is chock-full of optimistic messages about love, faith and life wrapped around some incredibly hooky beats and dance floor tempos".[12] Justin Sarachik of BREATHEcast commended the album commenting, "Overall Owl City's Mobile Orchestra is an intense musical symphony from all fronts that not only tickles the ears, but pulls on the heartstrings with hope, positivity, and encouragement. Adam Young unabashedly expresses his faith and beliefs on these songs, and does so to a mainstream audience without so much of a hint of holding back. Mobile Orchestra is a great release for Owl City, and a sure fire hit with some staying people."[17] Reviewing for the The National newspaper, Saeed Saeed also praised the album overall, rating it three stars and cited "Verge", "Back Home" and "My Everything" as the highlights of the album but was less positive to "Unbelievable" and "Bird With a Broken Wing".[16] Ken Capobianco of The Boston Globe commented on the album positively saying, "Six years after the commercial breakthrough “Fireflies,” Owl City’s Adam Young has virtually mastered his poppy electronica-lite formula, and aims straight for the mainstream with this earnest, eager-to-please new work. These carefully manicured, melodic songs are much too transparent and lightweight, though, to leave much of an impression."[18]

Despite its positive reviews, the album is not without its detractors. Opining for New York Daily News, Jim Farber gave the album 2 stars out of five saying, "Everything on the new album by Owl City sounds as if it was recorded by children, or trolls. In fact, it was largely created by an adult male: Adam Young, who uses Owl City as his stage name. From his first international smash, “Fireflies” in 2009, Young has specialized in candy-coated electronics, kiddie melodies and lyrics that could make a motivational speaker seem suicidally depressed."[13] Rating the album also two out of five stars, Tshepo Mokoena of The Guardian also criticized the album saying, "Mobile Orchestra attempts to package and sell the intimacy of relationships. Unfortunately, the results are so poorly executed they feel almost insulting, employing cliches and metaphors rather than digging into the terrifying vulnerability and pulsating rush that accompanies romantic love." She added that the album is "unoriginal and twee" but "destined for commercial success."[10] Randall Colburn, signaling with a C+ grade from The A.V. Club, believes, "It's both reassuring and mildly disappointing, then, that Mobile Orchestra finds Young branching out both sonically and lyrically...Nothing on Mobile Orchestra indicates he's found his new muse, but it reveals a well of passion for that discovery."[8]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Adam Young except where noted

International edition[19]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Verge" (featuring Aloe Blacc)Aloe Blacc, Young, Matthew Thiessen, Emily Wright3:33
2."I Found Love" 3:39
3."Thunderstruck" (featuring Sarah Russell) 4:07
4."My Everything" 3:45
5."Unbelievable" (featuring Hanson)Young, Isaac Hanson, Thiessen, Wright3:13
6."Bird With a Broken Wing" 3:55
7."Back Home" (featuring Jake Owen)Young, Thiessen, Wright3:09
8."Can't Live Without You" 3:11
9."You're Not Alone" (featuring Britt Nicole) 3:54
10."This Isn't the End" 3:23
Japanese edition[20]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Mobile Orchestra"Young0:35
2."Verge" (featuring Aloe Blacc)Young3:33
3."Up All Night"Young3:51
4."Tokyo" (featuring SEKAI NO OWARI)Young3:39
5."I Found Love"Young3:39
6."Unbelievable" (featuring Hanson)Young3:13
7."My Everything"Young3:45
8."Back Home" (featuring Jake Owen)Young3:09
9."Bird With a Broken Wing"Young3:55
10."Thunderstruck" (featuring Sarah Russell)Young4:07
11."This Isn't the End"Young3:23
12."You're Not Alone" (featuring Britt Nicole)Young3:54
13."Can't Live Without You"Young3:11

Charts

Chart (2015) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[21] 33
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[22] 161
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[23] 144
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[24] 83
UK Albums (OCC)[25] 98
U.S. Billboard 200[26] 11
Canadian Albums Chart[27] 5

Release history

Region Date Edition Format Label Ref.
Japan July 10, 2015
  • Bonus track
  • Commentary
Republic [28]
Worldwide Standard [29]

References

  1. ^ a b c Brehm, Sarah (June 5, 2015). "Owl City - Mobile Orchestra". HM Magazine. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
  2. ^ "Owl City: My Everything - Music on Google Play". google.com. Retrieved June 29, 2015.
  3. ^ "Owl City reveals new album, 'Mobile Orchestra'". altpress.com. Retrieved May 12, 2015.
  4. ^ "ESPN Music on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved May 6, 2015.
  5. ^ "Owl City - Verge (Lyric) ft. Aloe Blacc". Youtube. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  6. ^ "Owl City - My Everything". Youtube. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  7. ^ http://www.metacritic.com/music/mobile-orchestra/owl-city
  8. ^ a b Colburn, Randall (July 10, 2015). "Owl City tries to transcend its twee-tronica roots on Mobile Orchestra". The A.V. Club. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  9. ^ a b Argyrakis, Andy (June 15, 2015). "Owl City: Mobile Orchestra". CCM Magazine. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
  10. ^ a b Mokoena, Tshepo (July 9, 2015). "Owl City: Mobile Orchestra review – bland, twee and bound to be huge". The Guardian. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
  11. ^ a b Fryberger, Scott (July 6, 2015). "Owl City, "Mobile Orchestra" Review". Jesus Freak Hideout. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  12. ^ a b Davis, Kevin (July 9, 2015). "Feeling the Love". New Release Today. Retrieved July 10, 2015.
  13. ^ a b Farber, Jim (July 8, 2015). "Owl City's new album 'Mobile Orchestra' crashes and burns". New York Daily News. Retrieved July 8, 2015.
  14. ^ a b Morris, Jessica (July 5, 2015). "Owl City: 'Mobile Orchestra' Track-by-Track Album Review". Music Snake. Retrieved July 6, 2015.
  15. ^ a b Mansfield, Brian (July 6, 2015). "Album of the Week: Owl City goes 'Mobile'". USA Today. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  16. ^ a b Saeed, Saeed (July 20, 2015). "Album review: Mobile Orchestra – Owl City". The National. Retrieved July 20, 2015. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |journal= (help)
  17. ^ Sarachik, Justin (July 9, 2015). "Owl City's 'Mobile Orchestra' Powerfully Sends Catchy Electro-Pop Encouragement with Aloe Blacc, Hanson, & Britt Nicole [REVIEW]". BREATHEcast. Retrieved July 9, 2015.
  18. ^ Ken, Capobianco (July 9, 2015). "Owl City, 'Mobile Orchestra'". The Boston Globe. Retrieved July 20, 2015. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |journal= (help)
  19. ^ "Mobile Orchestra by Owl City - iTunes (U.S. Store)". iTunes. Retrieved May 16, 2015.
  20. ^ "Mobile Orchestra by Owl City - iTunes (Japanese Store)". iTunes. Retrieved May 13, 2015.
  21. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Owl City – Mobile Orchestra". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  22. ^ "Ultratop.be – Owl City – Mobile Orchestra" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  23. ^ "Ultratop.be – Owl City – Mobile Orchestra" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  24. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Owl City – Mobile Orchestra" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  25. ^ "Owl City | Artist | Official Charts". UK Albums Chart. Retrieved July 18, 2015.
  26. ^ "Owl City Billboard 200 chart history". Billboard.com. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  27. ^ "Owl City Billboard 200 chart history". Billboard.com. Retrieved July 21, 2015.
  28. ^ "Mobile Orchestra by Owl City". Josepvinaixa. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
  29. ^ "Mobile Orchestra's Official Release Date". Them Collective. Retrieved June 30, 2015.
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