Owl City recently released a new album called “All Things Bright and Beautiful” and will be playing at Club Nokia on Thursday. Adam Young (the man behind Owl City) spoke with Daily Bruin’s Andrew Bain about his writing process, his new album and his hopes for the future.
Daily Bruin: What is your writing process?
Adam Young: It’s usually 95 to 99 percent starting with melodies. I guess I tend to noodle around with lyrics forever because of the way the initial vocal lines are all mapped out with the synth or with the piano or something like that … so, sometimes I need a two-syllable word and all I can think of is a one-syllable word. Sometimes it’s tedious.
DB: Do you ever consciously decide to think of a melody, or do they tend to just pop into your head?
AY: I find that the more I try to sit down and tell myself, “I’m going to sit down and I’m going to write this great, catchy melody,” I feel like I always walk away feeling empty-handed versus the times where I’m absentmindedly (sitting) at the keyboard or at the synth and messing around and not even paying attention to what I’m doing. Sometimes, I’ll be on the phone and my left hand will be just playing garbage on the keyboard and then I’ll say, “I have to call you back because I just thought of this really cool melody, I have to record this and get this down.”
DB: You’ve said that you had a much more concrete idea of what you wanted the sound of “All Things Bright and Beautiful” to be as opposed to your previous work. Can you elaborate on that?
AY: I wanted to make sure that I knew all the ins and outs of studio gear, so I made sure that I knew every kind of control … so that I knew what sound to get and how to (produce it) versus just turning knobs and not knowing what’s going on, which is kind of the way I’ve always done it. (I also made) sure that this new album was very big and very polished and … older and wiser sounding. (I also tried) to make sure that the songs felt very genuine, very heartfelt and … cohesive.
DB: Since you’re primarily recording everything alone, how do you think that process is a different experience than musicians who record with a producer?
AY: The whole vibe I get alone in a creative atmosphere without a producer or … a mix (of different people) ““ something about having all that positive pressure on my own shoulders ““ has always been really inspiring to me versus really daunting. And, I always feel like I work best under some sort of a crunch. That’s why I’ve always opted to do what I do as a solo thing ““ … everything aside from mastering, I do on my own at my own speed. I guess it just feels right, and ironically the only creative atmosphere I’ve ever really known has been by myself alone in a basement.
DB: How does your musical experience change live, when you have a backing band instead of being on your own?
AY: As far as live (performance) and playing with all the musicians, that’s also been a new thing for me ““ the idea of having other people on stage … to play all these other parts that are on the record that … I can’t … cover. So, whenever it comes time to switch gears from studio mode to touring mode, it’s always a big fun adjustment.
DB: Does producing music get overwhelming at times? Do you ever need to take a break from music?
AY: I always tell myself “OK, I’m done with the new Owl City record, I’m going to not think about music, I’m not going to open Pro Tools for two weeks.” Then, later that day, I’ll be down in the studio messing around with something. I just can’t keep away from it.
DB: Where do you see your music career headed in five years?
AY: I’d love to be able to say that I would see myself … composing and writing scores or just working with film … maybe assisting a composer or programming synth lines for an action movie. But I guess, more practically, if I can just keep doing what I’m doing, honestly, because what I’m doing is such a dream come true for me.