You have to hand it to Adam Young, the producer and sole member behind Owl City‘s twinkly ballad-pop, for knowing his strengths and playing to them. In 2009, he broke out with the Billboard Hot 100-topping singalong “Fireflies,” which boasted a sugar-coated refrain, wide-eyed lyrics and a proficiency for Postal Service-like blips. Now he’s back with “Alligator Sky,” the first single from forthcoming album “All Things Bright and Beautiful,” that demonstrates-along with a recurring fascination with animal life-a continuation of the formula that made him such a success. In fact, it’s pretty much an exact rewrite of Young’s original smash, from the bubbly electronics to the Ben Gibbard-approved melodic choices to the overblown optimism (“Harmonize with the singing satellites!”). Love him or hate him, you’ll be hearing Owl City on the radio for years.
