• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Owl City and Postal Service. Why?

Page 3 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
TheNoblePlatypus said:
As for a review of it, it's derivative pop beats with autotune singing. Not much more to be said. No one cares about lyrics except for 13 year old girls. By the way, autotune is pitch correction software. It allows "singers" to go off key and have it artificially fixed for them.



I'm not a huge fan of Death Cab, but it's a great example of what talent needs to be placed into music to make them valid artists. Music made electronically isn't all bad either, but they need to bring something unique to the table(Daft Punk, Crystal Method, Chemical Brothers, etc.). Making a fake version of alternative bands that can actually perform isn't music.
Click to expand...

I'm saying the bulk of the vocals are not autotuned though, the background versus are but the opening bars are his natural singing voice.

I guess I just don't base my overall opinion of autotune based on whether I like the band or not (you seem to). I don't make any distinction between someone I don't like (T-Pain) using autotune and someone I do (Daft Punk). Both use it for it's intended purpose: to get a certain sound for the song. I'm not saying it isn't overused, but just because Daft Punk is infinitley more original and talented than other autotuners doesn't make their autotune use "valid" and others some sort of lie to listeners. Everyone can identify autotune these days, why should it automatically exclude a song as good music if it attains the desired aural affect?

I'm actually reading Chuck Klosterman's new book which has a great essay on the basic question of music journalism; is what I'm listening to "real". And what role does perceived authenticity have in music being good or bad.
 
my daughter and I are google chatting and she just mentioned she is listening to Owl City's fireflies song. I'm like...w...t....
 
Either the Postal Service is ripping this guy off or he is ripping the Postal Service off. Either way he is the poorer version.
 
BudAshes said:
Either the Postal Service is ripping this guy off or he is ripping the Postal Service off. Either way he is the poorer version.
Click to expand...

I still dont understand the connection between the United States Postal Service and this guy. Did he do a commercial for them or something?

The US Postal Service commercials must really be popular these days.
smileydance.gif
 
When I first heard "Fireflies" I thought "Postal Service?"

Turns out just some guy influenced by them. Meh. And after listening to a few of his other songs, Postal Service = superior.

Although, he's touring with LIGHTS, who is my current indie-pop crush (music isn't terribly amazing (it's feel-good electro-pop), but her webcasts are entertaining).
 
i can't believe people would actually admit to liking that firefly song.

i don't just hate it because it's pop, i hate it because it's the worst pop. it ties with that annoying-ass valley girl 'song' and lady gaga.
 
brblx said:
i can't believe people would actually admit to liking that firefly song.

i don't just hate it because it's pop, i hate it because it's the worst pop. it ties with that annoying-ass valley girl 'song' and lady gaga.
Click to expand...

what's your claim to fame?

I learned to like this song because my marriage affair said she was sort of stoned and saw all these lights...didn't know what they were, then was OMG fireflies.

she was 31, I am 38; she was on the American Olympic team for gynmastics.

Most songs really aren't good unless you have lived.
 
I really like his music. Heard Fireflies on the radio and decided to check out his other stuff. I liked a number of his songs on that album better than fireflies (perhaps because it is a little overplayed on the radio now).
Its fun stuff and good background music while I'm working
 
of white guy reggae:

Interesting. Ive never heard of this genre. Could you give me a few white-guy reggae bands?
Click to expand...

Jdub mentions Matisyahu, which I do like, but thats not exactly what I was talking about. Snow is just wrong.

Never heard of Dubblestandart or Ras Trent, sorry.

I was referring to:
The Expendables - http://www.myspace.com/theexpendables

Rebelution - http://www.google.com/search?q=rebe...s=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a

Even the old standby - Sublime
 
I first heard Owl City several weeks ago driving to work. I usually listen to CDs, but I was scanning radio stations when I ran across "Fireflies". I liked the sound. I bought the CD the next morning.

I only like about 4 tracks on the rather short album. I'm a sucker for synths, portomento leads and soft, electronic drum sounds. All of which are found on the album. He has a cool, chopped-up, staccato synth break in one of the tracks. The lyrics are really simple and not very thought provocing. The melodies are also simple, but catchy.

The Stig said:
I'm saying the bulk of the vocals are not autotuned though, the background versus are but the opening bars are his natural singing voice.

I guess I just don't base my overall opinion of autotune based on whether I like the band or not (you seem to). I don't make any distinction between someone I don't like (T-Pain) using autotune and someone I do (Daft Punk). Both use it for it's intended purpose: to get a certain sound for the song. I'm not saying it isn't overused, but just because Daft Punk is infinitley more original and talented than other autotuners doesn't make their autotune use "valid" and others some sort of lie to listeners. Everyone can identify autotune these days, why should it automatically exclude a song as good music if it attains the desired aural affect?

I'm actually reading Chuck Klosterman's new book which has a great essay on the basic question of music journalism; is what I'm listening to "real". And what role does perceived authenticity have in music being good or bad.
Click to expand...


Owl City may use pitch correction for its intended purpose, but he's using it as a mild effect. It works well with his heavy use of synths and electronic drums. He uses Melodyne instead of the Antares tool.

When I do scan the radio, I hear the effect used a little too heavy-handed on hip-hop tracks and I'm surprised it has gone on this long. Can you believe that Cher's track was released over 11 years ago!?

I only have one Daft Punk album and don't know their stuff too well, but there main vocal effect is a vocoder. They may have other tracks that I'm unaware of that use, or misuse, a pitch correction tool.

My issue with the Owl City album is the 'blips' that are heard during Fireflies. One blip occurs before each chorus. It also happens to precede a sloppy punch-in. Interestingly, I had to listen to the song in order to write where the blip occurs, so I went to his website. The version of Fireflies on the website is mixed differently than the album version. Not uncommon, just pointing it out.

The other issue is the audio dropouts, that were done of purpose, during one of the other tracks.
 
daft punk is techno.

when a vocoder is used to either showcase an instrument (e.g. peter frampton 'making his guitar talk') or put an effect on the vocals (a lot of daft punk i've heard), it's not quite the same as using it to correct shitty pitch.

what's worse are these r&b 'artists' that entirely rely on a vocoder, as they have no voice whatsoever...and yeah, they don't even try to hide it. vocoders have become the new 'chipmunk talk,' only this fad has lasted way longer.
 
brblx said:
daft punk is techno.

when a vocoder is used to either showcase an instrument (e.g. peter frampton 'making his guitar talk') or put an effect on the vocals (a lot of daft punk i've heard), it's not quite the same as using it to correct shitty pitch.

what's worse are these r&b 'artists' that entirely rely on a vocoder, as they have no voice whatsoever...and yeah, they don't even try to hide it. vocoders have become the new 'chipmunk talk,' only this fad has lasted way longer.
Click to expand...

Frampton did not use a vocoder. That was a Heil Talk Box. Neither do the 'artists' that you refer. They are using a pitch correction tool with some of the parameters of the tool set to their absolute minimum or maximum. The tool is being abused, but to the point of creating a new effect.
 
biggestmuff said:
Frampton did not use a vocoder. That was a Heil Talk Box. Neither do the 'artists' that you refer. They are using a pitch correction tool with some of the parameters of the tool set to their absolute minimum or maximum. The tool is being abused, but to the point of creating a new effect.
Click to expand...

and daft punk have used talk boxes, too.

it's the same principle, whether you do it electronically or not.
 
Owl City is okay.

I was actually surprised to start hearing Fireflies on the radio. I find it more enjoyable that the normal bullshit that is on, so I'm not complaining. However, I would never personally choose to listen to any Owl City song.

I do love The Postal Service, though.
 
I came upon the ocean eyes album by owl city and actually most of it is very good. It is very "light" in mood, but I just really enjoyed it. I also liked Postal Service a lot and yes the similarities are very obvious.
 
biggestmuff said:
I first heard Owl City several weeks ago driving to work. I usually listen to CDs, but I was scanning radio stations when I ran across "Fireflies". I liked the sound. I bought the CD the next morning.

I only like about 4 tracks on the rather short album. I'm a sucker for synths, portomento leads and soft, electronic drum sounds. All of which are found on the album. He has a cool, chopped-up, staccato synth break in one of the tracks. The lyrics are really simple and not very thought provocing. The melodies are also simple, but catchy.




Owl City may use pitch correction for its intended purpose, but he's using it as a mild effect. It works well with his heavy use of synths and electronic drums. He uses Melodyne instead of the Antares tool.

When I do scan the radio, I hear the effect used a little too heavy-handed on hip-hop tracks and I'm surprised it has gone on this long. Can you believe that Cher's track was released over 11 years ago!?

I only have one Daft Punk album and don't know their stuff too well, but there main vocal effect is a vocoder. They may have other tracks that I'm unaware of that use, or misuse, a pitch correction tool.

My issue with the Owl City album is the 'blips' that are heard during Fireflies. One blip occurs before each chorus. It also happens to precede a sloppy punch-in. Interestingly, I had to listen to the song in order to write where the blip occurs, so I went to his website. The version of Fireflies on the website is mixed differently than the album version. Not uncommon, just pointing it out.

The other issue is the audio dropouts, that were done of purpose, during one of the other tracks.
Click to expand...

Ahh thank you for the post, you have a good ear. Now this is someone I could talk music with.

:cheers
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top