Christofer Drew~ “Mr. Funny Man”

I have a feeling I’m going to be putting out a new post every day until the 12th because I think I see a pattern going on. If I am not mistaken, Christofer Drew is going  to stream a  new single off The  Modern Racket on Alternative Press’s website everyday until it’s  release  on April 12.

The second track is titled, “Mr. Funny Man.” It’s all together simple. Just  Drew and his guitar.  There is nothing special about the song, which in a sea of auto-tunes and  synthesizers is what makes Drew’s new music so refreshing.

What makes this song so perfect it that it seems obvious that Drew has left behind most of his anger so often felt through his earlier songs. He manages sharp lyrics with little to no effort. Unlike the songs heard on Harmony and What is Love? where Drew was using his voice and more complex sounds to get his point across, I for see Drew is going to let his writing do most of the talking on his upcoming EP.

Christofer Drew~ “Livin’ the Dream”

Today is yet another installment of “Christofer Drew amazes me.”

Social networking has led to a lot of undone homework on my part, but it also constantly updates me on new music. Facebook is the latest to do so.

I am tra-la-laing at work and my Facebook auto-updates my news feed to read: Never Shout Never- “Check out the first song from The Modern Racket EP called “Livin’ The Dream.” Dont forget to donate to Charity:Water via themodernracket.com to get the EP on 4/12.” I listened and I am in love still. You can check out the song here.

The song is simple and free. It reminds me a lot of Harmony with very little computer aided music. Just Drew and his guitar. I cannot wait for the new EP.

The Modern Racket will be released on April 12 on the album’s website here.You get the album when you make a donation to Charity:Water through the website. You can also wait until April 19 and buy it from and digital media outlet like iTunes.

I am must say I understand Drew’s move away from the Never shout Never title. It can be hard to make new and evolving music when your 14-year-old fan girls want carbon copies of songs like “Trouble” and “Happy.” I have read interviews with Drew where he says  he is growing as a person and as an artist. He doesn’t want to let anyone down but he doesn’t want to be stuck doing the same thing forever. And most fans don’t take the time to think that Drew was 16 or 17 when he wrote his old songs. He was an immature artist and needs time to progress. I think he is doing just that and his hard-core fans, that like Drew for his music and talent, will stick around through what ever he decides to do.

An Open Letter to Adam Young

Dear Adam Young,

I have been a fan since my best friend started playing your little known singles three years ago. I immediately appreciated the lyrics that you seemed to pull from the sky and the poppy, happy beats you laid them on.

With all that out there, I fear you are letting the fan girls run your music. You used to make music in your parents’ basement and never really cared if anyone heard it. And that is what made you special. You didn’t play any instruments or do any special dances but you made music with feeling and I felt it.

My favorite song has always been “The Saltwater Room.” It’s beautiful lyrically. The harmony found between your voice and the music creates something comfortable like being  on a swing in that time between summer and autumn. It’s perfect. Listening to it fills me up with happiness.

However you took that beautiful song and remade it for Ocean Eyes, and it’s not the same. It’s something different and uncomfortable. Your voice is different and the lyrics are different.  It’s like being in a familiar place, having all the lights turned out and trying to navigate, but finding out all the furniture has been moved.  It makes me unhappy.

This is just the beginning of what I have witnessed as a down turn in your musical style. Your songs don’t make sense at all anymore. In the beginning, I had to really struggle to find the meaning behind your songs. And even if I didn’t get what it meant to you, I had an idea of what it mean to me. Now I have no idea what to feel.

It started with fireflies. I get the point behind that one, but something just seemed off. Like maybe you were making too much sense with it and I found it uncomfortable. After that, all of Ocean Eyes is just nonsense. Take the first track off Ocean Eyes, “Cave In.” The opening line says, “Please take a long hard look through your text book, ‘cuz I’m history. When I strap my helmet on, I’ll be long  gone, ‘cus I’ve been dying to leave.” What do these two lines have to do with each other?? Maybe I am missing it. The song goes on to more quizzical lines like, “I’ve had  just about enough of quote diamonds in the rough because my back bone is paper thin.” I just don’t understand. The music behind it is still the same Owl City I grew to love but the lyrics, and your voice, are different.

I already wrote about the winter single you put out, so I will not dwell on that any longer. But you did just put out a new single and I feel the same about that one. It’s  like you let the stardom take your imagination and creativity.

I like seeing your face, cuz it’s cute, but maybe you need to go back to being that shy guy that never had pictures taken head on and doesn’t like to touch fans. I think the camera and fan girls are stealing your super powers.

Sincerely,

Bee