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Young

Adam Young Scores.

Adam Young publicly announced on December 18, 2015, that he would be releasing a new project for 2016 titled 'Adam Young Scores'. Starting from February 1st 2016, Adam began releasing scores on the first of each month, as if they were recorded for use in a movie, and act as an accompaniment to the events for which they are based on. The visuals for each score were created by James R. Eads, an artist collaborating with Adam for the project. You can buy and stream the scores from various websites as linked below, or buy directly at https://store.ayoungscores.com/.

Adam stated on Facebook and Twitter: "Starting February 1, for as long as I feel moved to do so, I will release a conceptual “film score” each month based on my interpretation of stories that mean something to me." He also wrote about the background of the scores on his Instagram, saying: "At long last, I'm able to work on a few important projects I've wanted to begin for years, one of them being a composer project inspired by my love of film music. The first instalment in a collection of 11 score albums is available now, the second will be available March 1, followed by one album per month for the remainder of 2016. For those wondering, Owl City is not defunct or on hiatus, merely paused for a moment to allow me to pursue a passion I've dreamed about since I was 16 years old. I want to create worlds and tell stories, imagine, explore and experiment. Praise and glory to God for allowing me to spend my days doing what I enjoy most. Thank you all for joining me!"

He also said on his blog: "I wanted to be a composer since I was 16 years old. When I first discovered film music and began to explore classical music and the universe it occupies, I was hooked. My friends didn’t get it, it wasn’t cool to listen to orchestral music, but I didn’t care. It was the first thing that made sense to me. At long last, I’m finally at a place in my life where I have time to work on the really important things I’ve wanted to do for over a decade."

A letter from Adam, from the official ayoungscores.com website:[]

"Dear Friends,
Not long ago, I found myself reminiscing the last half decade of my career. I recalled what it was like writing my first songs, recording my first album and touring in a 15-passenger van. Then I went back further and remembered being 16-years-old and what it felt like discovering something that would ultimately allow my dreams to become reality. It was then that I stumbled upon a world of music that did something to me no other type of music had ever done before — it inspired me."

"The revelation of a person’s first love of music is different for everyone, but for me, it was film scores — original music written to accompany motion pictures. These types of atmospheres and anthems spoke my language and I remember experiencing a feeling of wide-eyed wonder while listening to my favorite composers. The talent and prowess of John Williams, Harry Gregson-Williams, James Horner, Thomas Newman and Alan Silvestri exposed me to a creative canon I’d never experienced before. I felt as though I’d stumbled into a universe that was made just for me. It spoke to my heart, moved me deeply, and gave me the confidence to drop everything and say, “That. I want to do that."

"And so, as a 16-year-old with little knowledge of composition or audio production, I followed my inspiration blindly and simply began to paint with music. I didn’t have a long-term goal, I just knew I’d unearthed a creative drive that would not rest until I gave it my all. So that’s exactly what I did. The years have flown by, and here I am today — the same 16-year-old at heart, filled with more motivation and creativity than ever. "

"Along the road, I’ve experienced my share of highs and lows and I’ve learned the mainstream pop music industry can be a frustrating place for everyone. It has a way of coaching one to adopt a creative process that may or may not come naturally, depending on the individual. "

"As I found myself looking back on my own story, I realized the ups and downs of the mainstream music space have, at times, given rise to a degree of personal frustration and stress that affects everyone in the industry. By pausing to muse on the way things are in such a place, I find myself greatly inspired to use such trials and tribulations as the means to ignore any such “rules” the industry embodies. I consider myself fortunate enough to see the big picture from several angles, and after stopping to study over it, I suddenly feel a deep indwelling desire to make music for the sake of creating nothing but pure, bold, trailblazing art. No speed limits, no safety nets, no rules."

"And so, as I listen to the works of the composers I first fell in love with, I feel a great longing to create my own version of that same wonder and euphoria that moved me as a young impressionable musician. I want to create worlds of sound that tell stories and tales in ways that cannot be described with words. I want to explore a vast, wild universe of storytelling and create in others the same fascination and curiosity I felt. "

"Stories are infinite. They offer us the ability to retell them according to the way we imagine them. Thus, I want to create musical narratives that aid in the telling of stories that move Adam Young, according to his imagination. And I want to share them with you."

"Starting February 1, for as long as I feel moved to do so, I will release a conceptual “film score” each month based on my interpretation of stories that mean something to me. They will live here, on ayoungscores.com, available for you to listen to or download for free, or consume via your preferred online platform (Apple Music, Spotify, etc.). Each score will be accompanied by a visual companion, created from scratch by a visual artist I admire (2016 will feature the work of the incredible James R. Eads). The visual piece will also be released in the form of a limited edition movie poster, signed and numbered by James and myself."

"I hope you are as inspired by the music as I have been to create it."

"With love,
Adam"

Apollo 11[]

Ap

The album cover for Apollo 11 by James. R. Eads.

"One Giant Leap for Mankind"[]

Released[]

February 1st, 2016

"If there is a historical event I wish I could've witnessed more than any other, it may well be the events that took place during July 16-24, 1969. Men went to the moon, returned to Earth, and history changed forever. For as long as I can remember, I've marvelled at the story of the Apollo 11 mission, and the older I get, the more inspired I feel. In the history of mankind, perhaps no other technological leap forward symbolizes the same imagination, humanity and wonder quite like the Apollo 11 mission does, and it is these types of emotions I want to capture with music according to the way I feel them. This is my interpretation of what happened in July of 1969." -Adam's words on Apollo 11 as written on ayoungscores.com

Download Links[]
Track Name Length
"Launch" 3:34
"The Lonely Three" 2:08
"CSM-LM Docking" 2:07
"Trajectory Burn" 2:45
"400 Degrees Between Sunlight and Shadow" 2:21
"Lunar Landing" 1:47
"Mare Tranquilitatis" 1:38
"First Step on the Surface" 1:48
"Lunar Liftoff" 1:29
"Return to Earth" 1:38
"Re-entry" 2:32
"Splashdown" 1:09
Total runtime: 24:59


Listen to the full album here.

RMS Titanic[]

Titanic

The album cover for RMS Titanic, created by James. R. Eads.

“The Tragedy that Shook the World”[]

Released[]

March 1st, 2016

"We all know the story. A century has passed since Titanic found its final resting place in the North Atlantic, yet the story is still as stirring as ever. I will never cease to be amazed at how vulnerable and fragile we as human beings are despite our presumptions of technological infallibility, and the story of Titanic drives that notion home tenfold. I wanted to capture feelings of excitement, premonition, and outright horror according to the way I imagine the story of the ill-fated luxury steamship. As such, this is my interpretation of the tragedy that shook the world." -Adam's words on RMS Titanic as written on ayoungscores.com

Download Links[]
Track Name Length
"Southampton" 2:07
"Boarding" 1:57
"Captain Edward Smith" 2:09
"Maiden Voyage" 2:42
"Lookout Duty" 2:33
"The Iceberg" 1:58
"Distress Call" 3:35
"Sinking" 2:00
"Lifeboats" 2:04
"Every Man For Himself" 0:50
"Silence" 2:36
"Survivors" 3:16
Total runtime: 27:45


Listen to the full album here.

The Spirit of St. Louis[]

Spiritofstlouis album lowres-800x800

The album cover for The Spirit of St. Louis, created by James R. Eads.

"New York to Paris"[]

Released[]

April 1st, 2016

"100,000 people welcomed Lindbergh as he landed in Paris after 33.5 hours in the air. Aviation history was made and Lindbergh became a hero. Such a daring feat has always stirred my imagination and I’ve often caught myself daydreaming about that first solo flight. Air travel is something I take for granted today, but things were very different in 1927. Lindbergh’s ground-breaking triumph, after several others had tried and failed, will continue to inspire me for years." -Adam's words on The Spirit of St. Louis as written on ayoungscores.com

Track Name Length
"Takeoff" 3:14
"Nova Scotia" 2:42
"Over Water" 2:55
"Stars Appear" 2:19
"The Thunderhead" 2:55
"Ice On Wings" 1:47
"The Fog" 3:11
"Fighting to Stay Awake" 3:03
"Land Ahead" 2:28
"Wheels Down" 3:38
Total runtime: 28:12


Listen to the full album here.

The Ascent of Everest[]

Everest album lowres-800x800

The album cover for The Ascent of Everest, created by James R. Eads.

"29,029ft"[]

Released[]

May 1st, 2016

"No one knew where the roof of the world was until the 19th century. By 1865, the highest peak was known as Mount Everest and it wasn’t until May 1953 that a beekeeper from New Zealand and a Nepalese Sherpa became the first to reach the summit. My interpretation of this astounding human feat is a collection of frozen, wind-burned, sun-bleached instrumentals that become more and more tattered and torn as you listen to them. The higher Hillary and Norway climbed, the more extreme the elements became. Despite great dangers, they succeeded and returned as heroes. Yet another example of man’s triumph despite insurmountable odds, the ascent of Everest remains a story that will always inspire me. " -Adam's words on The Ascent of Everest, from ayoungscores.com.

Track Name Length
"Base Camp" 3:14
"Khumbu Icefall" 3:34
"Western Cwm" 3:16
"Lhotse Face" 2:56
"South Col" 3:38
"The Hillary Step" 3:38
"The Summit" 4:11
Total runtime: 24:27


Listen to the full album here.

Omaha Beach[]

Omaha album final-lowres-800x800

The album cover for Omaha Beach, created by James R. Eads.

"Into the Jaws of Death"[]

Released[]

June 1st, 2016

"1944, after years of planning, the Allies launched an invasion upon Nazi Germany and converged on the coast of France, beginning the reclamation of occupied Europe. In anticipation, Hitler fortified German defences in hopes of countering the Allies and driving them back into the sea. What the Allies didn't know as they stepped onto the shores of Europe was that Hitler was waiting for them. The ensuing battle was gruesome. At a place codenamed Omaha Beach, hundreds of Americans fought and died for the freedom of others, and it is the memory of these men I want to honor with this album. This is my interpretation of what occurred that fateful day in 1944 on Omaha Beach." -Adam's words on Omaha Beach from ayoungscores.com

Track Name Length
"H-Hour" 3:19
"Seasick" 3:42
"On The Beach" 3:33
"Bloody Omaha" 1:56
"The Cliffs" 2:36
"Troops Advance" 4:27
"Reinforcements" 2:27
"The Longest Day" 3:34
Total runtime: 25:34


Listen to the full album here.

Miracle in the Andes[]

Andes album-lores-800x800

The album cover for Miracle in the Andes, created by James R. Eads.

"Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571"[]

Released[]

July 1st, 2016

"In 1972, a chartered flight carrying 45 people, including a Uruguayan rugby team, crashed in the Andes in an incident known as the Andes Flight Disaster. More than two months after the crash, only 16 survivors remained at the time of their rescue. It is an incredible story of human perseverance and the will to survive despite immense and immeasurable odds. I saw the 1993 movie Alive when I was 7 years old, and the story the film is based upon left an enormous impression on me which inspired a sense of awe and fasciation I still carry today. In this score, I wanted to capture the emotions the survivors felt: fear, shock, horror, dread, dismay and anxiety — but at the end of a very grim story, lies an overwhelming sense of victory, relief, triumph and elation because of the inextinguishable and undying power of the human spirit. -Adam's words on Miracle in the Andes, from ayoungscores.com.

Track Name Length
"The Fairchild" 3:44
"Impact" 3:06
"Making Water" 4:07
"The Dead" 3:29
"Avalanche" 2:23
"The Tail" 3:44
"Camera" 2:40
"Parrado and Canessa" 3:09
"The Rider" 3:01
"Rescue" 3:16
Total runtime: 32:39


Listen to the full album here.

Project Excelsior[]

Excelsior album-lores-800x800

The album cover for Project Excelsior, created by James R. Eads.

"The Highest Step In The World"[]

Released[]

August 1st, 2016

"In 2005, Scottish electronic duo Boards of Canada released a music video featuring footage from Joe Kittinger’s famous parachute jump in 1960. That was my introduction to Project Excelsior, a series of high altitude jumps made by Kittinger from the edge of space with the purpose of testing parachute systems intended to be used by pilots ejecting from high altitude. In one of these jumps, Kittinger set world records for the highest parachute jump, the longest drogue fall and the fastest speed by a human through the atmosphere. Reading and daydreaming about Kittinger’s feats have inspired me enormously over the years, and I believe the sense of wonder and awe they instilled in me can be heard in the music I create. This score is the way I imagine the tremendous bravery of one man who ascended to the edge of space, said a prayer, and jumped." -Adam's words on Project Excelsior, as written on ayoungscores.com.

Track Name Length
"The Pilot" 3:34
"Preparations" 3:07
"Helium Balloon" 4:26
"Ground Crew" 3:29
"The Ascent" 3:44
"The Highest Step in the World" 3:15
"The Jump" 4:14
"The Descent" 4:45
"On The Ground" 3:31
Total runtime: 32:39


Listen to the full album here.

Corduroy Road[]

Civilwar album final-lores-800x800

The album cover for Corduroy Road, created by James R. Eads.

"The Final March of the Civil War"[]

Released[]

September 1st, 2016

"Long have I been fascinated by the American Civil War and the men who fought in it. I love imagining the era, the clothing, the technology and the old-fashioned blood, sweat and tears of days gone by. One of my favorite stories is of Union General William Tecumseh Sherman and his famous march to the sea. Sherman received recognition for his outstanding command of military strategy as well as criticism for the harshness of his scorched earth policy in conducting total war against the Confederate States. 62,000 men marched toward Savannah, Georgia, living off the land and destroying everything in their path. A corduroy road is a type of road made by placing sand-covered logs perpendicular to the direction of the road resulting in an improvement over impassable terrain. These makeshift roads were used extensively in Sherman’s campaign. Not long after Sherman captured Columbia, South Carolina, Lee surrendered and the war was over. Thus, this is my musical interpretation of the final march of the Civil War." -Adam's words on Corduroy Road as written on ayoungscores.com

Track Name Length
"Country Hymn" 3:00
"Georgia Boys" 3:33
"Up With The Stars" 1:34
"Sherman" 3:41
"Kennesaw Mountain" 2:59
"Atlanta" 3:39
"The Deep South" 3:16
"How Sweet The Sound" 2:51
"March to The Sea" 4:10
"Fall of the Confederacy" 1:44
Total runtime: 30:27


Listen to the full album here.

Voyager 1[]

Voyager album final-lores-800x800

The album cover for Voyager 1, created by James R. Eads.

"Wandering The Solar System"[]

Released[]

October 1st, 2016

"Voyager 1 is a space probe launched by NASA in 1977 as part of the Voyager program to study the outer Solar System. Having operated for the past 39 years, the spacecraft still communicates and returns data to us, and as of 2016, it is the farthest manmade object from Earth. When I picture Voyager 1 out there beyond our solar system, I can’t help but imagine the things it has seen on its journey. It’s flown by Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and beyond. In 1990, it looked back and took an image known as the “Pale Blue Dot” which shows Earth 6 billion kilometers away, a tiny white speck suspended in the darkness of deep space. It was this breathtaking image that inspired me to create this score because it reminds me that life, as far as we know, is unique to our planet, and very fragile indeed." -Adam's words on Voyager 1, as written on ayoungscores.com.

Track Name Length
"1977" 4:46
"Earth" 4:40
"Asteroid Belt" 2:49
"Jupiter" 3:58
"Europa" 4:18
"Saturn" 4:55
"Titan" 4:03
"Neptune" 2:16
"Pale Blue Dot" 3:39
"Interstellar Space" 4:20
Total runtime: 39:47


Listen to the full album here.

Mount Rushmore[]

Rushmore album final-lores-800x800

The album cover for Mount Rushmore, created by James R. Eads.

"Shrine of Democracy"[]

Released[]

November 1st, 2016

"The southeastern face of Mount Rushmore in South Dakota’s Black Hills National Forest is the site of four gigantic carved sculptures depicting the faces of U.S. Presidents Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt. Led by sculptor Gutzon Borglum, work on the project began in 1927 and was completed in 1941. During that time, 400 workers carved the sculpture under dangerous conditions, removing close to 500,000 tons of rock in order to create the enormous carved heads, each of which reach a height of 60 feet. In Borglum’s original design, the four presidents were meant to be represented from the waist up but insufficient funding brought the carving to a halt after completion of their faces. This is my interpretation of the construction of America’s “Shrine of Democracy." -Adam's words on Mount Rushmore, as written on ayoungscores.com.

Track Name Length
"Gutzon Borglum" 3:04
"The Black Hills" 2:26
"Construction" 3:19
"Four Faces" 3:33
"Dynamite" 1:21
"Half a Millions Tons of Granite" 3:18
"Shrine of Democracy" 2:51
Total runtime: 19:52


Listen to the full album here.

The Endurance[]

Shackleton album-lores-800x800

The album cover for The Endurance, created by James R. Eads.

“Shackleton’s Journey”[]

Released[]

December 1, 2016

"In 1914, Ernest Shackleton and his crew sailed for the Antarctic in the vessel Endurance. Not long into their voyage, they encountered polar pack ice and progress slowed to a stop. The Endurance was within 200 miles of her destination when the ship became beset, and as the wind compressed the ice in the Weddell Sea against land, the Endurance was slowly crushed to death and the men forced to abandon her. How Shackleton managed to reach South Georgia and arrange for the rescue of his crew remains one of the greatest survival stories of all time. The incredible resilience of the crew of the Endurance, and of Shackleton himself, is one of my favorite historical accounts because it serves as a reminder to us all: when things look bleakest, not all is lost." -Adam's words on The Endurance, as written on ayoungscores.com

Track Name Length
"Shackleton" 3:09
"Hoist Sail" 5:13
"The Weddell Sea" 2:29
"Pack Ice" 3:22
"Abandon Ship" 4:08
"Ocean Camp" 4:03
"She's Going, Boys" 3:46
"The March" 4:28
"Elephant Island" 4:26
"800 Miles" 3:29
"South Georgia" 2:45
Total runtime: 41:18


Listen to the full album here.

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