Owen Pallett Drops Final Fantasy Name

After releasing two solo records under the name Final Fantasy, Canadian orchestral pop whiz Owen Pallett has decided to drop his video game-inspired moniker from here on out. The reason? Litigation, it seems.

In a statement released by Pallett, he says "the laws of trademark infringement exist for good reason, and so I am voluntarily retiring my band name. In the New Year, my record 'Heartland' is coming out, and it is my first to be released in many territories, including Japan. With this in mind, I feel it is in my own best interests to definitively distinguish my music from Square/Enix's games."

On 'Heartland,' a concept album loosely inspired by cult science fiction author H.P. Lovecraft, Pallett is at the top of his game writing about a farmer named Lewis in a fictional world called Spectrum. Over the years, he's contributed to Arcade Fire's 2004 debut 'Funeral' and the Last Shadow Puppets' 2008 debut, 'The Age of Understatement.' He's also going back and repackaging and reissuing his two prior releases, 2005's 'Has Good Home' and 2006's 'He Poos Clouds.'

While Pallett has been gaining a nice following in Canada over the years, 'Heartland' could be the break-out album that the U.S. needs. At times, it's quite grandiose and lush, at others very whimsical and complex. But we suppose that's why he named his project Final Fantasy and not Pac Man Fever -- the game is known for it's numerous twists and turns over the series' long history.

For a taste of 'Heartland', check out the song 'Lewis Takes Action' that was Spinner's Free MP3 of the Day earlier this week. The album is due out on Jan. 12 via Domino.