| Avclub |
 OK Go’s shtick so far has included closely calculated exhibitions of “quirky” and “fun”: songs in videogames, ridiculous outfits, dance routines, viral YouTube clips. The gimmicks were necessary, because ultimately—in spite of a handful of memorable pop songs—there wasn’t much separating the band from other new-wave-revival outfits. But OK Go thankfully seems done with novelty on the mature, compelling, and totally unexpected Of The Blue Colour Of The Sky. Cooler, calmer, and more varied, the record thins out the sharp guitar riffs and cultivates a darker atmosphere in which the band can release emotions other than goofy exuberance. Much of this has to be attributed to new producer Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips, MGMT), who has taught the band that songs can still be catchy even if you don’t smile while singing them. And there are a ton of catchy songs here: Almost every track on the album has something that grabs the attention, none more so than the poppy, energetic ’80s-throwback “White Knuckles.” The group pulls off soft and romantic on “Last Leaf,” then hypnotizes with the captivating “While You Were Asleep.” With perfectly executed harmonies, slinky falsetto, synths, and Vocoder, OK Go pouts, vamps, stomps, and shouts through anthems of anger, sadness, and romance. Fun? Not always. But certainly honest....full text |
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| Absolutepunk. |
Well, if there were ever a fitting song title, "WTF?", the first single from OK Go's third release Of the Blue Colour of the Sky, is definitely it. Scarcely recognizable as the band that band that recorded their glossy self-titled debut, OK Go seem to have broadened their scope far beyond even some of the more groove-oriented tunes on Oh No, like "Oh Lately, It's So Quiet" and "A Million Ways". Trying to generate hype for your upcoming album with such a departure is always risky, and it seemed like a curious move at first. Then I heard Of the Colour of the Blue Sky in all its glory, and it all made sense.
OK Go's new direction probably shouldn't have come as much of a surprise. Prominent producer Dave Fridmann helmed this record, and it certainly wouldn't be the first time he had a hand in a band's reinvention, having also turned the knobs for a little album called A City by the Light Divided (a polarizing album, for sure, as this one will undoubtedly be). While there's unquestionably no similarity with Thursday on Colour, there is a definite flavor of some of the other bands Fridmann's worked with of late, like MGMT and Black Moth Super Rainbow. Plus, OK Go released their last album back in 2005, so we'd be remiss not to expect them to have progressed at all in that time.
Long gone are the clarion power-riffs to propel their songs. The opening of "WTF?" throws a Tim Lincecum curveball with a deep industrial groove (for the first few seconds, you might wonder if you accidentally popped in a Nine Inch Nails disc) and vocalist Damian Kulash stepping in and unfurling a fluttery Prince-aping falsetto. There are a lot of surprises to be heard, and "This Too Shall Pass" is a neat, three-minute summary of what makes it all successful. There seems to be, for lack of a better word, a very economical use of sound. The heavy low-end drives this song as well, but knows when to back off and let just the plinking piano and airy harmonies take center stage. Despite the many layers, there's more than enough room for everything to breathe....full text |
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| Boston |
| After two albums of spunky power-pop, not to mention a couple of goofy dance videos, OK Go might be the last band you’d expect to explore, say, psychedelic funk. Yet on its latest, the foursome collaborates with Flaming Lips producer Dave Fridmann for some trippy soul-tinged rock experiments that make for a fascinating if somewhat hit-or-miss listen. Though the record boasts the occasional new wave excursion (“End Love’’) or acoustic ballad (“Last Leaf’’), the influence that looms largest is Prince, circa “Purple Rain,’’ from the steamy, falsetto-filled “I Want You So Bad I Can’t Breathe’’ to the funky shredding on “White Knuckles.’’ On “Sky,’’ OK Go occasionally seems to be trying too hard to distance itself from its pop roots and be taken seriously, switching to a 5/4 time signature on the quirky lead single “WTF?’’ and laying on the artsy guitar fuzz on “Needing/Getting.’’ But when it works, as on the shimmering minor-key lament “Back From Kathmandu,’’ the album delivers some of the band’s most fully realized compositions to date. These guys may be best known for dancing on treadmills, but “Sky’’ shows that, musically at least, they’re hardly spinning their wheels. (Out tomorrow)...full text |
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