SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: OK GO – AND THE ADJACENT POSSIBLE

OK GO
AND THE ADJACENT POSSIBLE
PARACADUTE

OK Go are back and better than ever. Their last album was over 2014’s Hungry Ghosts, over a decade ago. The long wait was worth it as And The Adjacent Possible is a nearly pitch-perfect return, with tons of absolute bangers, many of which will become immediate fan favourites.

OK Go continues to push boundaries with their music videos. “A Stone Only Rolls Downhill” is a cleverly creative and highly elaborate video. With each passing second, the video gets increasingly complex. Similarly, like all their other iconic music videos, it will leave you wondering how they managed to pull it off. The video features 64 videos playing across 64 phones, with the images on the phones either moving from phone to phone or being part of one huge picture. Describing the video does not do it justice, though, so make sure to see for yourself how cool it is. The music video for “Love” is equally mind-blowing and again showcases their outside-the-box thinking when creating music videos.

And the Adjacent Possible features some of the best songs of OK Go’s discography. The instantly catchy dance rock “Take Me with You” is a blast. All members of OK Go shine in the song. Damian Kulash’s vocals are riveting and reminiscent of David Bowie, Tim Nordwind’s bouncy bass work has a very groovy beat, Andy Ross’ guitar riffs are snappy and funky, and Dan Konopka’s drumming is electric and really enhances the disco vibe of the song. The joyfully upbeat “Better Than This” is a wholesome jolt of energy. This track, guaranteed to brighten your day, features terrific instrumentation, beautiful lyrics, and a fun sing-along chorus. In the ambitiously energetic and vibrant psychedelic album opener “Impulse Purchase”, OK Go maxes out the fuzz. Kulash is doing some intriguing things vocally here, too. “Love” is OK Go at their best and has one of their best choruses to date. Additionally, “A Good, Good Day At Last” (featuring Ben Harper, Shalyah Fearing, & BEGINNERS) is an explosive ‘70s rocker, “Once More with Feeling” is a perfectly crafted pop rock tune with a dynamite outro, and the heartwarming hopefulness of “Don’t Give Up Now” is a cathartic closing statement for the record.

Overall, And the Adjacent Possible is a lovely return for OK Go. Hopefully we do not need to wait over a decade again for the next record.

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