I’m not quite sure what I was expecting from the new OK Go album. They are a group who offer the occasional moments of brilliance, for example, their phenomenal videos for ‘A Million Ways’ and ‘Hear It Goes Again’ (for which we offered an impassioned defence back in April) or their red-hot debut single ‘Get Over It’. Then again they are also a group who tend to pad out releases with some filler material.
Firstly, and most importantly, let us note that ‘Of the Blue Colour of The Sky’ is an album title that boasts an impressive four conjunctions in a seven-word sentence. It is also an album which sees OK Go veer away from their squeaky-clean pop structures and express themselves with a creative freedom that moderate commercial success often affords artists. It is a risk which pays off in places; the soulful vocals on ‘Skyscrapers’ are reminiscent of John Lennon’s latter work and shameless 80s throwback ‘End Love’ is a more than listenable offering.
However, despite an abundance of ideas the album is severely lacking in any sense of cohesion and often sounds like nothing more than a mix tape. Nowhere is this more evident than on ‘Last Leaf’, an ill-advised acoustic number which harks back to the obligatory 90s secret track, yet sits right in the middle of the track listing.
Understandably, trying to pull off 90s acoustic, 80s synth and 60’s psychedelic (‘Back from Kathmandu’) all in one release is a tall order. Laying to one side the likability of the band members and the individual merits of the tracks in question, OK Go’s effort sadly has the effect of leaving the listener more than a little disoriented.
‘Of the Blue Colour of the Sky’ is an album which starts with real promise but seems to run out of steam halfway through and is glaringly lacking in instant ‘hits’. OK Go‘s knack for memorable music videos means they will probably be remembered for a long time to come, however, the group who are running out of time to deliver on their exciting early promise.
The band are offering a live mp3 of ‘This Too Shall Pass’ through their website now.
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Post by Kenny the Backpacker
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