Untitled Document

     The first of these is the hit single “Get Over It”, which starts out with the typical “We Will Rock You” stomps and clamps followed by lead singer/guitarist Damian Kulash’s harsh, cynical vocals that stress the aren’t-you-so-fucking-special lyrics: “Aren’t you such a catch?/What a prize,/Got a body like a battle axe./Love that perfect frown, honest eyes,/We ought to buy you a Cadillac.” With the “Hey!” after every verse and the catchy keyboard riff by guitarist Andy Duncan, it’s easy to imagine this song being played in Yankee Stadium every time someone from the Red Sox strikes out. The next two songs are very similar. “Don’t Ask Me” is super catchy rock song with the same sort of sarcastic lyrics. The drums by Dan Konopka and bass by Tim Nordwind overshadow most of the guitars. Then, “You’re So Damn Hot,” begins with quick raspy guitar riffs interrupted by clapping. However, the keyboards dominate the rest of the song.
     After the fun opening songs, the CD moves to the sad, but optimistic, maybe-we-can-work-shit-out section. “What To Do” starts out with a staccato, peppy drumbeat, but immediately slows down. Kulash keeps the same tone of voice, but with a decidedly early '60s doo-wop sound and background harmony during the chorus. Throughout the main verses, Kulash’s singing is accompanied by a slow drumbeat and short spurts of guitar. “1,000 Miles Per Hour” sounds more like Aerosmith’s soft “Amazing” with happy, hopeful lyrics about running away together. The album then moves into the “who gives a crap, we’re all going to die anyway” phase. The first of these songs, “Shortly Before the End,” takes depressing lyrics together with depressing music--one repetitive drumbeat and some warbled guitar. Not even Kulash saves this one with a somber and less than memorable tone that will make most listeners want to say, “Ok, go already!” “Return” seems to be a bit more polished, starting acoustic, then electric with more static in the chorus. The song still keeps the slit-your-wrists sound but at least the slashes are horizontal as compared to Staind’s vertical cuts.
     Then, the album enters its final phase, which is goddamn weird. It’s not quite Ween weird, but it’s still eyebrow arching. The boy-who-cried-wolf themed, “There’s a Fire” has Caribbean sounding beats and happy keyboards that make the song sound a little like '80s New Wave. “C-c-c-Cinnamon Lips” is where it really gets Ween. Kulash’s high, nasal Lennon-like voice makes the song very reminiscent of “Roses are Free” off the Chocolate and Cheese album or an outtake from the White Album. Topped off with cheery guitars and keyboards with catchy drums and bass, the song is sarcastically cheesy and fun to listen to. “The Fix Is In” effectively mimics the psychedelic Beatles sound with its high-pitched harmonies, but “Hello, My Treacherous Friends” has more of a calm sound, a slight whisper with odd lyrics of “newborn arachnid kids” driven by a dark bass and drum with the occasional acoustic guitar before moving into a more electric pop chorus. The final song, “Bye Bye Baby,” adds a little of the big rock sound the beginning of the album had so the relationship can end with a nice moment of acceptance. While the guitars are a little repetitive, the harmonizing vocals save it.
     Ok Go is an admirable debut for the band. Some fans of the first single may be disappointed that the whole album doesn’t have that big sound, and may be sickened by the poppiness of some of the songs. Just because it incites a little Ringo head shaking, doesn’t mean it isn’t good. With the exception of an overly depressing, bland song or two, Ok Go has put out a decent album.

	OK GO OK GO CAPITOL RECORDS	LINKS: okgo.com
	The self-titled debut from Chicago-based Ok Go is similar to a relationship gone terribly wrong. The album starts with the beginning of the breakup--three catchy arena rock songs that are loaded with sarcastic pissed-off lyrics.
The first of these is the hit single “Get Over It”, which starts out with the typical “We Will Rock You” stomps and clamps followed by lead singer/guitarist Damian Kulash’s harsh, cynical vocals that stress the aren’t-you-so-fucking-special lyrics: “Aren’t you such a catch?/What a prize,/Got a body like a battle axe./Love that perfect frown, honest eyes,/We ought to buy you a Cadillac.” With the “Hey!” after every verse and the catchy keyboard riff by guitarist Andy Duncan, it’s easy to imagine this song being played in Yankee Stadium every time someone from the Red Sox strikes out. The next two songs are very similar. “Don’t Ask Me” is super catchy rock song with the same sort of sarcastic lyrics. The drums by Dan Konopka and bass by Tim Nordwind overshadow most of the guitars. Then, “You’re So Damn Hot,” begins with quick raspy guitar riffs interrupted by clapping. However, the keyboards dominate the rest of the song. After the fun opening songs, the CD moves to the sad, but optimistic, maybe-we-can-work-shit-out section. “What To Do” starts out with a staccato, peppy drumbeat, but immediately slows down. Kulash keeps the same tone of voice, but with a decidedly early '60s doo-wop sound and background harmony during the chorus. Throughout the main verses, Kulash’s singing is accompanied by a slow drumbeat and short spurts of guitar. “1,000 Miles Per Hour” sounds more like Aerosmith’s soft “Amazing” with happy, hopeful lyrics about running away together. The album then moves into the “who gives a crap, we’re all going to die anyway” phase. The first of these songs, “Shortly Before the End,” takes depressing lyrics together with depressing music--one repetitive drumbeat and some warbled guitar. Not even Kulash saves this one with a somber and less than memorable tone that will make most listeners want to say, “Ok, go already!” “Return” seems to be a bit more polished, starting acoustic, then electric with more static in the chorus. The song still keeps the slit-your-wrists sound but at least the slashes are horizontal as compared to Staind’s vertical cuts. Then, the album enters its final phase, which is goddamn weird. It’s not quite Ween weird, but it’s still eyebrow arching. The boy-who-cried-wolf themed, “There’s a Fire” has Caribbean sounding beats and happy keyboards that make the song sound a little like '80s New Wave. “C-c-c-Cinnamon Lips” is where it really gets Ween. Kulash’s high, nasal Lennon-like voice makes the song very reminiscent of “Roses are Free” off the Chocolate and Cheese album or an outtake from the White Album. Topped off with cheery guitars and keyboards with catchy drums and bass, the song is sarcastically cheesy and fun to listen to. “The Fix Is In” effectively mimics the psychedelic Beatles sound with its high-pitched harmonies, but “Hello, My Treacherous Friends” has more of a calm sound, a slight whisper with odd lyrics of “newborn arachnid kids” driven by a dark bass and drum with the occasional acoustic guitar before moving into a more electric pop chorus. The final song, “Bye Bye Baby,” adds a little of the big rock sound the beginning of the album had so the relationship can end with a nice moment of acceptance. While the guitars are a little repetitive, the harmonizing vocals save it. Ok Go is an admirable debut for the band. Some fans of the first single may be disappointed that the whole album doesn’t have that big sound, and may be sickened by the poppiness of some of the songs. Just because it incites a little Ringo head shaking, doesn’t mean it isn’t good. With the exception of an overly depressing, bland song or two, Ok Go has put out a decent album.
----Codell Rodriguez