OK Go, the popular alternative rock band, released their latest album on Oct. 14.
The Los Angeles-based band is comprised of lead singer and guitarist Damian Kulash, bass guitar and vocalist Tim Nordwind, percussionist Dan Konopka and guitarist, keyboardist and vocalist Andy Ross. On Sept. 17, 2002, the band released their self-titled debut album, “OK Go.” Their second album, “Oh No,” was released in 2005 and contained their smash hit “Here It Goes Again.” In 2008, OK Go released an iTunes exclusive EP titled “You’re Not Alone.” Released on Mardi Gras, the album raised over $40,000 to help victims of Hurricane Katrina.
OK Go is best known for their eccentric music videos. Often done in a single take, the videos are produced and made entirely by the band. Some music videos include a choreographed dance on treadmills, “Here It Goes Again,” an entire marching band choreographed to the song “This Too Shall Pass” and optical illusions in “The Writing’s on the Wall.”
“We’ve done a good job of pushing the boundaries of what you can do with music and video in terms of distributing it online and finding people digitally,” Kulash said in a recent interview.
“Hungry Ghosts” is the fourth studio album by OK Go. It is the first full-length album released under their own record label, Paracadute. The album has peaked at number 13 on big name charts and has released one single so far with another on the way in December. OK Go wrote all the music and lyrics.
The lead single off “Hungry Ghosts,” “The Writing’s On The Wall,” was released on June 17. The video has over 7 million views on YouTube. The song is about a relationship that is about to end and they know there is nothing they can do to save it. The video itself features the band using optical illusions and then exposing the optical illusions as if to match the meaning of the lyrics. The video shows how partners in a relationship can look for something that is not actually there. The song is reminiscent of their earlier albums with a heavy use of synth and keyboards. The bass makes weird little noises when it is played, which makes the song even more unique.
The second single on the album, “I Won’t Let You Down,” will be released as a single on Dec. 27. The video was released on Oct. 27 and was shot entirely on an aerial drone. Lyrically, the song is pretty self-explanatory. It is about someone convincing the person they love that they will never let them down. The song is disco inspired and groovy. The keyboards have interesting sounds that are the basis of the song.
The album “Hungry Ghosts” by OK Go is introducing the band’s new, more electronic sound. With the heavy use of keyboards and synth, the album shows the band is experimenting with new sounds and can stay popular. The overall album is very upbeat, just like their former albums. However, the overall sound of the album is different. The lyrics and vocals are all reminiscent of their previous albums. The album is a lot of fun to listen to and definitely deserves its number 13 spot. In a recent interview, Kulash and Nordwind said, “It’s like when you’re writing songs, you’re not always trying to out-do the last one – you’re just trying to write a good song.”
