Popmatters.com said it best: “If music is the cultural meal of the masses, then Chicago’s OK Go would be best found on the desert menu.” OK Go’s sophomore album Oh No is a glorious pop album produced by Tore Johansson and is an LP that fans of The Bravery, Franz Ferdinand, and the Cardigans alike can all enjoy. Likened to the Cars and considered “smart rock”, the band’s pouty-lipped musicians released their first selftitled CD in 2002 featuring the first single and MTV2 video “Get Over It.” According to Amazon.com, “[The first CD from] OK Go nailed the two things every decent power-pop band needs–deadly looks and deadly hooks,” and their second release is no exception. Oh No is an album with a catchy, retro feel that will surely bring the band the attention that they deserve. “Do What You Want” is a particularly snappy track that will have you cruising down the road in your car with your arm hanging out the window and catching sunburn all in the name of rocking out. “Oh Lately It’s So Quiet” is a song that conjures up the glam rock vocals featured in themovie “Velvet Goldmine” and is guaranteed to stick in your head like glow-in-the-dark stars ics- wise, the band’s words read like Xanga entries, but good Xanga entries: “Throw on your clothes, the second side of Surfer Rosa, and you leave me with my jaw on the floor” (“Here It Goes Again”). Many songs flat out tell a story, such as “No Sign of Life” (“I’m locked out on the fire escape/ Sarah’s still down on the bench at the Circle K, crying and crying all day”). OK Go isn’t out to change the world with their music, or trying to spread a deep symbolic message, but that’s more than okay; not all music has to, and OK Go’s songs are certainly doing fine without pretentious tragedy, preferring to focus on some good ol’ fashioned, somewhat introspective fun.
If you’re craving something refreshing in dancerock music, OK Go is worth your time. For more info, head towww.okgo.net. The band hits Philadelphia’s North Star with an all ages show on Oct. 25.