OK Go: Hungry Ghosts
OK Go
Hungry Ghosts
(Paracadute)
Chances are you know of OK Go because the band has been putting out clever, creative music videos for years. Itâs a clever method to bring attention to their music, and fourth studio album sees the band strike out into previously unexplored, electronic territory. Itâs a risky gamble for a band that broke ties with its major label, but for the most part, itâs a smart choice to make the bandâs earworms all the more potent.
Album opener âUpside Down & Inside Outâ still has the loud riffs and catchy lyrics that made the band famous so many years ago, but heavy distortion and synth. This is followed immediately by âThe Writingâs on the Wall,â the lead single from Hungry Ghosts. The song chronicles the desire to make a lover happy one last time, even while staring down the end of the relationship. Another standout is âObsession,â with its sexy beat and vocal delivery reminiscent of Prince. Even the cowbell lends itself to the seductive quality of the song somehow.
Despite the highlights, there are a few clunkers here. âI Wonât Let You Downâ sounds too much like a Jackson 5 cover to be taken seriously, and âIf I Had a Mountainâ relies too much on falsetto and synth that sounds like a laser sound effect. However, these tracks are exceptions to the rule. Itâs just a shame that they appear on the second half of the album to bring it down after a strong start.
However, âLullabyâ is a wonderful ending and a smart stylistic choice for the band. The acoustic ballad is simple on the surfaceâsoftly entreating a lover to sleep and dream in his absenceâbut it ties together the delicate side of electronica and the bandâs guitar roots. Hungry Ghosts may not be a perfect album, but itâs the sound of a band taking risks and still being far cleverer than most peers.