Review Summary: "Oh No" is much more a party album than anything else, but with a few good exceptions.
OK Go can be described in many ways. One, or their more famous way, is the "Treadmill Guys", paying contributes to the hilarious video for their single "Here It Goes Again". After their self-titled album hit the shelves, people were all but anxious to hear it. At the time, it was some great fun listening to Ok Go once in a while on your favorite popular video game (for which they've been known for) and catching them on MTV, with some cheap but very original videos. Now, they're quite the money makers.
"Oh No" is their second studio album, packed with typical punk rock and the type of music made for partying. All the songs find some form of entertainment, which is rare in most bands today. The guitar riffs are often impressive, sometimes repetitive and downright boring. The first track, "Invincible", is quite the opener. Vocalist Damian Kulash keeps the sound fresh and vibrant. "Do What You Want" is the following rock-stomp fest. Despite the songs flaw, the repeated phrase "come on!" hitting our heads 200 times, its got good replay value. You'll find that most of the songs to follow will kind of have the same basic principal.
"Here It Goes Again" is the song OK Go is best known for; treadmills, geeky dance moves and many commercial hits. While the video was worth the watch, the song on itself is shallow, losing a bit of variation and interest. It eventually sums up to a tricky song to like. Lyrically its not as good as hoped, but once again Damian attempts to keep us glued with his "uniqueness".
The next song following is the party-starter wonder, "A Good Idea At The Time", a favorite of mine. The punk rock theme works well, even though it tends to grow a bit pop-ish. The guitar riffs are put well together, as well as some neat drum work. Overall a great song to nod your head to and always keeps you in a jolly-good mood. "Oh Lately It's So Quiet" is a much slower ballad, and Kulash shows off his soft side here. A definite must-listen, for any fan of OK Go.
From now on, the album takes a huge downward spiral. The songs turn either repetitive, boring or just plain daft. The lyrics don't reach any higher level of maturity, and the guitar riffs continue to just scream "party!". For some songs, like "Television, Television" and "Maybe, This Time", you can slip by without fault. Its two great songs almost having the same basics, with some heavy influence from electronica. Unfortunately, the boys don't do much to impress with the second half of the album. It doesn't feel exactly pieced together well.
In the end, "Oh No" is quite the joyride of punk/party material, perfect for setting the dance floor alite. I can honestly say that this is better than their weak debut, but don't expect nothing new or groundbreaking. If you're a trusty fan, you might find the jems you were looking for on here. Newcomers will be pleased to. OK Go is definitely something new, or at least something we can take a break on. You might find innovation, but if the videos and treadmills don't put a smile on your face, "Oh No" suggests what the title says.
Recommended tracks
"Do What You Want"
"A Good Idea At The Time"
"Oh Lately It's So Quiet"
"Television, Television"
