Grade: 87/100
Since its eponymous debut in 2002, OK Go has been bending the rules of music. The alt-rock quartet’s approach to instrumentation has changed the definition of “art rock” into “rock art.” OK Go’s eccentric music videos combine the whimsical science of Rube Goldberg machines with messy, free form artistry.
“Hungry Ghosts” is OK Go’s latest release. Fortunately, this new album shows that the band is still just as fun as ever. The opening track, “Upside Down & Inside Out,” is chaotic delight with thumping electronic beats that pound steadily like your favorite Weezer song. The song’s erratic chorus is an example of OK Go’s affinity for intentional glitching.
Saying OK Go has modern influences is a strong statement. Rather, the group is an amalgamation of today’s favorite acts into one fortified powerhouse of music. In at least four different songs, a major stylistic contribution is made by the music of MGMT.
The album’s first single is titled “The Writing’s on the Wall.” Before the release of “Hungry Ghosts,” the song received the OK Go royal treatment and had its own wide scale Rube Goldberg video made. At first listen, it seems obvious why this track was chosen as a single. It’s a sleek rocker with singer Damian Kulash singing sweet melodies not unlike those in TV on the Radio’s Tunde Adebimpe.
“I Won’t Let You Down” is one of the most fun songs. At its heart, this song is simply three and a half minutes of happy, silly disco revival. Complete with synth string solos and the distinct disco beat, “I Won’t Let You Down” will have you dancing, and by “dancing,” I mean pointing from the floor to the ceiling and back.
The closing song, “Lullaby,” is unexpectedly slow in comparison to the rest of “Hungry Ghosts.” It still holds up on its own as a track, but overall, it detracts from the spontaneity and energy of this album. “Hungry Ghosts” is one of, if not the most, modern-sounding albums of OK Go’s career. If the group continues in this trend, the guys can only go up.