Album Review: OK Go - "And the Adjacent Possible"

With And the Adjacent Possible, OK Go continue to be themselves whether that's for better or for worse. The singles captivate and some deeper cuts shine, reminding the listener of the best and most notable qualities in OK Go's music. These moments can only go so far, though.

Paracadute - 2025

When it comes to OK Go, you may have not heard their music on their own but rather soundtracking an insanely choreographed, impeccably timed, and convolutedly executed music video. The Chicago-based quartet have been around for over a quarter century and they live on as the kings of the music video, even to this day. Because of the early days of YouTube, they may not even have had quite a career if it wasn't for the famous "Here It Goes Again" treadmill video. My personal favorite videos of theirs have to be for "I Won't Let You Down," where the umbrella coordination will make your head explode every time you see it, or "End Love," which truly turns the definition of "stop motion" on its head. As phenomenal as the music videos are, their music has always taken a step back as the band's second most important factor. Records like the Dave Fridmann produced Of the Blue Colour of the Sky, their best and most cohesive work, are at the very least sticky, warm, bright, and infectiously playful. In my humble opinion, their full albums aren't exactly anything to ride home about but their singles game is fire; the majority of Colour's (eight?!) singles are direct hit after direct hit.

It's now been over a decade since their last album was released. So, what have they been up to since? Well, I do know that lead singer/frontman Damien Kulash co-directed Apple TV's The Beanie Bubble, a comedy/drama about the Beanie Baby boom, along with his wife, who happens to be the second daughter of Al Gore (Wikipedia takes you to some weird places, man). And the Adjacent Possible, the now trio's fifth studio album, has arrived after the long gap in new music. When listening to the album, you really can't tell that the band has been absent for so long. In many ways, Adjacent sounds as inviting as their older music, as if it came out a decade ago. Much of the charm that brought the band their claim is here: Kulash's yelpy melancholic voice, the kooky percussion, abrasive electronics, sticky choruses and harmonies, and soft balladry. Thankfully, the music videos are so back. Watch the videos for "A Stone Only Rolls Downhill" and "Love." You won't regret it. They continue to blow your mind just when you think they've already done everything imaginable.

The fuzzed out, abrasive guitars and marching pace on "Impulse Purchase" kick the album off. At first, its fuzz, glitchy sound matched with the pristine Beach Boys' like harmonies sound awkward and clash but it's one of the better songs on the record. "A Stone Only Rolls Downhill," the lead single and album's best song, is a reassuring delight despite its contradicting lyrics ("I wish I could say it would all be alright"). "Love" is a bright, blistering pop song that swings for the fences and is a solid tune. It's not necessarily a home run but it's for sure a triple. Some of the tunes aim for sticky, radio-ready pop that just seem too sterile and manufactured for my liking, like the Ben Harper assisted "A Good, Good Day at Last" or the Target commercial laced "Once More with Feeling." "Take Me With You" would also fall under that category and overall it is a fun track, but since it's directly ripping off The Waitresses' "Christmas Wrapping" in the most blatant way imaginable, it pretty much cancels out any enjoyment I had to begin with. On the flipside, others aim for somber, pretty balladry like the homecoming slow dance of "Fantasy vs. Fantasy" and "This Is How It Ends." Some are just plain ballads that are pretty but don't exactly have a grasp at emotion or solidity like the closer "Don't Give Up Now" or "Going Home." I do enjoy the brass additions to "Better Than This," despite the Starbucks core acoustic guitar strumming sucking my soul. And the brass on "Golden Devils" is a nice breath of fresh air in the track listing.

With And the Adjacent Possible, OK Go continue to be themselves whether that's for better or for worse. The singles captivate and some deeper cuts shine, reminding the listener of the best and most notable qualities in OK Go's music. These moments can only go so far, though. As for the rest of the album, there are songs and ventures that don't really stand out or bring me to a repeated listen, let alone are even worth remembering. They're simply fine and don't necessarily offend anyone and that's honestly not a bad thing, especially when we're talking about a new OK Go album in 2025. But in terms of a quality album sticking with me throughout the year, I'll just stick to the album favorites, watch some of their phenomenal music videos again, and move on. OK Go were never an "album" band to me and Adjacent Possible doesn't exactly prove me wrong. But they provide some fun cuts and fantastic music videos from it and at the end of the day, that's all I really want from this band.

My Rating: 5 / 10

Favorite Songs: "A Stone Only Rolls Downhill," "Love," "Fantasy vs. Fantasy," "Impulse Purchase," "Better Than This"