OK Go Writes Up a Brilliantly Colorful New Tune

Bouncy pop high on sass. That's a apt enough description for "The Writing's On The Wall", the latest from recent LA transplants OK GO. I say "transplants because their original home base was Chicago, Illinois. FYI that's a city in my home state, Bloomington being my birth city. Damian Kulash treats us to singing meant to sustain your energy. As power pop goes it certainly does rate high on the user friendly scale. If you're not dazzled by the accompanying music video unabashed creativity then I feel sorry for you. Whoever told you you have a soul misled you cruelly. Why does it not surprise me they went all out in putting it together. This is the band responsible for leaving us the famous/legendary/quizzical treadmill video for "Here It Goes Again". I do believe you're witnessing a multi-faceted jigsaw puzzle popping into place. But back to the song it goes part and parcel with. The way Andy Ross frosts this pastry with a luscious mix of keyboard and guitar has plenty of shelf life to back it up. The chorus is very engaging. True we're wading back into "Woo hoo" territory but still they knew what to do with the "woo hoo" if you catch my meaning (please say yes!). The chords OK Go opts to use are reliably consistent until late in the game when they do that drop an octave magic trick I never tire of. Damian's the guy you want tugging at your heartstrings. How so? Damian and lover have had a rough go lately. In his defense he has highly honest, noble intentions. You don't suspect him of fleeing to higher ground at the first sign of trouble. "It seems like forever since we had a good day", claims Damian. He wants his gal pal's eyes to be pleasure-filled. No doubt there's genuine sparkle to be had. Dan Konopka keeps his drumming spunky like the love match that's unfolding before us. Damian gets too hot, his girl gets too cold. They fall apart. Not a recipe for long term cohabitation success. After the second round of the chorus skitters into the rear view we get a very nice body mind juxtaposition. "Then you bring your mind to rest against mine but the mind has no say on affairs of the heart. That's what I call mind meld. Thoughtful lyric with an equally thoughtful conclusion to boot. The video never ceases to be busy. Watching their imaginations run wild is pleasing through and through. Its conclusion is as clever as the boys who were game soldiers during its creation. Its degree of mechanical ingenuity can draw comparison to the eye teasing glory of a Rube Goldberg device. You want to follow them with binoculars as they extend their flight of fancy. "The Writing's On The Wall" is stripped down sass pop. The meet in the middle artistic vision makes perfect sense. You'd be happy to take Damian out for a bite or, for you easily excitable femmes, a nibble on his ear as he coos reassurance to you. The album "Hungry Ghosts" won't be available for download until, appropriately enough, October, just in time for the Halloween treat the music lover in your life isn't expecting. Word for word, "The Writing's On The Wall" manages to scare up some appreciated vivaciousness.