OK Go Doesn't Let Anyone Down In The Charisma Department

I swear I'm having 1970s disco flashbacks. Who's the culprit? Place the finger on OK Go. "I Won't Let You Down" swings like nobody's business. Tim Norwind brings funk with a twist thanks to a bass performance that's snazzy in the right places. Drummer Dan Konopka's freewheeling approach gets the memorable night into fifth gear because you know his entire band broke from its perch on the front porch and there's not going to be any letup in the levity anytime soon. Adeptly nestled between guitar and drums is Andy Ross, the gent lightly flavoring "I Won't Let You Down" with keyboards meant to be whatever icebreaker you choose. OK Go's latest release "Hungry Ghosts" birthed this energetic bundle. As for the video, they're having the level of fun they want you to take part in too. What else would you expect from a bunch that easily elevated treadmills from their outdated status as torture chamber workout equipment. The first time I heard "I Won't Let You Down" I was less than psyched up about the title practically being drilled into my head. You can throw as much rainbow adorable color at me as you want. The smoke and mirrors does nothing to conceal how overplayed that hand became. Second time does prove to be the charm though and that's because the 70s flashback joie de vivre is so liberally spread I don't get migraines digesting the chorus. To put my notion in perspective I'd like to share with you another example of how a simple agility in chord movement or an addicting pattern of funk behavior can make a passable song worth cheering about when it gets played on air or loaded into iPod. In 1982 The Gap Band scored a top 40 hit with "You Dropped a Bomb On Me". At its heart there isn't a whole lot that would appear to make it a rare experience. Listen after listen I keep getting lured in by that captivating synth melody coupled with don't mess with me drums and outer space special effects. To some the repetition would be dental drill uncomfortable but to me I look at the synth like I would a Chinese takeout meal. I never tire of sampling. When I mean disco age I'm serious. Right down to the string sections that dotted every disco classic from the ubiquitous "I Will Survive" to "Heaven Knows" to "Funkytown" "I Won't Let You Down" demands playful appreciation. Vocalist Damian Kulash plays up how important trust is to any relationship worth its salt. I'd bet that's why the chorus is persistent to the degree you want to scream, "OK, OK GO I BELIEVE YOU! STOP NAGGING!!" Key to the pizzazz of the song is knowing when to shift chords and even then doing so judiciously. It's poison to play too many sonic tricks with your listeners. Depending on the kind of day they've had they may not be receptive to them. I want to follow their fanciful sojourn wherever that leads. Nice umbrella visuals in the video. I'm sure their fans shrug it off like they're as used to seeing OK Go go all out for the camera as they are seeing the sun rise. Even so style points count in the music biz. OK Go doesn't even come close to either letting down or slowing down. You likely remember kids in school who didn't want to be there. OK Go's extra effort demonstrates that not only do they want to be on stage but manly tears all around when the show stops.