After a decade-long hiatus from full-length releases, Grammy-winning visionaries OK Go return with And the Adjacent Possible—a 12-track odyssey that reaffirms their status as alt-rock’s most joyfully cerebral architects. Produced by longtime collaborator Dave Fridmann (The Flaming Lips, Tame Impala), the album is a maximalist playground of fuzzed-out psychedelia, heart-swelling anthems, and wryly existential ballads, all delivered with the band’s signature whimsical profundity.
At its core, the record orbits around love, parenthood, and existential awe—nowhere more vividly than on standout single “Love”, a soaring tribute to Damian Kulash’s “grand new wing of love” post-fatherhood. The track’s glimmering harmonies and cathartic crescendos mirror its accompanying mind-bending video (shot in a Budapest train station with 29 robots and 60 mirrors), proving OK Go still redefine visual-art-meets-music with every release.
True to form, the band’s sardonic wit cuts through the glitter: “Impulse Purchase” skewers algorithmic culture with meta-lyrics (“Any probabilistic adjustments will dissolve in the sea of everything-everyone-everywhere-ever-has-done“), while “A Good, Good Day at Last” pairs sunny melodies with bittersweet truths (“Anger, she’s more loyal than her fickle sister Hope“). Yet for every existential wink, there’s genuine uplift—see the rallying cry of “Don’t Give Up Now” or the cosmic wonder of “The Opposite”.
Beyond the music, OK Go’s trademark ingenuity dazzles: the limited-edition vinyl features a 3D pop-up sculpture (designed by Yuri Suzuki), while their viral video alchemy continues with “A Stone Only Rolls Downhill”—a mosaic of 64 synced phone screens that took 1,000+ takes to perfect. It’s this relentless creativity, both sonic and visual, that makes And the Adjacent Possible feel like a treasure chest of “Easter eggs”—each listen (or view) revealing new layers.
Verdict: 9/10 – A triumphant return that balances OK Go’s childlike wonder and adult existentialism. Whether you’re here for the robot-mirror symphonies, Fridmann’s lush production, or lyrics that break your heart while making you grin, this album is a celebration of art’s infinite permutations.
