OK Go - Oh No

On its self-titled 2002 debut, OK Go nailed the two things every decent power-pop band needs--deadly looks and deadly hooks--to deliver the knock-out hit "Get Over It." Its follow up, produced by Tore Johansson (Franz Ferdinand, the Cardigans) and recorded in Malmöö, Sweden, offers more of the same. Much more. The Chicago quartet can't seem to move through its record collection fast enough, piling on the Beach Boys harmonies, Cars synthesizer squelches and Queen-inspired fanfare on breakneck songs like "Here It Goes Again" and "Crash The Party." Without any pauses for breath or quiet contemplation, it's frankly almost too much to take in one sitting. Then again, it can't be easy trying to cram the entire history of pop in just under an hour.
(RS)