4Play

Oct. 19, 2005

OK Go - Oh No - Capitol Records
OK Go’s first album showcased their winning brand of intelligent indie power-pop, highlighted by the sassy single “Get Over It,” and this album, thankfully, contin-ues that approach. Recorded in Sweden and produced by Tore Johansson (The Cardigans, Franz Ferdinand), the Chicago quartet crams plenty of pop influences together, kind of like they’re trying to see how many popstars they can fit into a Volkswagen, but it’s still all OK Go in the end. There are sounds here reminiscent of the Beach Boys, Queen, and The Kinks - and all of that on one album might seem like influence overkill - but when placed into a unit as cohesive as OK Go, the results, including songs “A Million Ways” and “Here It Goes Again,” are pure fun, just edgy enough, and a testament to what pop should be - great hooks and a non-superficial use of the sounds that came before. This one’s definitely an “oh yes.”


Sigur Ros - Takk... - Geffen Records
With this being their first album sung in Icelandic (the language of their home country) rather than “Hopelandic” (the language the band made up for their own amusement), Sigur Ros’ latest is awash in lush-sounding strings and full of crafty musical experiments. There’s a brass section on “Se Lest,” some good-crazy drumwork on “Gong,” effectively muted, far-away piano on “Milano,” and heavy, intimidating bass drums thumping away on “Glosoli” (which may be the best song in this set) - listeners will likely both enjoy the variety and be fascinated over repeated listenings by the many layers of quirky sounds. As if there weren’t enough interesting elements to this band, their song arrangements, with this album, are evolving nicely as well - twisting around in unique ways but always managing to hold your attention through some of the prettiest melody lines you may ever hear.


Super Furry Animals - Love Kraft - Beggars/XL
Meshing psychedelia, rock, and soul is what SFA is good at, and this disc is no exception, not to mention it’s perhaps one of Super Furry Animals’ most uplifting collections of songs to date. Produced by Beastie Boys’ compadre Mario Caldato, the Welsh band’s seventh effort swirls and sweeps through a land of ’60s-fresh sounds, including flailing guitars, violins, a Catalan choir, and the oddly effective (though sometimes mumbled) vocals of SFA’s commander-in-chief, Gruff Rhys. That’s not to say the other band members are left out of the vocal loop, though - actually, this is the first SFA disc to include songs written and sung by most of the bandmates (cue more nifty vocal harmonies), an unusual turn that adds more diversity and keeps the listener on their toes. Highlights include “Frequency,” “Back on a Roll,” “Lazer Beam,” and the opener, the frenetic but beautiful “Zoom.”


Nada Surf - The Weight is a Gift - Barsuk Records
The followup to Nada Surf’s 2003 effort, Let Go, this collection of songs is a thoughtful set indeed, something of a surprise given the band’s predilection for straightforward pop. Working with producer Chris Walla of Death Cab for Cutie fame may have had something to do with it, but one suspects that it’s got just as much to do with Nada Surf wanting their melodic compositions to be taken a little more seriously. Outfitted with some darker, yet still heart-tugging lyrics and several haunting ballads of the sort that linger in your short-term memory, it’s not quite what Nada fans may expect, if they’re judging the band by their critically-lauded 2003 “Let Go” album, but that certainly doesn’t mean it fails in any way, shape or form - especially not when songs like “All Is A Game,” “In the Mirror,” “Armies Walk,” and “What is Your Secret?” are included.