Get ready for new sound, set iPod to repeat, OK Go!

By Joanne Santomauro

"It's like a skydive or getting high." Lyrics from OK Go's new single "WTF?" introduce their new album, "Of the Blue Colour of the Sky" perfectly. Straying away from their signature sound of sex and sass, with this album, OK Go explores the psychedelic sect of the alternative music genre.

OK Go, originally from Chicago, released two albums previous to Of the Blue -- both of which boasted catchy pop-rock melodies that mandated head-bobs and snaps. Now, OK Go has taken their music in a new direction. Many of the songs mirror the style of Animal Collective -- with distant vocals, accompanied by slow, haunting bass notes, chime and xylophones. Songs like "Skyscrapers" and "While You Were Asleep" make excellent company for those late night study sessions or times when all you want to do is sit back and stare at the iTunes Visualizer for a few hours. Freshman Nick LaFarge, a fan of both activities, said, "The new album sounds awesome -- like the love child of The Flaming Lips and new Radiohead."

In "White Knuckles," lead guitarist Andy Ross shreds like a madman, abandoning reverb, wa-wa sounds and all inhibition for a feel-good loose guitar vibe. The song's best component is its rhythm, which parallels music from bands like Justice and MGMT -- just catchy and upbeat.

Missing OK Go's old stuff? Don't worry. The track "I Want You So Bad I Can't Breathe" possesses that same snappy, seductive sound OK Go fans have come to know and love. The chorus whines, "I want youâ?¦so bad I can't think straight/So bad all my bones shake/So bad I can't breathe." Kudos to lead singer Damien Kulash -- with one chorus, he has managed to induce sighs from female listeners everywhere.

After listening to the entire album three or four times in a row, I've decided on a favorite song -- mind you, this will probably change after my next listen. "This Too Shall Pass" is a fabulous and cute track that "oohs" and "aahs" of finding hope and looking forward to "when the morning comes." Before you gag from all the bunnies-and-rainbows imagery, let me reassure you that we all need to hear a song like this sometimes. Besides, who better to cheer you up than a group of quirky rock-and-roll stars that like to dance on treadmills?

Overall, this album is a keeper. It's a little catchy, moody and hopeful. TV and radio personality Ira Glass praises "Of the Blue Colour of the Sky": "(It) is adventurously, emphatically musical--intricate, emotional, completely self-assured while it stakes out new musical territory."

Buy the CD, download it -- legally, of course -- whatever. Just get this album. And listen to it, over and over again. I guarantee your money's worth, and multiple eargasms for all.

Contact Joanne Santomauro at jsantomauro@scu.edu or at (408) 551-1918.