Oh, if this were the review of a single, it would be among the most sparkling in this publication's history. "Invincible," from Ok Go's album "Oh No," is as good a pop rock song as The White Stripes' "Blue Orchid." The guitar slides are addictive and the lyrics are stunning.
"And now my money says they won't know about the thousand Fahrenheit hot metal lights behind your eyes/ You're invincible/ That crushing, crashing, atom-smashing, white-hot thing."
Sadly, the rest of the disc makes the listener repeat the title. "Oh No" is a lackadaisical recreation of Jet's "Get Born." Instead of bourbon, these guys are swilling sparkling grape juice: just plain lame.
Bare-bones rock begs passion in place of musicality, right? That's why "Invincible" works. The lyrics are fierce and the fingers are bleeding.
Damian Kulash Jr. sings in a laid-back blues voice that doesn't fit most white guys. His "C'mon's" and "Yeahs" pass time more than punctuate.
Clap- and snap-tracks and "Oo oo" backups hearken back to the age of rock so many producers are trying to reproduce, but they feel like a cover for weak songwriting.
This album doesn't incite anything, despite the occasional well-written line. It's a common complaint, but there's no soul and no method. If Ok Go has a vision, it has yet to be made clear.
As their name would indicate, they have a taste for wordplay but don't have the blood pressure to make it matter.
Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Messina, from the RMBERS' Instagram page
