OK Go, Oh No

One of the most refreshing releases of the year, this Chicago-area band mixes poppy hooks with anthemic, classic rock riffs and a seventies sense of rock ‘n’ roll cool. There’s no garage-y throwbacks here, though. Instead, the band works through radio-friendly alt-rock on “It’s A Disaster,” looks for elusive indie cred on “Here It Goes Again” (“Throw on your clothes, the second side of Surfer Rosa,” Damien Kulash, Jr. sings), Prince-like falsetto soul on “Oh Lately It’s So Quiet,” and inevitable mainstream success with Oh No‘s catchy-as-hell single, “A Million Ways.” The album is a study in restraint, however, as OK Go could have just as easily overloaded on feedback and overdone sentiment — like many of their better-known peers — but instead they opted for across-the-board experimentation that lets their influences (and talent) shine. This is easily one of the better albums of 2005.