OK Go: Of the Blue Colour of the Sky (Capitol)

OK Go

Of the Blue Colour of the Sky

Capitol

Mar 04, 2010 Web Exclusive By Hays Davis

Is it possible that certain traits are latent within every musician, rising to manifest themselves openly in some cases while lying dormant in others? If Of the Blue Colour of the Sky is any indication, the four men of OK Go have reemerged in 2010 for an unabashed unveiling of their funky side.

Blue Colour, however, might have been better served with a fettered glimpse of their dance-friendly impulses rather than a full-on wallow. "WTF?" is their finest of these moments: Over some tasty guitar scratchings and a buzzing bass bottom, singer Damien Kulash flexes his falsetto to channel Prince at his horniest. When the band gets Purple again with the more upbeat "White Knuckles," they somehow manage to generate a bit less heat, and unfortunately their funky edge grows softer beyond these peaks.

The band didn't completely shuck their power-pop coats, though they apparently checked them at the studio door with some regularity. The rousing sing-along "This Too Shall Pass" will help to keep their impressive video legacy alive, and the engaging acoustic strum of "All Is Not Lost" is a low-key gem. The rest of Blue Colour offers some interesting experiments, but while the stylistic shuffle from track to track builds an album that represents some growth since 2005's Oh No, it unfortunately boils down to the equivalent of a memorable EP. (www.okgo.net)

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