OK Go

OK Go is masterful at consistently creating the catchy pop gem. But the band's albums to date have been a bit too glossy and thin for any satisfying longevity, compared with, say, Spoon, who display the same innate sense of "the hook," but with much more breadth to their craft. But that has changed---this new disc (the first in four years) is an eye-opening affair from start to finish that'll have naysayers reconsidering their opinions. OK Go has discovered that catchy songs need not be transparent, they can be dark and difficult and defy expectations, such as the Prince-influenced opener "WTF?," the succinctly frail "Last Leaf," or especially the tastefully brooding and minimalist "While You Were Asleep," perhaps the best of an album full of surprises.