It is hard to believe it has been over an entire decade without a new release from OK Go. Looking back, 2014’s Hungry Ghosts brought many memorable tracks, most of which would later be matched with the band’s unique and innovative music video treatment. From the zero-gravity plane ride the band faced in “Upside Down & Inside Out” to the optical illusions of “The Writing’s On the Wall,” the rockers out of Chicago, Illinois, have become just as known for their videos as their music. Still, the music matters first and foremost, and Hungry Ghosts stood up well without the amazing visuals.
Now, ten years later, do Damian Kulash (vocals/guitar), Andy Duncan (lead guitar), Tim Norwind (bass), and Kan Konopka (drums) still have the magic formula that has made the band so much of a success? Back at it, their new album And the Adjacent Possible was released on April 11, 2025, and early signs indicate it is another crowd-pleaser in the band’s repertoire.
Fans received an early taste of the then-upcoming album in January when the band released a video for “A Stone Rolls Downhill.” The video showed there’s still a lot more in the band’s creative tank. Sixty-four videos shot on sixty-four iPhones left fans thinking, “How did they even do that?” The uplifting and relaxing track holds its own even without the video.
The day the album was released, a second single premiered on YouTube with “Love.” This time, the band incorporated mirrors to create practical special effects. Much like “A Stone Rolls Downhill” before it, the track appeared new and comfortably familiar. In many ways, the same can be said about And the Adjacent Possible as a Whole. OK Go fans will be left feeling right at home from the opening chords through the final note.
The punchy beat of the opening track “Impulse Purchase” will get fans moving. The two singles released so far are slotted in the second and third tracks, giving the album some familiarity in the early going for fans who’ve been following the band’s video releases. The band employs the help of Singer-Songwriter Ben Harper and Shalyah Fearing, along with the indie band BEGINNERS, for “A Good Good Day at Last.” The extra vocalists add to the track’s fun, sing-along type nature. It will surely be a strong anthem for any good day you have, and should even brighten the less great ones. “Fantasy vs. Fantasy” and “This is How It Ends” slow down the album slightly, but not negatively.
Moving onto the second half of And the Adjacent Possible, “Take Me with You” comes in, and it is a significant highlight with a beat that is hard not to tap along with. The same can be said about “Better Than This.” “Golden Devils” and “Once More With Feeling” keep the good times rolling before “Going Home” slows it down while adding another classic in the making. This leads to the finale of “Don’t Give Up Now,” which slows it down even further with a bit of trippiness. As the titles of many of the tracks suggest, there is an emphasis on good vibes throughout the album. Many tracks also sound tailor-made for an eccentric video accompanying them. It is fun to lie back and imagine the possibilities as you tune out the world and give it a listen.
While And the Adjacent Possible might not innovate and evolve the band as much as Scientist Stuart Koffman’s inspiration suggests, it entertains. The songs are memorable and unmistakably OK Go. The album is akin to meeting up with an old friend and finding the things you loved about them back then are still present years later. Fans of OK Go can go into this album knowing there are some great tracks, while curious new fans should be pleasantly pleased. That is why Cryptic Rock gives And the Adjacent Possible 4 out of 5 stars.
){kind=link}
No comment