This came out in 2003 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
These days, thanks to the Britneys and Christinas of the world, pop is a dirrty word. But it may not be for much longer — at least, not if Chicago’s OK Go have a say in the matter. And this four-year-old foursome definitely knows how to get their message across.
Their debut full-length is a glittering, shiny bauble of pure ’70s power pop, with radio-ready tunes that are loaded with every sonic trademark of that era: High-pitched synthesizers, robotic handclaps, arena-sized drumbeats and, most importantly, hooks so big they could land Moby Dick and choruses catchier than a retrovirus. If you could take every great pop act of the ’70s, from The Cars and Billy Squier to Sparks and Elvis Costello, and gene-splice all their DNA together into one all-powerful pop combo, you’d end up with these guys. And with instantly unforgettable songs like Get Over It and Don’t Ask Me and You’re So Damn Hot — just three of a dozen tracks here that go a long way to restoring pop music’s good name.
