OK Go - And the Adjacent Possible

'And the Adjacent Possible' sees the quartet navigating their own mythology with mixed results. The mathematical precision that made their earlier material essential listening filters deep into these twelve tracks, though it occasionally buffs out the charming rough edges that made their earlier records spark and fizz.

Lead single 'A Stone Only Rolls Downhill' charts this transformation clearly - it's well-engineered pop that wouldn't feel out of place on the soundtrack for a weekday murder mystery TV show set at a tropical beach (what, too specific?). The craftsmanship is there, but the pulse races less than before. 'Love' reaches for theatrical grandeur with almost Queen-like flourishes, but never quite achieves the transcendent moment it seems to be aiming for.

The record shows its heart in quieter corners; 'This Is How It Ends', in particular, strips away the clever-clever to deliver something disarmingly sincere and tender. It's not that the album lacks merit - there are plenty of well-constructed moments and interesting ideas throughout - just that their experimental spirit and vitality feels diluted. The sharp hooks and angular energy of their earlier work are missing, and the album lacks the wide-eyed wonder of their breakthrough days.