OK Go, “And the Adjacent Possible.”

OK Go has built its reputation on  creativity through visual mediums like unique videos and unexpected collaborations (The Muppets!). But all of those creative outlets are fed by the band’s music, and on its fifth album, And the Adjacent Possible, OK Go further tests the unorthodox.

The 12-song album maintains a core of hooky bops that’ve fueled the group’s success while executing new and unusual guitar tones and feedback squelches. The bassy fuzz-toned stomp of opening track “Impulse Purchase” is whimsical and fun with a bluesy streak and a touch of orchestral bombast. Vocalist Damian Kulash shows off a dynamic range, both in his upper register and with spacey harmonization.

The band locks into a tight groove on the mid-tempo “A Stone Only Rolls Downhill,” a cool tune with a guitar riff in lockstep with intricate percussion and vocal harmonies nodding to ‘70s psychedelia. While the songs are happy-sounding, the lyrics travel the spectrum from uplifting to introspective. On “Downhill,” Kulash tackles fatherhood and the worries of what kind of world his children are inheriting.

“Of our ravenous brand of avarice/ Of our selfishness/ It was just too much to overcome/ Now we’re overrun,” he sings.

Above all, OK Go knows the key to a good song. The harmony-laden “A Good, Good Day At Last” has a criminally infectious throwback sound. Kulash pushes his vocals to different tones and guitarist Andy Ross lays down a lyrical solo. “Fantasy vs. Fantasy” offers an eclectic arrangement and atmospheric soundscape. The understated chorus has a decidedly retro Brill Building flare.

The passionate and personal “This is How It Ends” has a fair share of layers but opts for subtlety and an introspective message.

“I suppose nobody promised explanations/ No, my mistake was thinking it would make sense/ When this is how it ends,” Kulash sings.

The mood doesn’t stay somber long and the pace picks up on “Take Me with You.” This tune has a tight disco-sounding beat. Bassist Tim Nordwind leads the way on the low end, and there’s a slinky guitar riff over hand claps. Flash forward to “Better Than This,” an acoustic-driven song that resides closer to folk rock. Kulash delivers verses that pair with the tempo of the track.

With vocal layering, unusual keyboard progression and choppy guitars, the lurching “Golden Devils” is a grab bag of sounds that come together in glorious harmony.

The groove-heavy “Once More with Feeling” has light blasts of clean-sounding guitar chords and a memorable hook, hitting a crescendo during the bridge. it’s a nice change of pace from some of the more involved material. The album then winds down with a pair of slower, sparser “Don’t Give Up Now” and the “Going Home.”

Follow writer Mike DeWald at mikedewald.bsky.social.