AJR is unique in their sound, a underrated band that sometimes gets too much hate for their music. While I like their music, I understand the dislike especially for some of their sounds. Yet, the band is very unique with their use of sounds that honestly makes it something different. If it hasn’t been obvious yet, I like music with unique sounds (which is why I can’t define what genre of music I like). So, let’s talk about AJR’s 2nd latest album; OK Orchestra.
The Album Itself
OK Orchestra is not that different from past AJR albums, except unlike Neotheater an overture has returned. This is probably one of the staples of AJR is their Overtures used in 3/4 of their main albums. Another thing is how in the title of this blog post the album is both warm and cold. The warmth is from the colors you can imagine from the songs but the cold is the subject matter. The meanings they use with the vocals to manipulate things for their purpose/meaning is such a contrast.
Some Favorite Songs
Ordinaryish People (featuring the Blue Man Group) starts off so upbeat and has a bit of that jazz sound that was in Neotheather and I loved it from the beginning. This was my introductory song into OK orchestra, and it was great. It’s so upbeat but it’s about expectations of people. How, people perceive things that are so simplistic and make assumptions of what you are. Like, “they think you’re too happy because you still celebrate some times” or “Your happy friends call you depressing ’cause you wonder why we’re all alive”. But, the song is saying that you should ignore the assumptions and just be who you are. Ignore the flack from your friends and just be who you are, because if you’re truly ordinary then nobody minds. That’s what we all are, ordinaryish people. But, the Blue Man Group part is just a big solo near the end and honestly it’s just a vibe. It fits into the hot and cold narrative because it’s such a warm and vibrant song and while the lyrics are cold it still emanates the warmth and the narrative that it’s okay to be you. But also that, ignore the assumptions because so many times we have to live to a narrative that people set but we should just be ourselves which is a big modern day issue that we face.
My Play is the 4th song of OK Orchestra, and it hits hard for me. It’s a song about divorce and the tribulations that affect a child when they go through that divorce and the impact is has, whether or not it’s apparent. The song says “If you both outgrew one another/ I could start now looking for a lover but if love dies do I ____ bother?” which isn’t an immediate effect of divorce that children see. We are sometimes affected by proxy, as much as my parents tried to hide it and protect me. Even the song My Play is about how also when we were younger a lot of kids do plays for their parents, I know I did. Yet, when the divorce happened and my parents separated I stopped doing them because also like the song mentioned, not wanting to do it again for a parent at a new place. The final part of the song is just how hard AJR’s parents tried to make it work but it ultimately didn’t work out and now AJR (whichever brother wrote this part) is repeating what they do because we learn from our parents and ultimately…it’s a song I just feel comfort in for how much I relate.
While not a favorite song, Bummerland was AJR’s covid song and honestly it’s just really upbeat. Kind of like the denial we were in about how long it is but also makes note of the optimism that came from the lockdown. That no matter what happens, there will be a bright side.
What’s Next?
Right around the corner, AJR will be releasing their 5th album “The Maybe Man” and honestly with what we’ve been able to gather from the album it will be interesting. The songs they have released so far (and the teaser snippets) have suggested a wild theme within the album as none of the songs really have a connected sound as they do in OK Orchestra. I believe I will touch back on The Maybe Man and showcase my full thoughts and opinions on the album, but for now I will just have to wait.
