The fourth album from New York trio
AJR, 2021's
OK Orchestra finds them further expanding their rambunctiously inventive, diaristic brand of pop. Self-produced, the album again features an impressive mix of instruments that goes far beyond the usual guitar-bass-drums aesthetic, and finds
AJR dipping into brassy jazz ("3'O'Clock Things") and orchestral pop ("My Play"), not to mention the sundry elements of electronic and hip-hop production that run throughout. We even get an ambitious blend of everything on the anthemic "Ordinaryish People" which features percussion contributions by members of the conceptual
Blue Man Group. These are buoyant, likeably earnest songs in the tradition of bands like
Fun. and
Ben Folds Five. As with much of
AJR's past work, there's a sense on
OK Orchestra that the band (made up of siblings
Adam,
Jack, and
Ryan Met) are gifted, twentysomething kids just trying to make sense of the chaotic world they find themselves coming of age in. It's also one that's informed by a witty sense of irony as they transform mundane details about struggling to make connections with friends and lovers into relatable touchstones. On "3'O'Clock Things" they sing, "If I keep on talking politics, my friends will dip, they're over it/If I keep on talking politics, I'm Hamilton (without the hits)." It makes sense that
AJR would reference
Lin-Manuel Miranda's hit Broadway musical. Much like Hamilton, or
Miranda's biopic musical
In the Heights,
OK Orchestra isn't just full of hit-worthy pop hooks, it's stage-worthy, ambitious, and full of insights driven by
AJR's personal experience. ~ Matt Collar