OK Go on 'And the Adjacent Possible', Parenting, and Semiotics

The Long Road to 'And the Adjacent Possible'

• ⏳ OK Go's new album, "And the Adjacent Possible," is their first in nearly a decade, with writing and recording beginning six to seven years ago.
• 🗓️ The extended timeline was due to extensive touring, elaborate video production, family commitments (children being born), directing a film, and the pandemic.
• 🎁 The lengthy incubation period allowed the songs to grow, change, and be revised, providing valuable perspective for the musicians.

Evolving Songwriting and Creative Process

• 🧠 The band's songwriting has shifted from consciously creating songs about ideas to exploring sounds, chords, and melodies to discover moments of magic and emotion.
• ✨ The focus is now on chasing a feeling rather than trying to convey a specific message, with the meaning of the songs emerging later.
• 🎶 The album title, "The Adjacent Possible," reflects the idea that basic physical elements can combine to create human emotion and new possibilities.
• 🎸 The band has moved away from traditional songwriting structures towards experimentation with sounds, rhythms, and beats.

The Impact of Parenthood and Life Experiences

• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Becoming parents has significantly changed their approach to touring and being away from family, leading to a lighter touring schedule.
• ❤️ The experience of parenthood has reignited appreciation for art, music, and life, allowing them to rediscover familiar emotions with fresh intensity, as explored in the song "Love."
• 🌟 The band emphasizes that creativity and art should be fun and compelling for themselves, as subjective emotional resonance is the core motivation.

Visual Sensibility and Semiotics

• 🎬 OK Go's distinctive visual component, particularly their viral music videos, is considered an essential part of their brand identity by business perspectives.
• 🎨 For the band, creating videos is an extension of play and discovery, akin to making music, and has been a significant gift.
• 🎓 One band member was a semiotics major, studying signs, symbols, and meaning, which directly informs their approach to creating music videos and understanding their impact.
• 🎥 They aspire to create more experimental films and videos, drawing inspiration from works like "David Holtzman's Diary."

Themes of Love and Existence

• 💖 The song "Love" is highlighted as capturing the essence of their current human experience, particularly the wonder of new life after having children.
• ✨ It reflects on the profound and beautiful improbability of meaning, emotion, and connection within the vastness of existence.
• 🌌 The lyrics explore themes of love as a fundamental, ever-present force, invented and reinvented within the "grand ballroom of nothingness."