By By Mike Fordham

You might not have heard of the group OK Go, but there’s a good possibility you’ve seen them. Their video for the song “A Million Ways” spread all over the Internet late this summer, showcasing the band members dancing in unison. The song is pulled from OK Go’s sophomore set, Oh No!

On their self-titled debut, the Chicago quartet fired off sugary-sweet nuggets of pop/rock. The tune “Get Over It” was a minor radio hit, to boot. Oh No! finds OK Go de-emphasizing their pop roots and embracing a more indie-rock sound. This might be attributed to the album’s producer, Tore Johansson, who produced Franz Ferdinand’s first album. Singer Damian Kulash’s too-cool vocal delivery makes him sound like that guy in high school who knew all the hip bands, but kept them to himself. Knowing the band’s previous material, it seems odd for OK Go to head in a different direction. The attitude the band radiates is a bit off-putting. Down the road, OK Go may get comfy with an indie-leaning sound, but for now, it comes across as stiff.

However, the foursome did not entirely ditch their poppy ways. Tracks like “Here It Goes Again,” “A Good Idea At The Time” and “Do What You Want,” shows OK Go’s innate knack for catchy pop-rock, complete with squealing guitars, cowbells, hand-claps and sing-along choruses. The acoustic minded “Let It Rain” is quite possibly the band at its best.

Even with all that, the album has going for it, Oh No! ends on a sour note. “The House Wins,” drones on, and is not terribly memorable. The album title is apt for such a weak ending.

Coming off their catchy debut, OK Go may suffer from the dreaded “sophomore slump.” Oh No! is a mixed bag. It shows a band with one foot planted firmly in the past and the other towards a shaky future. Hopefully OK Go can keep their pop/rock sensibility intact.