OK Goodnight is an art rock band from Massachusetts, USA made up of four members who met through their studies at Berklee College of Music.

By Eleanor Banyard

Their first release was in 2019 with the single Rapture, followed by EPs Under the Veil (2020) and The Fox and the Bird (2023). This band’s latest release, stop/go has just dropped.

The album explores weighty themes of cause and effect, chance, risk, free will, and love, tempering this weightiness through sophisticated rock instrumentals, captivating melodies, and keen musicianship.

The ten-track album opens with No Sound. The opener begins with a calming instrumental which increasing gets interrupted by snippets of talking, eventually culminating in the heavy drums and catchy melody. The vocals are honest and smooth, mixing with the instruments to create a striking combination.

The second track, 22, released ahead of the album launch, begins with just under a minute of instrumentals before launching into the vocals, fluctuating between soft melody to loud drums and singing. Foxfire magazine’s Harper Jacobs describes this track as showing off “the band’s artistic chemistry and progressive edge… both complicated and deeply human.”

Top of the Bottom brings with it striking vocals and thought-provoking lyrics such as “this time I know for sure we have reached the top of the bottom again.” The Game follows, beginning with a catchy riff that mixes with light vocals to create an ethereal tone, before launching into the band’s classic heavy drums and powerful vocals, creating a compelling duality.

Spiral stands out for its use of keys that mirror the title of this song, providing a recurring instrumental Call Me Away is similarly soft and piano led. This song provides a unique element to the album, where the band showcases their ability to both create bold passionate, and tranquil deep music. Call Me Away is a peaceful but nonetheless compelling and resounding, with lyrics such as “the future’s too far and the past clings onto my face.”

The Show and Humpty Dumpty (“Some Body!”) are rock songs that have catchy melodies and loud vocals, whilst the final two songs, The People and Where I’m From merge these rock tones with the aforementioned softer aspects, providing a culmination of a conclusion.

If you’re a fan of post-rock power bands like The Fall of Troy and other experimental forms of rock, then you’re going to find a lot to love about OK Goodnight.

Stop/go is out now, and you can listen to it below.