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
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
's past work, there's a sense on
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
would reference
Lin-Manuel Miranda
's hit Broadway musical. Much like
Hamilton
, or
Miranda
's biopic musical
In the Heights
isn't just full of hit-worthy pop hooks, it's stage-worthy, ambitious, and full of insights driven by
's personal experience. ~ Matt Collar