Otherkin’s debut album Ok is very much a “does what it says on the tin” album. It’s a classic garage punk album that for once does sound like a group of kids playing in a basement. It’s a snapshot of first album excitement and this definitely rubs off on the listener and will remind you of times spent in rehearsal studios as a teenager.

Ok is very much a guitar-driven album that relies on the energy of the band members. I’m not sure if it was, but it definitely has the feel of an album that was recorded all live together. Ok sounds at its best when it feels under-produced, allowing the band’s spontaneity and excitement to come to the fore.

Otherkin really captures the feel of what a garage album should feel like. ‘Treat Me So Bad’ opens the album and sets the tone. The best moments by far on the album are the cuts between verses and choruses. ‘AY AY’ is full of these kinds of touches; it’s the best track to encapsulate the feel of Ok. When there’s a slight change on the album it sounds off the cuff, then Otherkin throw in a run on the guitar, which wouldn’t work if it were not for this rough and ready quality of the album.

There’s nothing particularly new about Ok and, for that reason, I couldn’t describe it as a stand out album. It does its genre very well and is a very strong debut from the band. It feels like the songs could be elevated a bit further had the vocals been a little more exciting. Whilst there’s nothing wrong with the vocals and they do serve the songs well, they are very standard.

Ok is an album which is full of singles, there’s no lull moment on the album and it maintains its velocity throughout. ‘I Was Born’ could happily be passed off as a Foo Fighters demo. On tracks like ‘Enabler’, the feeling of the excited kids in the basement gets lost, a bit of a shame when, for me, the garage sound is what Otherkin deliver best. It’s the most produced song and sounds like the most rehearsed and thought about.

The band describe the album as “straight in – no kissing” which is possibly the album's flaw. Whilst the free, straight to the point attitude works in places, it does also suffer from not having much else going on. The album starts off scrappy which I really like and does refine towards the end of the album. The ending track ‘So So’ contrasts quite a bit with the opener ‘Treat Me So Bad’ and all the distance in between is covered over the course of the album. It’s almost a journey in becoming a more refined rock band.

Ok is a strong start from a promising band. They’ve captured the spirit of what a new band should be. Not perfected but a band with spark that aren’t afraid of playing around with ideas. Their sound will cement over time.

Chris Middleton

Website: otherkinok.com
Facebook: facebook.com/otherkinOK
Twitter: twitter.com/OtherkinOK