Marty Anderson, as Okay, will be releasing his third album tomorrow on Absolutely Kosher, entitled Huggable Dust. And without playing shows or getting much hype outside of the record label, Okay has caught the ears of bands like Deerhoof and some incredibly impassioned fans.
Pretty much the only accessible material online basically exploits the fact that Anderson suffers from Crohn’s Disease, including one really insensitive article on a particular weekly (link intentionally excluded) and a Pitchfork review of Okay’s two debut records Low Road and High Road. And while that’s all (hopefully) well-intentioned, there is really only one point to all of this – that Okay is damn good. And with this new record, it’s bound to get around.
Anderson’s voice and lyrics combined are enough to make your heart swell. The vocal qualities he produces are somewhere between Macy Gray and Bob Dylan (forgive that terribly random pairing), and his lyrics tell simple love stories, trials and successes alike, with grace and candor (“I could write you a novel tonight / I could write you a new song each day / It’s a natural part of my day,” “I know who my sunshine is,” and “There’s always an upside” just three small but effecting examples).
The instrumental music ranges from beautifully-crafted fingerstyle guitar to synth- and drum machine-infused pop songs with video game sounds that flit in and out. The chords have a simple base, but are layered with sounds, instruments and vocal harmonies that create a depth that infuses the psyche.
The 18-song album is a work of art that’s refreshing and invigorating. Test out some of the songs on Okay’s MySpace page, and then buy the album here.
