Give “Wheel of Fortune” a Spin Today
Salt Lake City rockers oh?no!ok. are giving the world a taste of their sound ahead of their upcoming debut album. Our introduction to their unique brand of slacker rock comes in the form of the track “Wheel of Fortune”.
If you’re like me, I’m sure you’re wondering just what the hell slacker rock is. Well, if “Wheel of Fortune” is any indication its kind of like if 80s pop, skate punk, and indie alt rock dropped acid together and formed some kind of supergroup. It’s fun, hooky, and a little weird. The chunky riffs and abstract lyrics combined with fuzzy synths and a catchy rhythm section make oh?no!ok.’s sound something that you could either put on in the background and groove to or really spend time dissecting the lyrics. That alone gives “Wheel of Fortune” some serious repeated listening potential.
The Content
The band’s lyrics are a commentary on humanity’s vices, insecurities, and cynicism. The issues discussed range from pride, entitlement, and substance abuse to more modern issues like video game addiction and managing your online image. “Wheel of Fortune” seems to be taking a look at the vicious cycle of gambling addiction and the balance of the gambler’s hope against realistic odds.
They may not be breaking new ground by looking at the way lady luck gets her claws in you but they go about it in a fresh way. From beginning to end, the song is a real toe-tapper. It’s catchy, has a great hook, and after the first listen it was almost impossible to not sing along with the chorus.
But Wait! There’s More!
If you take my advice and find yourself itching for more of their sound, you can check out their website. You’ll find a few live performance videos to tide you over until they get around to releasing their full length album. At the very least, you should give the track “Buckshot Bob” a spin. It’s a solid track and the video really gives you a feel for the band’s live energy. There are a few more on the site, but this one is my favorite.
If you want to check out their YouTube page you can find a lyric video for “Wheel of Fortune” and a video for an older track called “Saw Her First”
Listening to these three tracks back to back really highlights the range of oh!no?ok.’s sound. It also makes me incredibly curious about what their full length release is going to sound like.
All in All…
All in all would I recommend checking out “Wheel of Fortune”? Absolutely! On the surface, it’s a fun and catchy track with a great hook; if you look deeper it’s a song (and a band) with something to say. You can check the song out on Spotify, Soundcloud, or you can just click the play button above.