Okay (album) explained

Okay
Type:studio
Artist:As It Is
Cover:Okay (As It Is album) Album Cover.jpeg
Released:20 January 2017
Genre:
Length:36:36
Label:Fearless
Producer:Mike Green
Prev Title:Never Happy, Ever After
Prev Year:2015
Next Title:The Great Depression
Next Year:2018

Okay (stylised as okay.) is the second studio album by British pop punk band As It Is.

Background

Immediately following As It Is' 2015 album Never Happy, Ever After, the band played shows across the US on the 2015 run of Vans Warped Tour. While on tour lead singer, Patty Walters, struggled with depression and his mental health. He started writing songs during this time in order to cope. During the following year Walters came out to his bandmates about his state and started going through professional therapy. In January 2016, the group took a brief break to unwind, before they started writing for their second album.[3]

The band went to Los Angeles to start recording the album with producer Mike Green in July 2016.[4]

Okay. is the band's second and final album to feature lead guitarist Andy Westhead.

Concept and style

It was stated several times during promotion of the album the main theme of the album is, "The idea that it's okay to not be okay" making a statement about mental health issues and the stigma surrounding them.[5] The concept of "faking a smile" is repeated several times throughout the album.

Songs on the album cover topics such as depression, anxiety, divorce, loss, and heartbreak. The aesthetic for the album's promotion was heavily inspired by the 1950s, which was part of an intentional decision to contrast the happy bright sound with the darker and personal lyrical themes.

With Mike Green in the studio, the band went for a more polished upbeat pop rock sound, more so than the more raw "emo" sound seen on some songs on Never Happy.

Release

Okay was announced on 22 September 2016, as well as revealing the album's artwork and track listing. In the same announcement, a music video was released for "Okay".[6] In October and November, the group supported Sum 41 on their headlining US tour.[7] On 14 October, a 1950s-themed music video was released for "Pretty Little Distance",[8] and the song was released as a single.[9] Okay was released on 20 January 2017.[10] On 6 February, a music video was released for "Hey Rachel", directed by Joshua Halling.[11]

In April and May, the group embarked on their first US headlining tour, with support from Roam, Grayscale[12] and Sleep On It.[13] On 9 October, it was revealed that guitarist Andy Westhead left the band two months prior, citing "feelings and differences had been building up" over the preceding year.[14] On 8 November, a music video was released for "No Way Out",[15] directed by Halling.[16] In November and December, the group supported Waterparks on their US headlining tour.[17] In March 2018, the band went on a UK tour with support from Like Pacific and Grayscale.[18] A jukebox version of "Hey Rachel" was released as a single on 13 April.[19]

Personnel

As It Is

Additional personnel

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Lay. Nathaniel. Album Review: As It Is - 'Okay.'. New Noise Magazine. January 20, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170120150945/http://newnoisemagazine.com/album-review-okay/. January 20, 2017. January 10, 2017.
  2. Web site: As It Is - Okay.. Timothy Monger. AllMusic. 28 September 2019. Okay. still offers a heaping bowl of sugary, emo-toned pop [...] The slick production that makes the upbeat tracks work so well sucks the life out of the more somber ones, which already suffer from a bit too much emo navel gazing.
  3. Web site: "Going on tour with them is pretty mind-blowing": Benjamin Biss of As It Is talks the AP Tour. Alternative Press. Richman, Jesse. 13 October 2015. 15 June 2020.
  4. Web site: As It Is begin recording second album. Alternative Press. AltPress. 7 July 2016. 15 June 2020.
  5. Book: Walters, Patty. okay. (Lyrics Booklet). Fearless Records. 2017. 4. "For too many, A stigma behind mental health still lives. With this message, we hope to take a step forward in eradicating this stigma.".
  6. Web site: Biddulph. Andy. As It Is Unveil New Song + Album. Rock Sound. 22 September 2016. 22 September 2016.
  7. Web site: Sum 41 announce tour with Senses Fail, As It Is. Alternative Press. Sharp, Tyler. 8 August 2016. 21 March 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190321110326/https://www.altpress.com/news/sum_41_announce_tour_with_senses_fail_as_it_is/. 21 March 2019. live. mdy-all.
  8. Web site: As It Is Reveal 1950s Themed Video. https://web.archive.org/web/20161018202533/http://www.kerrang.com/45585/reveal-1950s-themed-video/. Kerrang!. James. 14 October 2016. 18 October 2016. 14 October 2016.
  9. Web site: Pretty Little Distance - As It Is Release Info . AllMusic. 14 October 2016.
  10. Web site: Maggie. Dickman. As It Is announce new album, release new song—listen. Alternative Press. 22 September 2016. 22 September 2016.
  11. Web site: As It Is drop touching new music video for "Hey Rachel"—watch. Alternative Press. Dickman, Maggie. 6 February 2017. 15 June 2020.
  12. Web site: As It Is announce first ever North American headlining tour. Alternative Press. Ralph, Caitlyn. 8 February 2017. 15 June 2020.
  13. Web site: Sleep On It announced as support for As It Is tour. Alternative Press. Dickman, Maggie. 3 March 2017. 15 June 2020.
  14. Web site: As It Is part ways with guitarist Andy Westhead. Alternative Press. Dickman, Maggie. 9 October 2017. 15 June 2020.
  15. Web site: Watch As It Is' powerful new music video for "No Way Out" and other news you might have missed today. Alternative Press. Dickman, Maggie. 8 November 2017. 15 June 2020.
  16. As It Is - No Way Out (Official Music Video). YouTube. Fearless Records. 8 November 2017. 15 June 2020.
  17. Web site: Waterparks announce headlining massive tour with As It Is, Chapel and Sleep On It. Alternative Press. Dickman, Maggie. 1 August 2017. 15 June 2020.
  18. Web site: PTV share the making of the "Today I Saw The Whole World" video and other news you might have missed. Alternative Press. Dickman, Maggie. 17 October 2017. 15 June 2020.
  19. Web site: Hey Rachel (Jukebox Edition) - Single by As It Is. https://archive.today/20200615082300/https://music.apple.com/gb/album/hey-rachel-jukebox-edition-single/1367739139. 13 April 2018. iTunes. 15 June 2020. 15 June 2020.
  20. Web site: ARIA CHART WATCH #405. auspOp. 28 January 2017. 28 January 2017. 2 February 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170202094727/https://www.auspop.com.au/2017/01/chart-watch-405/. dead.

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