A few worthy gems on this one!
by Cernovog
After being tapped by Disney for the opening song of ABC's Fillmore, Ookla the Mok was very nearly tempted to uproot themselves from their wintery hometown of Buffalo and set off for the glitz and glamour of Hollywood. Ultimately, Ookla remained in Western New York, but Hollywood's lure had a lasting effect that can be seen in this release.
oh Okay LA (a play on the spelling of "Ookla" which, incidentally, is a pronunciation of the acronym "UCLA") is characterized by the same pop-culture whimsy of the band's earlier albums, except this time the focus is on Hollywood celebrities. "F. People" riffs on everyone from Michael Jackson to Cher. "A.M. Suicide" is a poignant -- and somehow hillarious at the same time -- reflection on the life of Gary Coleman. "Mr. W", a song about everybody's favorite Klingon, is worth the price of the entire CD. (If you're only going to buy one song, get "Mr. W"!!!)
While seemingly whimsical, the songs "LA (la Land)" and "Buffalo, CA" represent two points of view that almost split the band. "LA (la land)" is a daydreamy melody about the lure of an idealized Hollywood that caters to the dreams of young aspiring actors and would-be celebrities. "Buffalo, CA" on the other hand, is firmly grounded in the band's Buffalo roots. Having already lost drummer and close friend Louis Garcia to lure of the West Coast, OTM very accurately reflects in this song the attitudes of most surviving Buffalonians who haven't already emigrated for better weather and better jobs.
While not their best album, and certainly not my favorite, there are some true gems on oh Okay LA. It's definitely a worthy addition to any Ookla fan's collection.
