Okay
Studio album by
As It Is
Released20 January 2017
Genre
Length36:36
LabelFearless
ProducerMike Green
As It Is chronology
Never Happy, Ever After
(2015)		 Okay
(2017)		 The Great Depression
(2018)
Singles from okay.
  1. "Okay"
    Released: 23 September 2016
  2. "Pretty Little Distance"
    Released: 14 October 2016
  3. "No Way Out"
    Released: 1 December 2016
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]

Okay (stylised as okay.) is the second studio album by British pop punk band As It Is. It is the last album to feature ex-guitarist Andy Westhead.

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.[3] In January 2016, the group took a brief break to unwind, before they started writing for their second album.[4]

The band went to Los Angeles to start recording the album with producer Mike Green in July 2016.[5]

Okay. is the band's 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.[6] 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,[7] as well as revealing the album's artwork and track listing. In the same announcement, a music video was released for "Okay".[8] In October and November, the group supported Sum 41 on their headlining US tour.[9] On 14 October, a 1950s-themed music video was released for "Pretty Little Distance",[10] and the song was released as a single.[11] Okay was released on 20 January 2017.[7] On 6 February, a music video was released for "Hey Rachel", directed by Joshua Halling.[12]

In April and May, the group embarked on their first US headlining tour, with support from Roam, Grayscale[13] and Sleep On It.[14] 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.[15] On 8 November, a music video was released for "No Way Out",[16] directed by Halling.[17] In November and December, the group supported Waterparks on their US headlining tour.[18] In March 2018, the band went on a UK tour with support from Like Pacific and Grayscale.[19] A jukebox version of "Hey Rachel" was released as a single on 13 April.[20]

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Pretty Little Distance"3:11
2."Okay"3:36
3."Hey Rachel"3:00
4."Patchwork Love"3:40
5."Curtains Close"3:05
6."No Way Out"3:17
7."Soap"3:42
8."Austen"3:00
9."Until I Return"3:33
10."The Coast Is Where Home Is"3:16
11."Still Remembering"3:16
Japanese bonus track[21]
No.TitleLength
12."Hey Rachel" (jukebox edition) 

Personnel

As It Is

  • Patty Walters – vocals, acoustic guitar
  • Andy Westhead – guitar
  • Benjamin Langford-Biss – guitar, vocals
  • Alistair Testo – bass guitar
  • Patrick Foley – drums

Additional personnel

Charts

Chart (2017) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[22] 96
Scottish Albums (OCC)[23] 47
UK Albums (OCC)[24] 48

References

  1. ↑ Lay, Nathaniel (10 January 2017). "Album Review: As It Is - 'Okay.'". New Noise Magazine. Archived from the original on 20 January 2017. Retrieved 20 January 2017.
  2. 1 2 Timothy Monger. "As It Is - Okay". AllMusic. Retrieved 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. ↑ Fearless Records (20 January 2017), The Happy Co. Show, retrieved 25 January 2017
  4. ↑ Richman, Jesse (13 October 2015). ""Going on tour with them is pretty mind-blowing": Benjamin Biss of As It Is talks the AP Tour". Alternative Press. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  5. ↑ AltPress (7 July 2016). "As It Is begin recording second album". Alternative Press. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  6. ↑ Walters, Patty (2017). okay. (Lyrics Booklet). Fearless Records. p. 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.
  7. 1 2 Maggie, Dickman (22 September 2016). "As It Is announce new album, release new song—listen". Alternative Press. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  8. ↑ Biddulph, Andy (22 September 2016). "As It Is Unveil New Song + Album". Rock Sound. Retrieved 22 September 2016.
  9. ↑ Sharp, Tyler (August 8, 2016). "Sum 41 announce tour with Senses Fail, As It Is". Alternative Press. Archived from the original on March 21, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2019.
  10. ↑ James (14 October 2016). "As It Is Reveal 1950s Themed Video". Kerrang!. Archived from the original on 18 October 2016. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  11. ↑ "Pretty Little Distance - As It Is | Release Info". AllMusic. Retrieved 14 October 2016.
  12. ↑ Dickman, Maggie (6 February 2017). "As It Is drop touching new music video for "Hey Rachel"—watch". Alternative Press. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  13. ↑ Ralph, Caitlyn (8 February 2017). "As It Is announce first ever North American headlining tour". Alternative Press. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  14. ↑ Dickman, Maggie (3 March 2017). "Sleep On It announced as support for As It Is tour". Alternative Press. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  15. ↑ Dickman, Maggie (9 October 2017). "As It Is part ways with guitarist Andy Westhead". Alternative Press. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  16. ↑ Dickman, Maggie (8 November 2017). "Watch As It Is' powerful new music video for "No Way Out" and other news you might have missed today". Alternative Press. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  17. ↑ Fearless Records (8 November 2017). As It Is - No Way Out (Official Music Video). Retrieved 15 June 2020 – via YouTube.
  18. ↑ Dickman, Maggie (1 August 2017). "Waterparks announce headlining massive tour with As It Is, Chapel and Sleep On It". Alternative Press. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  19. ↑ Dickman, Maggie (17 October 2017). "PTV share the making of the "Today I Saw The Whole World" video and other news you might have missed". Alternative Press. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  20. ↑ "Hey Rachel (Jukebox Edition) - Single by As It Is". iTunes. 13 April 2018. Archived from the original on 15 June 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
  21. ↑ "Okay".
  22. ↑ "ARIA CHART WATCH #405". auspOp. 28 January 2017. Archived from the original on 2 February 2017. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  23. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
  24. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 28 January 2017.
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