 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(January 2017) |
| Okay | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 20 January 2017 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 36:36 | |||
| Label | Fearless | |||
| Producer | Mike Green | |||
| As It Is chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from okay. | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [2] |
Okay (stylised as okay.) is the second studio album by British pop punk band As It Is.
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 second and final album to feature lead guitarist Andy Westhead.
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.[ citation needed ]
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.[ citation needed ]
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]
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 12. | "Hey Rachel" (jukebox edition) |
As It Is
Additional personnel
| Chart (2017) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA) [22] | 96 |
| Scottish Albums (OCC) [23] | 47 |
| UK Albums (OCC) [24] | 48 |
The Used is an American rock band from Orem, Utah, formed in 2000. The group consists of vocalist Bert McCracken, bassist Jeph Howard, drummer Dan Whitesides, and guitarist Joey Bradford. Former members include Quinn Allman, Branden Steineckert, and Justin Shekoski.
Panic! at the Disco was an American pop rock band formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2004 by childhood friends Ryan Ross, Spencer Smith, Brent Wilson, and Brendon Urie. Following several lineup changes, Panic! at the Disco operated as the solo project of frontman Urie from 2015 until its discontinuation in 2023.
All Time Low is an American rock band from Towson, Maryland, formed in 2003. Consisting of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Alex Gaskarth, lead guitarist Jack Barakat, bassist/backing vocalist Zack Merrick, and drummer Rian Dawson, the band took its name from lyrics in the song "Head on Collision" by New Found Glory. The band has consistently done year-long tours, headlined numerous tours, and has appeared at music festivals including Warped Tour, Reading and Leeds, and Soundwave.
The Maine is an American rock band from Tempe, Arizona. Formed in 2007, the group consists of lead vocalist, guitarist and pianist John O'Callaghan, lead guitarist Jared Monaco, bass guitarist Garrett Nickelsen, drummer Patrick Kirch, and rhythm guitarist Kennedy Brock. The band is joined by touring member Adam Simons, as of 2018, who plays keys, rhythm and lead guitar as well as percussion.
Stick to Your Guns is an American hardcore punk band from Orange County, California. Members of the band include lead vocalist Jesse Barnett, bassist Andrew Rose, guitarists Chris Rawson and Josh James, and drummer Adam Galindo. They are currently signed with SharpTone Records.
Hey Monday is an American rock band from West Palm Beach, Florida, formed in 2008. They released their debut album Hold On Tight in 2008, which produced the singles "Homecoming" and "How You Love Me Now". The album was followed up with their 2010 EP Beneath It All, which achieved moderate commercial success, and the Candles EP in 2011. Their most recent release, The Christmas EP, was released on December 6, 2011. Cassadee Pope has since released three studio albums as a solo artist and became the first female winner of The Voice.
Tiny Moving Parts is an American emo band from Benson, Minnesota. Formed by brothers William and Matthew Chevalier, and their cousin Dylan Mattheisen, the band has released seven studio albums since their 2008 formation in junior high. Their most recent album Deep in the Blue was self-released on November 15, 2024.
As It Is are a British-American rock band based in Brighton, England. The band was formed in 2012, and signed to Fearless Records in 2014. Following a hiatus, they reunited under Slam Dunk Records.
Around the World and Back is the second studio album by American pop punk band State Champs.
Waterparks is an American pop rock band formed in Houston, Texas in 2011. The group currently consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Awsten Knight, backing vocalist and lead guitarist Geoff Wigington, and backing vocalist and drummer Otto Wood.
Last Young Renegade is the seventh studio album by American rock band All Time Low. It was released on June 2, 2017, and is their first release with Fueled by Ramen. The lead single, "Dirty Laundry", premiered on BBC Radio 1 on February 17, 2017. The album debuted at number nine on the US Billboard 200, selling 33,000 units in its first week.
Makes Me Sick is the ninth studio album by American rock band New Found Glory. It was released on April 28, 2017, through Hopeless Records.
The Peace and the Panic is the third studio album by Welsh pop punk band Neck Deep. It is the band’s first album to feature lead guitarist Sam Bowden, formerly of the bands Blood Youth and Climates and the last to feature founding bassist and backing vocalist Fil Thorpe-Evans before his departure in September 2018. The group planned to work on material for their follow-up album by the end of the year, though were unable due to tour commitments. In June 2016, the band went on a two-week writing retreat in Wales, creating 40 song drafts in the process. At the end of the year, vocalist Ben Barlow said the group had around 30 demos and two completed songs. Following a support slot for A Day to Remember in early 2017, the band began recording The Peace and the Panic in March and April in Los Angeles, California. Mike Green produced the album with assistance from engineers Will McCoy and Colin Schwanke. Most of the album was mixed by Neal Avron, while Green mixed three of the songs.
Lovely Little Lonely is the sixth studio album by American rock band The Maine and was released on April 7, 2017, through the band's label 8123. It debuted at number 32 on the Billboard 200, however, it reached as high as number 4 on the US Top Rock Albums chart and at number 3 on the US Independent Albums chart.
Gossip is the fifth studio album by American rock band Sleeping with Sirens. The album was released on September 22, 2017, through Warner Bros. Records and follows the band's fourth studio album Madness (2015). It is the first release since the band's departure from Epitaph Records. The lead single, "Legends", was released on July 14, 2017.
Shapeshifter is the second studio album by American pop-punk band Knuckle Puck. It was released on October 13, 2017 through Rise Records.
The Canyon is the seventh studio album by American rock band the Used. The album was released as double album on October 27, 2017, through Hopeless Records and is dedicated to Tregen, a friend of Bert McCracken, who shot himself in Provo Canyon after coming off his anti-depressants for about a week. It is the only studio album to feature guitarist Justin Shekoski since Quinn Allman's departure in 2015. It was highly acclaimed by critics and fans alike and appearing on many best-of-the-year lists, though it only peaked at 50 on the Billboard 200.
Crooked Shadows is the seventh studio album by American rock band Dashboard Confessional. It was released on February 9, 2018 through Fueled by Ramen and Dine Alone Records. It is their first studio album in nine years, following 2009's Alter the Ending.
Movements are a post-hardcore band from Rancho Santa Margarita, California, formed in 2015.
Living Proof is the third studio album from American pop punk band State Champs. It is their last album to feature rhythm guitarist Tony Diaz before his departure in March 2020.
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
For too many, A stigma behind mental health still lives. With this message, we hope to take a step forward in eradicating this stigma.
