The Fours releases new album

Ohio-based musician Darren Latanick is the guitarist and multi-instrumentalist for the band Son of Dribble. Bringing to life his solo creative vision, The Fours is the alias he adopts as his artistic banner, with the assumed plurality only adding to the enigmatic approach that defines the unaccompanied endeavour.

In 2015 Darren unveiled The Fours with the debut record titled Weekly Elbows, serving up fourteen tracks to capture a snapshot of his first steps as a solo artist. Following a five year hiatus, he returned in 2020 with the sophomore album Misadventure and has since enjoyed a prolonged period of creativity across multiple releases.

2022’s split single “Lately / Nobody Wants Me” preceded the third LP Shaking and Moving while last year saw a further two double singles. Now he brings us his latest release with the brand new full-length record titled Walk It Off, a ten-track outing released via the World of Bird Records imprint that opens the latest chapter of his unique musical story.

Opened by “Facedown,” a bright guitar line casts a hazy yet upbeat vibe as the gentle rattle of drums ushers in Darren’s laid back vocal leads. Threading lilting melodies carrying picture painting lyricism, the song distils a timeless pop-focused rock sound into a charming and subtly catchy tune cut with delicate flickers of lead guitar that overlap the vocals in the finale to craft an inviting and memorable sound.

“Pacing the Hounds” kicks off with the snap of an electronic beat as the vocals glide above backed by the pulse of bass guitar. Joined by the light crunch of guitar and piquant snaking leads, a cautious melancholy pairs with the reflective lyrics as the dynamic ebb and flow of the arrangement carries you through an engaging soundscape.

Next up, “Brighton Beach” immediately launches a moody atmosphere as the fuzzy grit of guitar and shuffling taps of drums are capped by anthemic vocal lines. Peppered with contrasting synth lines, it’s a rock and roll jam with a twist that perfectly showcases the original style of The Fours, filtering familiar songwriting through a distinct sonic lens.

Other highlights on the record include songs like title track “Walk It Off,” with its bouncy percussive claps setting up the shaking rumble of guitar lines before Darren’s voice lays down the mellow swaggering delivery that gives way to airy melodic flourishes. Full of grooving rhythm and energising layers of guitar textures, “Walk It Off” channels an intimate take on the rock pop aesthetic of bands like The Strokes.

The smooth acoustic guitar strums of “Taking” slows things down, driven by the downtempo march of percussion as restrained vocals roll out to create a moody acoustic rock style. In the stripped back, smokey scene, the artist’s enduring lyrical writing shines, revealing the range on the record while maintaining the cohesive sonic thread that ties everything together.

The album closes with “City Lights,” where the soft punch of drums is met with the low end buzz of a bass synth. Darren’s expressive voice hovers above as intricate guitar plucks complete an art rock vibe to create a delightful finale to his superb new record.

Listen to Walk It Off below