One Direction’s fourth studio album was released on Nov. 17, just under a year after their third studio album was released. November releases seem to be a pattern for the group and it seems to work, seeing as parents are looking for presents to get their kids for Christmas and getting the new album for Christmas is something that Directioners’ dreams are made of. Unlike the second and third studio albums that were recorded on the road during tour and the breaks that they got in between, “Four” was recorded almost entirely on the road in tour buses and hotel rooms.
The reality of recording an album on the road means that much of the set-up of a recording studio is organic and that shines through on the album. You can feel the boys settling into a kind of music that they are comfortable with. By far, this album has felt the most authentic and true to who they really are. They may have started as a pop boy band but they are growing into their own skin, not by proving that they are not a teen-boppy band, but rather proving to the world what they want to be. Looking back to the first studio album, it is easy to see the progress that they have made and how far they have really come. Listening to the first album, it is hard to recognize them, compared to what they sound like now. It is nearly cringe-worthy to hear some of the songs off of the first album, but that only shows how far they have come and how far they have the ability to go.
Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne wrote and co-wrote many of the songs off of the album, showing that they are beginning to think beyond the boy band hype and towards the future of music. Working with The 1975, Ryan Tedder of One Republic, McFly and others, the boys are expanding their musical horizons. With Zayn Malik working with producers and artists like Naughty Boy and Emeil Sande, the album seemed to be taking a bit of a turn for R&B. But as it turned out, the executive decision seemed to be that the band is not going in that direction for now. Harry Styles, who has also written for multiple artists including Ariana Grande and Meghan Trainor, worked closely with producers Julian Bunetta, John Ryan and Jamie Scott. Niall Horan also worked with a range of artist, particularly McFly, who worked closely with him on the third album as well.
Favorite songs off of the album include “Stockholm Syndrome”, a moody tune based on the concept of a victim developing feelings for their captor and “Clouds”, a guitar rifting song about love and its complications. “Change Your Ticket”, co-written by The 1975, boasts a chill vibe that sounds characteristically like the band itself. “No Control” is clearly the edgier side of the selection and stands out from the rest. The album sounds laid back, passionate and just a little edgy in a non-obvious way. The boys are rumored to be releasing their fifth studio album sometime next year.
