Album: Four
Artist: One Direction
Year:2014
Genre: Pop
A rather unorthodox album in terms of the stuff I usually listen to, but my good friend recommended for me to listen to this on Day 2 and I agreed. Partially because I wanted to stick to my promise but also to finally listen to the album of the band that, whether I liked it or not, was a big part of my childhood.
I’m sure many of my fellow Gen-Zs have at least been exposed to the titan that One Direction became in the early 2000s. Either as a casual on the radio without much of a choice or a die hard directioner, we have all at least heard one One Direction track.
And there’s a big chance that that track could be found on their 2014 record, Four. This marks as their, well, their second studio album (obviously) and was released during their prime.
With tracks like Steal My Girl, Night Changes, No Control and Stockholm Syndrome just to name a few tracks that were on rotation in the radio, I could somehow sing along to a lot of the tracks in this record.
I still clearly remember as a kid, I’d think 1D was a girly girl band and I had to actively hate it because I was a manly man and I’m not allowed to like these lightweight pop made to cater to little girls. And while you may agree with that, the exposure along with the genuine bops made me unironically like their tracks.
In 2024, this record instead unlocked a memory that has been hidden deep in the depths of my brain. All the memories in the car and hearing One Direction songs blasting on the radio because everyone wanted to keep it on. Me actively scoffing, but actively listening.
I miss those times, if I’m honest. The past few years have been dreadful for many reasons. But personally, it has just been a time of change. I reminisce to my younger years, not really caring much about the world and thought that the worst thing was hearing One Direction. Oh silly young me. Only if you knew the amount of bullshit you’d go through in just half a decade, you’ll probably like One Direction more.
Anyways, the songs in the record are pretty alright. Besides the nostalgic factor, they’re you’re standard boy band pop with a lot of synths and harmonies talking about wanting you, the audience, and hoping to make you feel the tingle as you imagine yourself as the person Zayn, Harry, Louis and Niall were talking about. Nothing I can really relate to, but hey a man can be inspired to do the things they say to the girl of my dreams right?
The mixing is quite messy, but it’s not really meant to be listened to in hifi settings as most of the audience that would listen to these tracks would be on the radio or their phone speakers. And on that end, they sound pretty alright! Vocals are front and center and the bass is quite booming.
This album was more like a compilation of kept memories and this was the sound track. It was nice to listen to the full thing and remember what life used to be.
My total absolutely unbiased scoring:
Vibe: 8/10
Flow: 8/10
Mixing: 7/10
Complexity: 2/10
Consistency: 8/10
Emotional Factor: 9/10
Fave Track: Night Changes
Gears Used:
HiBy Digital M300
Celest Plutus Beast
Listen to the full album here: https://open.spotify.com/album/4gCNyS7pidfK3rKWhB3JOY?si=UwP7nW0bQsyMIQNn1AU2bg
Dats it, das moosic
