Husbands Carve Out a New Chapter on Cuatro

Cuatro, the latest LP from Oklahoma “what-have-you” indie band Husbands, is a smooth blend of indie beach pop and garage rock. Danny Davis has been honing in his sound and style for a decade now, after meeting Wil Norton in college while working on a Godzilla musical—where they realized their shared passion for creating music. It wouldn’t be long before they started writing and recording in their college dorm and, in 2016, they began playing shows in Oklahoma City. Norton has since found a new role in fatherhood, stepping away from the band and making room for three (sometimes four) new bandmates, Berto, Zach, Ethan and Tom. Feeling bogged down by the ball-and-chain lifestyle that comes with a 9-to-5, Husbands have decided it’s time to put all their focus and energy into what they’re truly passionate about: making music.

Davis slightly departs from the likes of his typical propensity for surf-rock and delves into the indie-rock and indie-pop stratosphere on Cuatro. He takes to an overall grittier sound on tracks like “Super New China,” “Face Molt” and “Can’t Do Anything”; yet, he still maintains the foundational aspects of his band’s sound across the record with driving beats, layered harmonies, reverb-soaked electric guitar and ear-catching guitar riffs. Cuatro refracts a carefree attitude in its floaty and bouncy soundscape. There’s a sense of hopefulness and optimism in day-to-day life. Simplicity and taking things slow are key themes sprinkled throughout the LP and a large part of the listening experience. Davis’ recent job departure from the corporate world of software engineering is a testament to his perspective on the new record. He and his wife packed all of their bags and moved to Costa Rica to pursue music full-time—hence a lot of beach-themed track titles like “Used to Surf,” “Tascam Blues” and “Sun-Dried.” Cuatro truly feels like a hazy dream with its hypnotic riffs and melodies and shimmery guitar tones riding the waves of the Caribbean Sea.

Compared to Husbands’ last record, Full on Monet, Cuatro is a lot less experimental in its sound. There aren’t as many risks taken on certain melodies or instrumental choices like Davis had on Full-On Monet tracks like “Bad Sign,” “Ancient One” and “Ayo.” That could be credited to Norton, who pushed Davis and challenged him during the process of creating the aforementioned LP. Now that Norton has stepped away from the band, Davis has taken a lot of creative liberties by himself, sticking to what he knows best and executing his craft flawlessly. His harmonies and vocal layering draw in any ear by creating a room filled with an echo chamber of voices; he draws from the sounds and mixing of Fleet Foxes, most notably in the track “Used To Surf,” where the vocals are extremely layered and orchestral in nature. It’s clear that tracks like “Garth” and “Postgrad Hymn” come from the mind of Davis, and they translate directly—and perfectly—into the sound of Cuatro.

It goes without saying that Norton’s mind and creativity are spread across all of Husbands’ discography and sounds that it’s known for today—Davis continues that foundation while still sitting comfortably within his own realm of music-making. Cuatro’s standout tracks are, easily, “Can’t Do Anything” and “Lost Weekend.” The former starts with the shoegaze-influenced sound of an overwhelming guitar presence that fills your ears. The chorus is bombastic and energetic, screaming the lyrics “So sick of writing you off.” The harmonies are the star of the show, and carry the song until the closing notes. “Lost Weekend” is dynamic and keeps you engaged throughout its runtime. The melodies are catchy and keep your head bopping throughout the smooth-sailing track, as it changes tone seamlessly halfway through and resists following a typical song structure with each “verse” and “chorus” being different from the next.

Cuatro is a clean record with tight production and high-quality songs full of unique melodies and vocal ambition. There’s a cohesiveness that is undeniable when witnessing the work being laid out in front of you. At times, the songs bleed into each other and lack the immediate sense of excitement and engagement that Full-On Monet sparked in 2022. Nonetheless, Danny Davis proves that he is more than capable of spreading his wings and letting his creativity take him wherever the wind blows. His growth is apparent on this record, as he accomplishes what it means to find peace within yourself and to trust your own intuition despite the circumstances around you, perhaps, telling you otherwise. Cuatro is an achievement that signals a bright next chapter for Husbands.