The Bad Penny (beta)

Twenty years after their formation, Tampa, Florida’s Four Star Riot are rising up again with the infectious new song and hypnotic video for “Adding It Up.” Even more exciting, it’s the harbinger of things to come, with Four Star Riot announcing that they’ll deliver a new album in the spring.

“Adding It Up” swirls together the strongest aspects of the alt-rock band: its catchy rhythms, jangly melody and laid-back style. The song is the best anthem for indie-rock sleepyheads so far this year. The melancholic, narcotic song is particular well-suited for fans of Ride and Brian Jonestown Massacre.

“It’s a culmination of our influences over the years,” frontman Steve Alex told the Bad Penny of the new track.

Swaying back and forth between two chords, the foot-tapping tune finds the vocalist, guitarist and songwriter asking the simple question: “How do you know that one and one make two?” More ambiguously, he also wonders, “How do we know what we wanted all along?” and “How do you know … we’re not the same?”

The performance video captures Alex cranking out “Adding It Up” with his bandmates Mike Chilton (drums, vocals); Aaron Akers (bass, vocals); and Finn Walling (lead guitar, vocals). Four Star Riot have played on the same bills as bands including Cold War Kids, Jimmy Eat World and Bon Jovi. Bon Jovi? Yeppers, Bon Jovi.

The new material comes after Four Star Riot made their 2004 record, Tonight & Tomorrow, available for digital release in October. The band said in a Facebook last month that it contained “some of our most rocking tunes.”

Four Star Riot’s past albums also include 2002’s Best Things, 2006’s Burn So Bright, 2016’s Waves and 2018’s Daylight. Their home is Alex’s Vital Records; he issued his first solo LP, Never Heavy, in April of last year.

Check out the splendid “Adding It Up” on Spotify and its accompanying video on YouTube.

For even more on Four Star Riot, also check them out on Facebook and Instagram.

For more Bad Penny premieres, check out:

• Exclusive Video Premiere: ‘Hoosi, No!’ by Human Potential

• Exclusive Video Premiere: ‘Thinkin’ About You’ by Joshua Lewis

• Exclusive: Cloak Finish Recording ‘Faster, Harder’ Third LP; Debut New Song Live

This entry was posted on 02/03/2023 at 6:00 am and is filed under Exclusives with tags Four Star Riot. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.