One Direction Profile1D are ready to play with the big kids and Four is their way of showing it. There’s rollicking folk fun (Girl Almighty), Kooks-ish guitar-pop (No Control) and made-for-stadiums largesse (Where Do Broken Hearts Go). Vocally, Zayn Malik continues to be all the jewels in the crown and though they’ve all contributed lyrically, Ed Sheeran’s humble 18 speaks truest. They’re at a stalemate point, seeking maturity but needing to appease a broad demographic. If they dropped the cheap shots at hits (Steal My Girl), Four could’ve been the leap into the legit music mainstream they so craved.
