Danny Stevens actually recorded in a proper studio this time, instead of in the back of a van as done on the Chicago quartet’s third full-length album. “Let Me Know” is a near-perfect opener with interesting contrasts — the adolescent punch of shopping mall punk butts up against dance beats and lo-fi vocals rub against the grain of expensive production. Blue Öyster Cult-esque rawk-riffs open “You Ruined This,” a classic-sounding gem that plays with echoes of Boston’s eponymous 1976 debut. Stevens even seems to be channeling the late Brad Delp’s trademark inflections here. Token ballad “Run Away” is a stripped- down serenade where a spare acoustic guitar really lets the listener observe Stevens’ buttery vocals up close. It’s an introspective tune that manages to veer from self-indulgence or maudlin sap while providing a portal into the complex workings of the singer’s sentimentality. “Final Adventure” bookends the album with four-on-the-floor beats and loud guitars, but once again it’s the dynamically layered vocals of Stevens that take center stage as he croons like he was born too late.

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