Following on from the release of his much-loved offerings “Talk To You“, “‘How Close We Came“and “Slip Away” in recent months, Dan Croll continues the support for his eagerly-awaited fourth studio album Fools with the release of the sweeping new single “Second Guess”.
Embracing more of that sweet yet contemplative spirit he has showcased throughout his recent material, “Second Guess” offers up a more renewed and effervescent direction throughout. Inspired by a recent trip to the UK, Dan got to revisit the love and warmth that his friends and family back home have always greeted him with, giving him a chance to step out from his personal experiences and find a moment of calm within his chaotic life of late.
Speaking about “Second Guess”, he said, “Last Christmas I made my first trip back home in three years to reunite with friends and family, and it struck me how easy and effortless it was to just slide back into life in the UK. In Los Angeles (and maybe with age), plans feel like they have to be made weeks or even months in advance, but back home I didn’t have to think about that, it was as simple as knocking on a friend’s door and seeing where the nights goes. One night in particular I met someone and ended up on an all-night bender, crawling back home in the early hours of the morning, and as rough as I felt the next day, it was actually a great experience switching off, not second guessing anything,and just having an adventure.
His new album ‘Fools’ finds Dan Croll at a crossroads, documenting recent events with warmth and wit to help him decide which direction to take. Five years after leaving his beloved Liverpool for sun-soaked L.A., a move made on a whim, which transformed his sound, ‘Fools’ poses a fundamental question – is it finally time to come home?
Explaining the inspiration behind ‘Fools’, Dan said, “This album came at the end of a turbulent few years for me with the isolation of covid, a break-up, and the homesickness for all that I left behind to move to America. But whilst these were all challenging moments there were some moments of beauty and resilience that allowed me to get through it all. These songs document that tumultuous period that not only I but Im sure a lot of others went through in what can only be described as a challenging moment in time.
“I decided to go back once more to Richmond, Virginia, to work with Matthew E. White and the incredible musicians there. Each time I’ve been back I feel we grow and understand each other more and more, and there was a particular ease in capturing these songs that I hope comes through in the record.”
The sumptuous ‘Fools’, Dan’s fourth album, follows 2020’s ‘Grand Plan’, a critical hit which captured his early experiences of life in L.A. and effortlessly exchanged his synth-pop of the past for sepia-tinged folk rock with Laurel Canyon leanings.
‘Fools’ jumps forward through Covid to the end of an intense three year relationship, the death of Dan’s grandmother back in Britain, and rare trips home as restrictions lifted. Sonically it spreads its net wider — country, disco and woozy psychedelics join the Carole King and James Taylor nods on ‘Grand Plan’.
Both albums were recorded largely live at the legendary Spacebomb Studios in Richmond, Virginia with Matthew E. White (Natalie Prass, Flo Morrissey, Slow Club) and his four-piece house band. This time, Dan co-produced, tinkering with sounds late into the night to add his own stamp to the record.
Fools Tracklist:
1. Slip Away
2. Talk To You
3. Friend Of Mine
4. Red And The Green
5. Sunshine
6. Second Guess
7. Fools
8. Piece Of The Action
9. Stephen
10. How Close We Came
Pre-order Fools HERE