The EP “four” by San Antonio-based trio The March Divide is the band’s fourth release and contains four songs, so you can probably guess where this title came from. The release is a reminder of band leader Jared Putnam’s “impressively hooky” songwriting (as noted by American Songwriter) that is the result of honing his skills on the road with his previous group, The Conversation which shared stages with everyone from The Strokes, Arcade Fire, Against Me!, and Alkaline Trio during its day. “In the six years since ending The Conversation and beginning The March Divide, I had written a lot of songs,” Putnam says about the down period that followed years of touring with his popular Emo-era act. Eventually, Putnam issued Music for Film, the debut album by The March Divide last year, and it was readily apparent that the time off hadn’t taken a toll on his chops. Quite simply, Austin’s NPR-affiliate KUTX stated, “This album kicks butt.” Music for Film and its follow-up Music for Television showed off Putnam’s love of The Promise Ring, Cursive, and Elliott Smith, and spawned the singles “Still Analog,” which popular vinyl lovers blog The Vinyl District said could be the website’s “proverbial theme song,” and “Jose Cuervo” which racked up thousands of Soundcloud streams and coverage from Under The Radar for its moving slice-of-life video. One fan said it best of this earworm: “How this song is not more popular is beyond me.” Just like the band’s first-ever release – a single covering Radiohead’s “Creep” and The Cure’s “Lullaby” – “four,” was originally slated to be comprised of a group of cover tunes. “I’m not usually one for doing covers,” Putnam explains, “But our seven-inch, ‘The Cover Story’ did surprisingly well, and people have taken an interest in our band that might not have ever noticed us.” As it turns out, Putnam stayed true to not being one for doing covers, and wasn’t really feeling what turned out in the group of covers the band recorded for “four,” save for The March Divide take on another Cure classic, this time “Pictures of You”. This latest Cure cover (“It’s on our bucket list to re-do all of Disintegration,” Putnam says, not joking) now stands alongside three original March Divide tunes, and this is just fine, as now fans get to hear “Washed Out,” the first single from “four” and one of The March Divide’s catchiest tunes to date. Putnam explains, “‘Washed Out’ isn’t a song about regret or apologies, it’s the exact opposite. Things are fine just the way they are, and I’m not really ready for what’s supposed to come next. Maybe someday, but until then, leave me alone. I’ll be the man I’m supposed to be, later.” Whoever Putnam is becoming could possibly be revealed on the next full-length album by The March Divide which should be completed by the time “four” is released on April 15th, 2014. “We’re recording 15 new songs, so it’ll probably end up being a full length and another EP to follow,” Putnam says. “I really dived into Music for Film and Music for Television on my own, but we’ve gone into this recording as a band,” he says, referencing March Divide drummer Mike Hernandez and bassist Patrick Reetz. “We’re going to deliver a lot more than people expect!” “four,” the latest release by San Antonio-based trio The March Divide will be released on April 15th, 2014.