Quarters of Change

Quarters of Change have cultivated a devoted audience through direct, guitar- and synth-driven rock tracks that echo the major crossover successes of the 1990s and 2000s, even as mainstream pop charts favored other directions in the 2020s. The New York City-based group originated in 2017 as a high school cover band and issued a self-titled collection of original songs the following year after secretly tracking the material in their school basement. One year after that, the lineup expanded from its initial trio of Ben Roter on vocals, guitar, and lyrics, Jasper Harris on guitar, bass, synth, production, and engineering, and Attila Anrather on drums, production, and engineering to include permanent fourth member Ben Acker on guitar, bass, synth, and production, and the four musicians have continued working together ever since. Following further independent singles through 2020, the band joined 300 Entertainment, an uncommon rock signing on a label primarily known for Young Thug and Megan Thee Stallion releases. Early attention arrived via the 2021 EP New Hour and singles such as “Down That Road” and “Innocent,” which reflected admiration for four decades of rock conventions ranging from the guitar-centric approaches of the Police and U2 to Red Hot Chili Peppers’ relaxed rhythms, the Strokes’ post-grunge drive, and the 1975’s glossy electronic pop-rock. The 2021 track “Kiwi,” distinguished by its fluid guitar figure and luminous, relaxed tone, emerged as a standout fan favorite and paved the way for the full-length Into the Rift in 2022. That album expanded the group’s reach through propulsive riffs on “T Love,” “Dead,” and “Jaded,” along with mixing and production contributions from Tom Lord-Alge and Bleachers multi-instrumentalist Mikey Freedom Hart. The 2024 follow-up Portraits shifted toward a modestly more robust yet refined palette, highlighted by the opening singles “What I Wanted” and “Hollywood Baby.”