I don’t often dig into the backstory of bands and artists before sitting down to review an album, but after hearing the first track, I felt compelled to learn a little more. There was something about their sound that felt strangely familiar. While I hadn’t heard of the band before, they actually date back to the early eighties and were among the first acts signed to the Creation Records label, the same label that would sign Oasis nearly ten years later. Perhaps the most unusual thing about the band is that their debut album didn’t arrive until 2025, with this release serving as only their second album more than forty years after the band first formed.

"Happenstance" has a distinctly early ’80s/’90s sound that immediately reminded me of The La's, albeit somewhat less doom-laden. It has all the essential elements, jangly guitar, and a thumping rhythm section that underpins the entire track, resulting in a rollicking, energetic opener.

As soon as "Sad Comedian" began, the similarity to T. Rex’s "Metal Guru" was undeniable, particularly in the opening motif, which reappears intermittently throughout the track. Beyond that, the song takes on a somewhat different character, though the overall energy remains strikingly similar.

The next track, "Campervan", opens with a nice guitar intro that leads into vocals for a song about… well, you can probably guess. There’s something wonderfully simplistic about the track, but it carries an energy that elevates it beyond what could otherwise have felt fairly mundane.

With a title like "1955", I was expecting some kind of nostalgic look back through rose-tinted glasses, but the track feels more like looking forward by reflecting on the past. It bears strong similarities to the style of some The Kinks songs, though it doesn’t quite match their storytelling strength. What it does have, however, is a more distinctly indie sound.

I kind of feel that "Beautiful Problem" was the first track where I didn't feel a comparison to anything else, which may be as this is more representative of the Loft's actual sound. It's not a track to set the world alight, but it has a nice groove.

"Ex Lovers and Long Lost Brothers" is a bit of a mouthful as a title, but it’s another track that feels completely true to who they are as a band. It motors along at quite a pace, with rapid-fire vocal delivery that still feels thoughtful rather than simply quantity over quality. There’s also a strong guitar break about two-thirds of the way through that really helps elevate the track.

There’s a reflective, mid-paced quality to "Goodbye Saturday Night" that evokes strong memories of my youth, that moment when a night out is winding down and you’re caught between the elation of everything that’s come before and the sadness of knowing it will all end the moment your head hits the pillow. Then comes the morning after, frantically searching through your jeans pockets to work out just how much money you spent. Well, that’s my interpretation anyway.

While "C’mon Let’s Hear It for the Now" is a perfectly pleasant track in its own right, it feels like something of a smorgasbord of different influences all mashed together. It never quite gets in its own way, but at the same time it never really ignites any kind of spark either.

Also carrying that sense of varied influences, "Junk Shop" has a more engaging overall feel that draws you in more effectively. I particularly enjoyed the guitar work, which occasionally hints at something a little darker, without ever steering the track itself too far in that direction.

Closing with "Rob Rides the Sunset", the album ends on an upbeat note that neatly brings everything together. The relaxed vocal delivery and jangly guitar give it an easy, unhurried feel, almost like a final exhale after the more reflective and varied moments that came before. It’s a fitting closer that doesn’t try to overreach, instead leaving things on a warm, slightly nostalgic high.

This is a band that was there at the start of the exciting indie scene, but never quite managed to ascend into what maybe should have been a much bigger career. Forty years later, there’s certainly a strong hint of nostalgia running through the music, but what’s equally evident is the presence of well-written, nicely delivered songs. For anyone with an affinity for the ’80s and ’90s indie sound, it’s likely to be a very welcome listen.