Last year, Britpop forerunner The Loft released the winsome Everything Changes, Everything Stays the Same. It was the London band's debut full-length effort, having previously put out two mid-Eighties singles on a then-nascent Creation Records (later home to The Jesus and Mary Chain, Primal Scream, My Bloody Valentine, Oasis and other influential acts) before swiftly breaking up.

 

Now singer/guitarist Pete Astor (also known for his tenure in The Weather Prophets) and the other original members - drummer Dave Morgan, bassist Bill Prince, and lead guitarist Andy Strickland - are back sooner than expected with another jangly indie pop gem.

 

Produced by Sean Read (Dexy's Midnight Runners, Edwyn Collins), Badges opens with the fast-paced "Happenstance," which had its genesis with the last Loft lineup before it split up. "Sad Comedian," the first of several highlights, boasts a T Rex-inspired rhythm. The sublime "Campervan" is Astor's subtle tribute to people who vacation around England in compact vans while living in their vehicle. The darker hued "Goodbye Saturday Night" details the ritual of going out on the town and finds Astor intriguingly namechecking real UK locations. Another standout is the harmoniously retro "C'mon Let's Hear it For the Now." Then there's the mysterious-sounding "Junk Shop," about looking for love and loosely based on a W.B. Yeats writing.

 

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To purchase: the-loft.bandcamp.com