Brighton’s The Stanford Family Band continue their love affair with classic pop on their new EP Go Again, released via Krautpop Records on 17 July. Led by the breezy single “Nine Days Of Sun”, the four-track collection stands as a celebration of timeless songwriting, drawing from the melodic traditions of the 1960s and 70s while adding the band’s own warmth and personality.
Rather than chasing modern production trends, Go Again leans into analogue textures, rich vocal harmonies and carefully crafted arrangements. Produced by Harry Hayes of Spotted Horses, the EP finds the band expanding on the vintage sunshine-pop aesthetic that first earned them attention, embracing jangling guitars, glowing organs, delicate synths and melodic flourishes that recall the golden age of pop without becoming overly reverential.
The lead single, “Nine Days Of Sun”, captures that balance perfectly. Bright and effortlessly melodic, it carries an easy optimism while leaving room for the bittersweet undercurrent that runs throughout the record. That emotional duality becomes one of the EP’s defining strengths, allowing moments of melancholy to sit comfortably alongside uplifting hooks and radiant instrumentation.
Across the release, The Stanford Family Band continue to wear their influences proudly. Echoes of The Beach Boys, Harry Nilsson, Paul McCartney, Big Star and The Lemon Twigs appear throughout, yet the songwriting never feels like imitation. Instead, those reference points become part of a broader musical language that the quartet has gradually made their own through thoughtful arrangements and an obvious affection for classic pop craftsmanship.
The band’s decision to release another EP rather than rushing toward a full-length album also feels deliberate. Described as a companion piece to their previous release, Go Again represents unfinished conversations rather than a complete reinvention. With songwriting duties shared more evenly between the expanded line-up, the record explores everything from baroque pop flourishes to jangly power-pop and radiant sunshine pop, giving each member room to leave a distinct creative imprint.
With Go Again, they prove that looking backwards doesn’t have to mean standing still. It’s a record built on enduring melodies, thoughtful musicianship and genuine affection for the records that inspired it.
