THE LOVED ONES: The Loved Ones emerged from California’s mod revival scene in 1990 with an appreciation for the Yardbirds, Chicago blues and the harder-edged side of ’60s R&B. Signing to Hightone in 1992, the Oakland-based quartet released a pair of LPs, toured the United States and Europe, and shared stages with blues legends John Lee Hooker and Junior Wells. While the band called it quits in 1995, its members hardly disappeared. Lead guitarist Xan McCurdy became a longtime member of Cake, bassist Michael Therieau and drummer John Kent played in Dave Gleason’s Wasted Days, and lead singer Bart Davenport forged ahead as a respected solo artist.

The Loved Ones periodically reunited for shows, but the prospect of making another album together evaded them for decades—until now. For Latest Hits! (SofaBurn/Lovemonk), the original lineup finally found their way back into the studio, with Grammy winner Nick Waterhouse (Leon Bridges, Ty Segal) producing and Paul Butler (Devendra Banhart, Michael Kiwanuka) contributing recording expertise. The new LP reconnects with the band’s roots while making room for influences that weren’t as prominent the first time around.