The debut album from Utah five-piece Sunsleeper is an outstanding, heart-wrenching, reflection on change, loss and – in the words of vocalist and guitarist Jeffery Mudgett – “harder to swallow circumstances”.

You Can Miss Something & Not Want It Back acts as a beautifully crafted, indie-infused, hidden gem of emo rock packed with assured songwriting, emotional vocals and mellow,  American Football-esque guitar riffs. Its release comes almost exactly three years after the Utah rockers’ first EP Stay the Same and despite the three-year gap, it shows off the same confidence and talent, just now more refined than ever before. This break was also essential to the lyricism, which draws on the experiences of the band over those few years including losses of band members, fallings of musical influences and “wrestling with anxiety and low self-worth”. What is truly special is how these themes and ideas are put across gently, but in such a way that you cannot miss them – creating a true feat of songwriting.

Opening track ‘Feel The Same’ sets the tone for the album perfectly, it’s delicate and deep and Mudgett’s soft repeats of “this year has been nothing but a blur,” coupled with calm guitar creates an atmosphere the listener can sink into, and tracks like ‘I Hope You’re Okay’ add hints of optimism through the musicality, without changing the fact that sorrowful lyrics still run through the core of the album. Whether a slower song like ‘Souvenir’ or something more punchy such as ‘Better Now’, they all carry the same pure emotional weight that makes You Can Miss Something & Not Want It Back so special.

This album is powerful and strong debut which pushes pessimistic themes through a rose coloured lens, creating to create a beautiful blend of ups and downs, a true reflection of life. The immense scale of it combined with its room for growth does an incredible job of setting up Sunsleeper to be something very, very special.

You Can Miss Something & Not Want It Back is out now via Rude Records.