Sonoma County’s The Velvet Teen have just digitally put out their first release in about four years, a four-song EP called No Star. The band’s now a quartet — Judah Nagler, Casey Deitz, Matthew Izen and Josh Staples — and the new songs feel louder than their past stuff, but still plenty catchy.

It’s difficult for me to even try to think about this band in any critical capacity, so clouded is my perspective by nostalgia for one of the first local acts I ever truly adored. Instead, here’s the new EP in its entirety:

The band’s No Star release show is at Bottom of the Hill on January 7th (10pm, $10, All Ages).