There’s a peculiar magic in accepting your place in the world even when that place is somewhere between delusion and destiny. On their latest single Just A Boy In A Band, NYC’s Loose Buttons lean all the way into that bittersweet revelation, delivering a coming-of-age-in-real-time anthem that feels like an indie rock confessional for anyone who’s ever dreamed too hard and fallen just short. Or maybe fallen just right.

This song is about coming to grips with the fact that I’m frankly just a boy in a band. Holding onto that childish belief that maybe, just maybe, we can trick you into thinking we’re something more.

It’s that exact blend of self-awareness and defiance that defines the track: equal parts swagger and vulnerability, heartbreak and hilarity. Over fuzzed-out guitars and driving rhythms, Loose Buttons chart the journey of the modern-day dreamer scraping together fragments of hope from half-full clubs and late-night rejections, still chasing the high of “maybe we can make it.”

The NYC quartet isn’t new to the hustle. They’ve earned love from NPR Music, Pitchfork, The FADER, NME and Stereogum—not to mention coveted playlist real estate on Spotify’s Fresh Finds and Apple Music’s New in Indie. They’ve built their cred one packed venue at a time, from LA to Boston, culminating in a triumphant, sold-out show at the legendary Webster Hall—1,500 hometown fans screaming back lyrics that once lived only in a rehearsal room.