Hidden Gems - September 2018

Every month, the Lockjaw Crew will be sharing our hidden gems from the depths of the Lockjaw distro. Whether you’re discovering a new band or rekindling an old flame, give them a listen and let us know what you think.

It’s exciting to see all the new music being released this year, but it’s easy to forget some of your old favourites! There’s nothing we enjoy more than sharing the music we love, so here are our recommendations for records worth remembering. In September we’re listening to: Brightr, Faintest Idea, Lipona, Egos At The Door and Stillbust.

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Brightr - Year One (No Reason Records and Penultimate Records, 2016)
Top Song: We

I was floored the first time I heard Brightr. After picking up my jaw from the floor, I turned to Piper and quickly got the low-down. In addition to being on our charity compilation, No Guts, No Glory, we got Brightr to play our Crohn’s & Colitis UK charity show in Kingston, and it was clearly the right choice!

Awesome dude and fantastic performer, Laurie, sings with heart and his songs have got a beautiful striking depth that will stop a room in its tracks. Sometimes I forget that I’m listening to one man and his guitar, as the songs can sound so big. My head starts to accompany it with a full plugged-in band or orchestra (with amazing string section)... and then it goes back to being very intimate.

The lyrics are brilliant, emotionally piercing and definitely not in keeping with the seemingly upbeat tone of the music. The nice touches of scribbles and doodles, and the album artwork featuring Brightr’s daughter is an endearing touch, making the complete package a very personal and emosh affair.

All in all, a cracking one-man-and-his-guitar album that leaves you toe-tapping and singing along. Bring on that second album!

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Faintest Idea - The Voice of Treason (TNS Records, 2012)
Top Song: Bull In A China Shop

It’s not all skate-punk, blast beats and widdly guitar nonsense here at Lockjaw. Ska-core was my gateway drug from metal into DIY punk, and I wouldn’t be here without The Voice of Treason. Faintest Idea and a lot of the TNS Records bands at the time (Roughneck Riot, Beat The Red Light, Rising Strike, Bootscraper) took my love for dancing like an idiot and taught me how to combine it with my views on politics, ethics and community.

The Voice of Treason is full of jumpy, upbeat street-punk that’s designed for dancing, shouting and feeling like you can crush capitalism. I’ve definitely gotten weird looks at a bus stop before, because it’s impossible not to have a little two-step shuffle to Youth, even if it is 7am on a wet Wednesday. Each sunny burst of trombone brings a little slice of hope into my life.

Separation of Corporation and State is perfect fist-in-the-air material. I’ve perfected the dance moves for House of Cards in my kitchen. The intro on Rattling The Cage sends fire up my spine and Mutual Aid is four minutes of pure positivity.

Faintest Idea remain one of the greatest live bands the UK has to offer. Even six years on from its release, The Voice of Treason is on regular rotation in my household: it’s the sound of instant happiness for me.

I recorded a scandalous podcast with Faintest Idea recently, where they told me some tour stories that were both hilarious and harrowing. Give it a listen.

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Lipona - Networks (Disconnect, Disconnect Records, 2018)
Top Song: Distance

I have to say this was the easiest pick ever. I had been obsessed with Lipona’s previous releases Atlas and Pigeonholed for a good while before Networks came out, but it took first place from the first time I heard it.

Lipona is one of those bands I’ll probably never see live but, if they do announce a gig at some point, I’d fly across the world to catch it.

They're the perfect mix of technical and atmosphere with a touch of gut-wrenching singalongs and highly intelligent lyrical content. It’s everything I’ve ever wished for in an album.

I find that it’s:

• Soothing to listen to
• Perfect to sing along to in the shower
• Deep AF

It comes on a cool white vinyl, released by the lovely John at Disconnect Disconnect Records. Who was also kind enough to surprise me by sending me a testpress. Nearly cried.

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Egos At The Door - Complete discography
Top Song: Who's Got £2 for Barry?
Link: Egos At The Door discography

I remember seeing Egos for the first time on an all-dayer by Dixon Cox at the Matrix in Grimsby. Coming from a very pop-punk oriented Belgian skatepunk scene, this was probably my first encounter with their techy, metal influenced sound. Completely blown away. The musicality, the show, the performance, the sound, …. Immediate impact. Sadly they went on hiatus soon after, so I didn’t see much of them anymore but luckily the music stays.

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Apparently there’s a bunch of stuff left at LJR. It would be a proper waste to not buy it.

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Stillbust - A Few Things We Might Agree On, A Few We Might Not (Lockjaw Records, 2013)
Top Song: Squid and Human Are Close To Each Other - Herring Is The Outgroup

Thrash, fast, math, melodic, screaming. It’s got it all pent up passion and the aggression of a turkey on heat, fresh from the cheese rolling capital: Gloucester.

I had released Pile ’o’ Knives with the boys before and they came back not long after with this record. It made me smile and then bang my head, then do math, then rock out. It’s fucking cool. Listen to it and buy the CD, you can't see them live.

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