Lockjaw Smile is an Alternative Rock band from North of Boston, Massachusetts. The band consisting of Tony Thanos (Guitar/Vox), Andrew Ware (Bass/Vox), Bill Douty (Guitar/Vox) and Scott Flaherty (Drums), is truly a product of the current alternative rock scene. They’re brash, they have that dirty sound, and they’re radio-friendly.
Overall, you should love what you find here. It sounds like a harder, grittier version of the White Stripes. If you lust after turning the volume up in your car every time a song you love comes across, then you’re in for a treat. You’ll only have to reach for that volume knob once, my friend, because once this album gets going from track one and you’ll love every minute of it!
This is one of the best, raw rock records I have heard in a long time. Not a bad track, stomping rock riffs, beautiful harmonies and catchy melodies. It just gets better and better with each listen, and a lot has to do with the twin guitar sound that drives these songs beyond euphoric.
When it comes to power and style, their sound also gives a slight nod to groups like Wolfmother and The Zutons. But be aware, that at the core, Lockjaw Smile is pretty original, as the songs on this EP crackles with energy and power. None more so than the second track “(Revery) New Day”, which besides the crunchy guitars and slamming beat, also forges a grandstand anthemic melody.
Some of the most pristine moments of this release come to the fore on the track, “Young Girl”, my personal favorite. Sharp breaks, bridges, cutbacks and solos, plus an exquisitely hard edge make this track no less than phenomenal.
“Push” has a groove-laden funk and grunge feel about it. The band’s signature confidence and energy peels through each bar – Superb vocals, and again, those anthemic choruses, pay dividends here. All topped off with a full session of five-star guitar riffing and soloing. The title track and closing cut, “The Jester”, is probably the most varied song on the EP.
The creative sounds infused with acoustic undertones, will keep you on your toes with its bouncy timing and tempo without making you feel lost within the song. Though I will admit it’s the song I least felt an affinity to. But then I prefer the harder, edgier stuff, of which there is plenty on this EP.
If anything, the song of course displays the band’s depth, and their ability to make great fun rock songs without feeling the need to play obnoxiously fast and hard, or shred out recklessly.
If you like bands that play crunchy-hard, diverse guitar-rock with some sharp, blistering fretwork, and have songs which are clever, muscular, with some surprising twists and turns, Lockjaw Smile should be high up on your list.
They’ve developed a sense of gritty rock that integrates smoothly into melody-structured near-pop song-craft. “The Jester” may be tough to describe, but it’s really easy to listen to!
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