by libbie brindle, contributor

Recently, my dad and I spent the evening at Dead Wax Norwich to see one of our favourite local bands, and I discovered some new favourites too. Live music has been one of the uniting elements in our relationship, and my parents’ differing music tastes have formed my blend in taste — an experience that a lot of people are familiar with.

Chest

Chest is a Norwich-based band, with a large rise surely on the way. Since playing at Latitude in 2025, they have played across the country in places like Brighton, Lincoln and Shoreditch. This year, they smashed Truck Festival alongside big names like Two Door Cinema Club, Primal Scream, CMAT and Kaiser Chiefs.

Chest has been on my radar since 2024. Surprisingly, my introduction to them was through my dad, a huge indie and rock fan from the Oasis and Blur days. A lot of my music taste comes from him, slowly influencing me through my formative teenage years — from Suede, Manic Street Preachers and Stereophonics to The Verve, Delays and Radiohead.

Chest tends to combine a lot of these sounds and reinvent their elements in a contemporary fashion. Gritty guitar feedback and nostalgic drums blend with the frontman’s raspy, longing vocals, particularly on their latest EP ‘never really here’. The EP’s lead single ‘SO BETTER NOW’ features an earworm of a guitar riff, along with composition and production that shows their growth since their first EP in 2024. ‘JULIA’ is a step forward for the group, a track with heavier drums and guitar, that still feels cohesive with their sound thanks to the vocals that have been drawn out and feel augmented to match the nature of the song’s lyrics.

Jaded Teeth

Hailing from Suffolk, Jaded Teeth has a sound that I cannot wait to hear more of; an alt-country folk mix that is perfected by duo Indigo Spooner and Jack Stanton. To me, their sound is a mix of Big Thief, Black Country, New Road, and MJ Lenderman. A tone that is far from either of the music genres my parents have drip-fed to me, but that has come into my musical vernacular organically over the years.

Lead singer Indigo has a captivating voice, and it is amplified by the accompanying vocals from Stanton on their latest single ‘Rio’. The back and forth of their vocals form a track that is beautiful to listen to, and it’s even better on the live version. Doubling down on the song duration, it includes extra lyrics and a more intimate feeling due to its stripped back, simplified production. Their storytelling is immaculate too, covering the idea of religion, romance and heartbreak that somehow feels relaxing despite its tenderness.

For deeper tracks, visit ‘Fifty Pence’ and ‘Mould’ — songs with more layered production and a stronger presence of guitar and their great instrumentals. Spooner’s songwriting is melancholic yet innocent and forges Jaded Teeth as one of the strongest and most unique local bands coming out of Suffolk. Whatever they have got coming next in their catalogue of self-described ‘music for cowboys who cry’ is sure to be brilliant.