After years on the road and off it, Goldtooth finds its sound and its moment

For Jon Braught, the idea of being in a rock band never really went away. It just had to wait. "I haven't been in a real rock band since I was in high school — so like 20 years," Braught said in a recent interview. "And now it's just fun to be back doing it." That return takes shape in Goldtooth, a four-piece band built on decades of experience, long-distance collaboration and a shared belief in something simple: loud guitars, memorable hooks and songs that stick. Their debut album, Hurt Feelings (to be released on May 1, 2026), reflects that philosophy. It's a record shaped by time — both the years the band members spent playing other projects and the three years it took to bring this one together. The result is a collection of guitar-driven songs that lean into regret, relationships and the weight of small-town life, while still offering choruses built to be shouted back from a crowd. "Rock music with singable hooks, loud guitars — that's what we wanted to do," Braught said. "At the end of the day, you want someone to say, 'Oh, that's a great chorus.'" A band built across state lines—and years Goldtooth stretches its presence across New England and upstate New York, connecting Saratoga Springs, Keene and Brattleboro. The band includes Braught on guitar and vocals, bassist and co-writer Jaymes Hendricks, drummer Dave Maclean and lead guitarist Paul Martinez. The foundation began with Braught and Hendricks, who first met as teenagers playing on the New England circuit. Even after Hendricks relocated to New York, the two kept in touch—sending demos, trading ideas and slowly building a catalog of songs. "We were constantly refining things, constantly writing," Braught said. "Even though we weren't living close to each other, it was always like, 'We've got to start a band.'" The rest of the lineup came together over time, almost incidentally. Maclean had already been playing with Braught in other projects—and even taught drums to Braught's son—while Martinez entered the fold after a chance meeting at a music shop. "It was very serendipitous," Braught said. "Just one of those things where everything kind of lined up." Writing music around real life If Goldtooth's sound is rooted in classic rock traditions — drawing from bands like R.E.M., The Replacements, and The Hold Steady — their process reflects something different: adulthood. All four members balance music with careers, families and distance. That reality shaped both the pace and the perspective of Hurt Feelings. "When you're younger, you can drop everything and just play," Braught said. "Now it's like — we've got real lives. Everybody's working; people have kids. So, just getting together can be a challenge." That challenge, though, became part of the record's identity. Over three years, the band pieced together songs through file sharing, rehearsals and carefully planned studio sessions — turning logistical hurdles into creative momentum. "We're all super passionate about it," Braught said. "So yeah, it's a challenge, but it's something we're all compelled to keep going with." Capturing a "big" sound When it came time to record, Goldtooth focused on something deliberate: scale. The band tracked Hurt Feelings live at Psychic Heart Studios in Dublin, New Hampshire, aiming for what Braught described as a "big" sound — driven by layered guitars and powerful drums. Recording in a large space allowed them to capture the kind of energy they had long envisioned. "We wanted to get these giant drums, these big guitar riffs," he said. "That was the goal from the start." The sessions were engineered by Mia Govoni and Wes Aldrich before being sent to Austin-based musician and producer Paul Soroski, who handled mixing and mastering. The final product was shaped not just as a collection of songs, but as a cohesive album — sequenced with flow in mind. Lyrically, the record leans into themes that feel earned rather than imagined. "You don't get through life unscathed," Braught said. "This album has marks like any good life should." A return to form—and a first For Braught, Hurt Feelings represents more than just another project. It marks a shift in his role as a musician. "This is the first time I've really fronted a band in a big way," he said. "I've always played guitar and done backup vocals. This feels like my thing." That sense of ownership is reflected throughout the album, from its songwriting to its tone. Songs like "Bringing Her Down" and "Gold Rush" highlight the band's ability to balance energy with emotional weight, pairing driving instrumentation with lyrics grounded in experience. Across the record, Goldtooth leans into what its members have learned over years of playing smaller rooms, touring regionally and navigating the ups and downs of creative life. "It's the kind of record we always wanted to make as kids," Braught said, "but now we're doing it with a little more patience — and a few more scars." Looking ahead With Hurt Feelings complete, Goldtooth is now shifting focus to live shows across the Northeast. Their home base remains Nova Arts in Keene, where Braught's involvement in the local music scene — including organizing shows and supporting programming — earned him a regional arts advocacy award last year. But for all the planning and momentum, the band's outlook remains grounded: "We're just trying to get the music out there," Braught said. "Play shows, connect with people, and keep building." After years of near-misses, long-distance collaboration and life pulling them in different directions, Goldtooth has finally arrived at something tangible — a debut album, a full lineup and a sound that feels both familiar and personal. For Braught, that's enough. "It's just fun to be doing this again," he said.