ALBUM REVIEW: Moments Of Clarity – Narrow Head

After a darker second album, Texas-based NARROW HEAD are back with Moments Of Clarity, a record detailing the period of acceptance and transformation that vocalist Jacob Duarte recently went through. This album has quickly become a symbol of optimism for the alt-grunge band, and is an honest, reflective outlook on life, difficult times and pain. After gaining a fanbase throughout their career, NARROW HEAD attempt to move forward in their third album with a newfound maturity while maintaining their distinctive sound and not alienating their fans.

The Real opens with some grunge inspired guitars and moody vocals, and it’s a song full of questions. With a very existential but fairly positive outlook, it asks if the listener is content with their life, while maintaining reassurance. Sounding somewhat like a celebration, the energy of the album is introduced, and it is clear the band have gone through some changes. The title track explores this further, with influences from 00s alt-rock giving it a distinctly nostalgic feel. While the vocals in the chorus are calming, the lyrics capture the blissful ignorance that allows us to live a good life.

Sunday, while not a single, feels like maybe it should have been. With urgent guitars and a catchy chorus, it’s distinctly memorable. Switching up the sound a bit is Trepanation, a heavier, dark-rock song with distorted sounding guitars and a harshness in the vocals. Breaking up the more relaxed, grunge sound with darker lyrics and intense drums, this song is a really good change in pace which ensures that the album doesn’t become too repetitive.

Breakup Song, despite the slightly questionable title, is a beautiful, complex song, capturing a sad, empty kind of acceptance that comes with the end of a relationship. Upbeat guitars contrast hollow, gentle sounding vocals, and the lyrics are incredibly reassuring. Just when you think you understand NARROW HEAD‘s sound, Gearhead kicks in. With raw, intense drums and heavier, fast guitars, the screaming shouldn’t be surprising, but it does still feel unexpected. The clean vocals also have a lot more energy, and this song manages to prove the band’s range in all areas.

Flesh & Solitude keeps this going, with heavy, glitchy guitars and even more screaming. The vocals have a level of desperation that make the song stand out, proving the album has come a long way from the acceptance of the beginning. The Comedown is another change in pace, but it works really well. Again with the quiet, hollow sounding vocals and gentle guitars, this track feels deliberate and clearly well-thought out. While it is sad, and also pretty long, it’s a beautiful song, and brings the album back to the theme of reflection.

NARROW HEAD do grunge incredibly well, and Moments Of Clarity proves that. What this album also demonstrates is that they can also take it further, and are pretty good at a variation of styles and genres. This keeps the album interesting, although it drops off very slightly at the end, and it takes listeners through a roller-coaster of feelings. It’s clear how much thought and emotion has been put in to this record, and it stays generally quite true to their sound.

Rating: 8/10

Moments Of Clarity is set for release on February 10th via Church Road Records/Run For Cover Records.

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