Narrow Head : "Moments of Clarity"

 On "12th House Rock" the Texas band busted out some post-hard core with an emotive underpinning. Not unlike Hum or Helmet if those bands were really into their feelings. Now the glaze of shoegaze coats the songs. The vocals are more introspective. The title track has a harder syncopated jangle, as they remind you, they did not leave their distortion pedals at home. The vocal lines pack a hookier punch hookier, as their song writing has been sharpened this time around. They use a similar formula, but with more dynamic ebb and flow on "Sunday". This also brings with it more of a grunge feel, as the soft to loud trademark of the 90s is carried over here. On my second listen this grew on me more.

"Trepanation" has more of a Deftones thing going on, as it gets moody and creeps around with more introspective vocals. They wear their influences on their sleeves here with the androgynous croon that mirrors Smashing Pumpkins on "Break Up Song". So, all the pre-emo bands are represented here. This still works as they switch things up enough to weave their own identity from this quilt of band tees. Their core audience is also young enough to have missed this sort of thing the first time around. "Fine Day" felt more like a continuation of the previous song. It works for what they are doing, though I am less wow'ed than I was for some the previous songs. 

The album begins to coast from here. "Caroline" works fine, but not what they kids call a slapper. There are more woozy dream pop sounds enveloping "the World" . It breezes by, but the crunchier punch of "Gearhead' makes for a better contrast. Don't remember them digging into the crunchy Deftones vibe last time around. The groove further down this path with "Flesh & Solitude" which is fine with me. They have more anguished vocals in the background. Unlike Chino their singer does not do both. "the  Comedown" is more like the Smashing Pumpkin's version of a power ballad, but with less pop leanings. "Soft to Touch" flirts with Deftones like vibes in another way as it blends electronic beats with the deliberate guitar brooding behind them. While it leans heavily on their influences this album is a step forward as songwriters and even better than the last one so I will give it a 9.5, and see how it grows on me.

Narrow Head : " 12th House Rock"

I hear a lot of sounds I like on this album and so far I am only two minutes into it. The vocals have a high droning quality and more of an edge than you typically get from the more detached Hum school of shoe gaze rocking. The singer reminds me of the guy from I Mother Earth though more laid back than Edwin.  The vocals however begin to fall into the riffs more as the fuzzed out guitar sonics begin to become more of the focus. Aong with Hum , I can also hear Failure and Smashing Pumpkins early days in the zip code of the sound they are going for. There are enough dynamic touches to keep you engaged. Even when the wall of sound fades back into background it is a pleasing background to have.

"Stuttering Stanley" finds the vocals taking on more of a mumbled whine that brings Sunny Day Real Estate to mind. Yeah I know all these other bands are being summoned when I hear this. But it is a compliment as it's jarring my memory of all these bands I used to listen to more in the 90s, but often find myself having to hunt down again when the nostagia strikes/. The title track has a cool groove to it but at only a minute and a half they do not give it a chance to fully develop. In the meantime there  is a more muscular stomp and barked vocal to the punchy " Hard to Swallow".  "Crank Case" also digs into similar sonic territory. "Nodding Off" lives up to it's name as it delves into narcotic shoe gazing with a rock edge.  The put more of a Deftones like punch to "Night Tryst" . I ike the way the riff to "Emmagazey" is accented. The slurred vocals are tighter in their phrashing, making this one of the  album's most accessible songs.

 While the breezy ballad "Wastrel" does not go any where, it is followed by "Delano Door" . The verses feature the spoken word of female voice. It is another more Deftones like moment, but it works great. Lots of creepy groove, I want more of what is going on here. Some where between grunge and shoe gaze sits " Bulma" . It ends on a more shoe gazing note. I will give this album a 9 and see how it grows on me. Yes the can be at time compared to many bands so while nothing is new under the sun in this regard , they are all bands I like, and woven together in a way that is more original than not. This album is being dropped by Holy Roar Records.