Moments of Clarity (album) explained

Moments of Clarity
Type:studio
Artist:Narrow Head
Cover:Narrow Head - Moments of Clarity.jpg
Alt:A black and blue cover with a white star on it
Language:English
Label:Run for Cover
Producer:
  • Sonny Diperri
  • Lil Aaron
  • Narrow Head
Prev Title:12th House Rock
Prev Year:2020

Moments of Clarity is the third studio album by American hard rock group Narrow Head, released on Run for Cover Records. The album expands on the group's sound, incorporating influences from 1990s alternative rock and shoegaze and has been compared to Hum and The Smashing Pumpkins, while the band also cites Deftones and My Bloody Valentine as influences.

Reception

In Kerrang!, Olly Thomas characterized the music's sound as "dream-grunge" and it sounds "like a hearty embrace from a band proving themselves capable of great things"; he scored the album 4 out of 5. Writing for Pitchfork, Mia Hughes rated this release a 6.6 out of 10, noting a "muddy emotional mix" in the lyrics, alongside "tension and release" in the music, criticizing some of the middle of the album, but calling the work "an effective illustration of the process of clawing your way to some meaning, knowing that otherwise you'll be destroyed" at its best. Sputnikmusic published two reviews for this release: staffer jesper scored it a 3.7 out of 5, stating that certain tracks are excellent and the album "leaves me wishing for a bit more in spite of its clearly cohesive consistency", while contributor Teal rated it a 4.0 out of 5, stating that "there is something really refreshing about Narrow Head's one-track mind for writing, recording, and playing humble and honest dreamy hard rock in this day and age".

On June 23, Alternative Press published an unranked list of the top 25 albums of the year to date and included this release, publishing that "the Houston outfit are in their bag here, employing thick distortion, renewed purpose, and all-consuming emotions to drive their message home".

Track listing

  1. "The Real" – 3:30
  2. "Moments of Clarity" – 3:50
  3. "Sunday" – 3:18
  4. "Trepanation" – 3:29
  5. "Breakup Song" – 4:08
  6. "Fine Day" – 5:25
  7. "Caroline" – 3:32
  8. "The World" – 3:15
  9. "Gearhead" – 3:24
  10. "Flesh & Solitude" – 4:49
  11. "The Comedown" – 5:57
  12. "Soft to Touch" – 4:03

Personnel

Narrow Head

Additional personnel

See also