The Narrows - The Eve Of Invasion

It wouldn’t be unfair to describe The Narrows’ sublime debut, ‘The Eve of Invasion’ as a pop record. Its influences are less marked in terms of bands and artists than by films and atmospheres, characters from TV shows and subtleties of the zeitgeist; in other words, popular culture. If that sounds needlessly pretentious, ignore it completely - for the other meaning is true as well. Boasting melodies and textures aplenty amid their eclectic electronica, this is also pop music proper, if a little sinister.

Ballad ‘The Falling Man’ reads like a tender ode to (one suspects) the victims of the 9/11 attacks, dripping with sequencers and warped guitars, while ‘Counter Transference’ has something of a country hit about it. ‘Cold Copy’ meanwhile showcases their electronic credentials, all bleeps and lo-fi synth patches. A change of pace on pseudo-punk ‘I Make My Car Crash’ is welcome but the track almost can’t help across as a slightly laboured early Kings of Leon pastiche.

Luckily that’s the exception to the rule, with singles ‘Able Danger’ and industrial-lite ‘There Are Ghosts In These Machines’ book ending the main body of the record. Closing on ‘German Children’, The Narrows slam the door shut on the twisted world they’ve conjured. It may not be for everyone, but this is an enthralling and atmospheric record - even if you’re not a conspiracy theorist, The Narrows might make a believer of you yet.