Review
Nai Harvest
Hold Open My Head EP

Nai Harvest released this four song EP earlier on this year and I've been meaning to listen to it for a while now and man I wish I hadn't waited. It is a powerful record with soaring guitar work and vocals to match compliments of Ben Thompson who is ably backed up on drums by Lew Currie. The band's roots are in the English city of Sheffield where a lot of notable English musicians hail from, must be something in the water cause these guys know how to rock.

The first song "Rush" kicks off with some great fuzz toned guitars along with a steady beat with Ben musing about being rushed, great guitars and drums fill this one, the emotionally driven lyrics make the song one of their best efforts to date.
"Everything I do is so rushed
I wish that I didn't care so much
I miss this more than I can touch
I wish that I didn't care so much"
This song is a great intro for new fans of the band as they continue to morph from the sound of their first recordWhatever to where they are now, their decision to stop and refocus their efforts has resulted in a noticeable increase in the bands musical energy.

"Hold Open My Head" brings out a trippy psychedelic feel reminiscent of some of the early work done by Gigantic Hand, start slowly and build up to the crashing chorus,
"Hold open my head
To scoop out the shit that's inside
Hold open my head
To find out what's clogging up mine"

"Pastel" is another one that builds slowly and features some great interplay between the splashy cymbal fills and the crunchy guitar licks, again the lyrics define the feel and message of the song, questioning the ever present life/death cycle.
"You talk about the colourful life
And the way we die is concrete
The pavement tied to your feet
I can't breathe
Without some clarity"

The final song "I Don't Even Know" is a rocker from the start lyrically questioning love and existence
"Welcome home again
I've never felt so stupid and alone
Talk to me again
Walk with me again

And when I'm talking too much
Slit my throat and carry me home again
I remember back when this was easy
Deceive me"

From the start this EP shows the growth of the band's sound and showcases their ability to take the indie rocker mantle and run with it rather than being pigeonholed as just another British Emo group. They have demonstrated the ability to adjust their growth and vision and as a result advance their sound to a higher level, I believe we will be hearing more from these guys and I for one can't wait.