REVIEW: Nihilistic Easyrider - Deluxe Edition

Jacob Duarte’s band project Narrow Head have seen significant success the past couple of

years following the release of their stunning third album Moments Of Clarity. Touring the

world, playing festivals, and even releasing a small split E.P with Momma in which they

adoringly covered each other's music, Narrow Head has never shied away from heavy resonant riffs, dark yet complicated subject matter, and dreamlike soundscapes to offset the listener but even we couldn’t have guessed what other ideas Jacob could be sitting on - namely Deluxe Edition, the first release under Jacob’s new solo moniker Nihilistic Easyrider. With this new project, Jacob has cast us into the roots of his writing style and influences with an album filled with those same dreamlike melodies, but with a taste of the forefathers of pop-punk and 2000’s era emo. A collection of songs written throughout Jacob’s career, the record serves as an anthology of his imagination and amazing ear for melody.

‘Getaway Plan’ was the first single released and it is a masterclass of a pop-rock song. Launching you immediately into a heart-racing riff, beautifully laid vocals and a drum beat that will have all of us restless leg syndrome sufferers looking like we’re air drumming for Slayer! Following ‘Getaway Plan’ we fall into the more relaxed tones of ‘Weekend Fever’ another big singalong chorus with a more stripped-back sound. ‘Facedown’, the last single released, is Nihilistic Easyrider at his most pop-punk, almost reminiscent of Enema-era blink-182. The fast drums and big chorus are made for stage dives and crowd vocals, and our only complaint is that this one isn't long enough!

‘Drive All Night’ and ‘Don’t Get Scared Now’ are two of the biggest highlights of this record. ‘Drive All Night’ fades in like a sulking teenager wandering and stomping through the house, closing doors a little too rough. This leads into a moody riff that builds internally, brooding and bubbling over like angst or frustration, and then culminates into a beautiful chorus that will absolutely have you driving all night with it on repeat. ‘Don’t Get Scared Now’ has beautiful swelling guitars from the open, a truly romantic opening that one could slow dance to before collapsing into its moody and quasi-Narrow Head chorus. This song sounds like heartbreak feels - long days in your room alone, a warm drink untouched and a second blanket in an attempt to comfort your melancholic mind.

‘Sanitorium’ is another of the shorter tracks on the record, with gorgeous synths and lyrics made for full venues to yell back at Jacob. Despite the song's obvious lyrical references to depression and suicide, the damned thing is so upbeat that the track plays a trick on you, and the inherent sadness, hidden in plain sight, could almost go unnoticed. ‘Everything Is So F*cked Up’ is a full-blooded folk/emo classic. Jacob flaunts the type of music he must have grown up hearing, and he uses this influence to create a piece with a fantastic twist into his own style. The jaunty piano riffs, that same swelling we heard in ‘Don’t Get Scared Now’ but reborn anew with a country twang. Something tells us this talented Texan has not yet yee’d his last haw.

Deluxe Edition feels like an album of songs that Jacob can truly wear on his sleeve. The influences of his local music scene and culture, the radio pop-rock of the early 2000s, all skillfully mixed together with the earworm melodic harmonies of 1990’s emo. Duarte pulls all of this together, and creates what is a strong contender for album of the year, certainly if your music taste is found where the tunes all have a summery disposition and endless replayability. Nihilistic Easyrider deserves all of your attention this summer - with U.S tour dates on the horizon - so right now is the best time to get in on the ground floor with Deluxe Edition and, with nihilistic ease, ride it all the way to the top.

Score: 9/10

Deluxe Edition was released on July 25th 2025 via Run For Cover Records.

Words: Spencer Cunningham

Photos: Nihilistic Easyrider