Heavy tones, soaring melodies that bleed sporadically into fervent screams, shot through with pop accessibility: these are all descriptions that fit Tooth and Nail artist Spoken on their debut “A Moment of Imperfect Clarity�.

Over the years, Arkansas natives Spoken have been refining their sound. At times the band has resided on the harder side of the spectrum, touring the country over the last few years promoting independent records with the likes of Living Sacrifice, ZAO and Pax 217. Produced by GGGarth (Rage Against The Machine, Chevelle) “A Moment Of Imperfect Clarity� has retained their harder edge but combined it with a distinctly unique pop sound, not unlike that of The Used or Finch. The band’s sensitivity to mass appeal is next to flawless: deeply emotional lyrics about change, love and life on the road. All the while, careful to avoid the cliché meandering of some current artists. Bridging the gap between their prominently harder roots and their new found sensitivity, Spoken bring both worlds together with a positive lyrical attack. “Every musician, artist, student or human being gets homesick, falls in love or questions their purpose, “ says Matt Baird, vocalist. “I think this record covers all of that.�

The confines of a genre are never easy to break. With over four years of tireless touring, Spoken has covered a lot of ground. Old fans are more likely to get caught in the infectious whirlwind than to berate the change of face. What’s more, “A Moment of Imperfect Clarity� throws open the door to a whole new audience.