By Scout Nicholson / The Jambar
Based in Memphis, Tennessee, The Narrows lives up to its name in the “birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll.” The band’s debut EP, “Sloth & Envy,” was released in May 2025. They are set to release a new rock album in the spring.
The band consists of vocalist and guitarist Owen Traw, guitarist Aidan Smith, bassist Isabella Frandsen and drummer Chris Daniels.
The members come from many different locations, including New York City, Seattle and Portland, Oregon.
Frandsen, Smith and Traw met at their alma mater, Rhodes College. Smith graduated in 2022 and majored in political economy. Frandsen double majored in neuroscience and media studies, and Traw double majored in urban studies and philosophy. Frandsen and Traw graduated in 2025.
Daniels currently attends Rhodes College and is majoring in commercial music percussion. Traw said Daniels initially met the band through a flyer he found hung up in the city.
“We met [Daniels] by putting up physical flyers around Memphis with QR codes that linked to an unreleased demo. And it was basically like, ‘If you like this song, hit us up.’ He [direct messaged] me videos of him playing, and then we jammed. And that’s how we all met,” Traw said.
Coming from different musical backgrounds, the band members blend their unique experiences into a cohesive sound. Smith said he grew up in a very musical environment around the guitar, piano and cello. Frandsen said she was classically trained on the violin for 12 years. Daniels’ musical background comes entirely from the church, where he was raised on gospel.
“I started in the church and then started playing drums at five years old. And then started doing it throughout school and then high school,” Daniels said. “That’s all I know, gospel pretty much. That’s all I grew up on. I recently wanted to take a new step and try something different, which was rock, about two years ago.”
Even though Traw didn’t initially have much of a rock background, he said he first learned how to play the guitar when the band formed in 2024.
“When I first saw [Smith], he was playing in a different band, and I really wanted to be in a band despite not knowing how to play guitar … Then I hit him up on my birthday and basically lied to him and said, ‘I could play guitar and write songs.’ And then we hung out, and I guess he figured out I didn’t know how to actually play guitar. Then I learned how to play guitar, and now I play the guitar,” Traw said.
The band officially formed in March 2024. Its singles, “The Wheel” and “The Pipes,” were released later that summer. In May 2025, “Sloth & Envy” was released. With their latest EP released in 2025, Traw said the project is currently the band’s largest production.
The EP has a total runtime of 21 minutes and features six songs. Tracks include “Sloth & Envy,” which has over 9,000 Spotify streams, “Doctor Waivers” and “I Wanna Be Your Dog,” a cover of The Stooges’ hit song.
“I feel like it has a pretty good range of sound within the rock sound, for being such a short body of work, because I feel like … it has some stuff that leans more grunge and then it has stuff that leans into more intricate, funky stuff,” Frandsen said.
The Narrows are working on releasing a 10-track album in the spring of this year, which will include new versions of their 2024 singles.
Those interested in The Narrows can check out the band’s music on Spotify and Apple Music.