Question yourself with “Fail, Grasp, Restore” by Chalk Hands

Do you know yourself? Questioning ourselves is never-ending—who am I today, who will I be, what have I done to lead me here? From the resounding power chords that open “Fail, Grasp, Restore”, Chalk Hands lay the questions bare.

With twisting drums and layered guitars, the instrumental intro creates an angry and confused tonality. But with a single beat of silence, the vocals come in and crystalize all the pain and reflection in those bars.

A subdued scream, the lyrics feel echoed back. The paradox of vivid yet cloudy tones filters into their music video. As Chalk Hands play through the song, close-ups quickly cut from one to the other. The harsh blacks and warm yellows act like hopeful moments drown out by the dark mistakes that haunt them.

“A flaw is worth its weight,” they shout. What do we do with the failures that plunge our happiness into the dark? Their concluding line offers a little wisdom: you should be striving for more.

Harsh and brutally honest, they offer only a thread of light. As the daggered words fade, the guitar gently leads us through the outro—almost like a death in reflection, with just enough peace that old age might offer an existential balm.

Watch “Fail, Grasp, Restore” below.

Ben McCoy

Ben is an advertising Madman who spends his days with words and music. When he’s not writing for his supper, he’s eating it at some of NYC’s most interesting restaurants.