There are few bands in the world that have continued to find new life like Black Country, New Road have. Mercury Prize nominated ‘For The First Time’ and critically lauded ‘Ants From Up There’ were helmed by ex-frontman Isaac Wood, with post-rock and jazz ventures providing the backdrop for his lavish poetry. However, after he left the group for personal reasons, the rest of the group were faced with the task of finding a new songwriting identity.
The band scattered their brains for a bounce-back, quickly curating nine songs for their album ‘Live At Bush Hall’, and while this outing acted as a testament to the prolific quality deeply inherent in this group of musicians, it still felt like the first small step towards something greater. Now with their third studio album ‘Forever, Howlong’, a new statement of identity has been curated for this ever-changing group.
Opener ‘Besties’ is as accessible as the album gets, equally balancing a progressive soundscape while being undeniably catchy. With production executed by the masterful James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, Fontaines D.C, Blur), the track sounds massive and gears you up for what is to come.
Now with a shared responsibility of songwriting and vocals, multiple voices are able to come together to produce something cohesive that still manages to show off their individual quality. Tyler Hyde’s ‘Happy Birthday’ has album-defining final moments, May Kershaw’s title track has vivid storytelling with melodies that zig-zag across the board, and Georgia Ellery wraps things up on the closer ‘Goodbye’ with a vocal performance that simply melts in your ears. All three musicians possess styles that are equally grand, equally imposing, equally excellent. When they all come together on ‘Mary’, they create a harmony that is rich and lasting, and potentially the band’s most strikingly beautiful moment. For most bands, the exit of an overwhelmingly talented frontman would be disastrous. Thankfully for BCNR, talent runs deep beyond their first words.
This is also the first time in quite a long while that the band have taken time to write their music, and it’s reflected with every passing minute. ‘Two Horses’ rightfully takes its time in getting to the thick of the action, allowing each second of buildup to breathe without rush, before guitar harmonics indicate the beginning of what you waited for. ‘Socks’ is equally explosive in its latter half, a wall of noise contrasting with its opening piano chords for something completely immersive. Balancing a tightrope of ambition and aimlessness with a constantly changing sound, it pays off as a journey through ideas that compliment each other naturally.
With ‘Forever, Howlong’, patience is rewarded and multiple re-listens are required to soak up every bit of brilliance on display. At first it can appear daunting – BCNR’s newfound baroque pop sound isn’t everyday listening, but if one thing is for sure, you can feel rest assured that the band will hold your hand as they walk you through it.
Words by Niall McGreevy