Black Country, New Road return with Forever Howlong, their first studio album since 2022’s seminal Ants From Up There earned the band their second Top 5 UK album in just 12 months following their Mercury Prize-shortlisted debut For the first time. The highly anticipated new album follows 2023’s Live at Bush Hall, with the legendary James Ford (Fontaines D.C, The Last Dinner Party, Beth Gibbons) taking the helm as producer, and vocal duties now shared between Tyler Hyde, Georgia Ellery, and May Kershaw.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: An expansive, thematically diverse new album from the brilliant Black Country New Road here, smoothly dealing with the loss of main vocalist Isaac Wood and with it presenting a very different recipe from most of the same ingredients. It's avant rock, as always but there are more hints of beguiling prog and whispered odball folk, lilting Americana and scuzzy garage rock. Brilliantly weird, and perfectly new sounding, BCNR are back!

TRACK LISTING

Vinyl Tracklist
A1. Besties
A2. The Big Spin
A3. Socks
B1. Salem Sisters
B2. Two Horses
B3. Mary
C1. Happy Birthday
C2. For The Cold Country
D1. Nancy Tries To Take The Night
D2. Forever Howlong
D3. Goodbye (Don’t Tell Me)

CD Tracklist
1. Besties
2. The Big Spin
3. Socks
4. Salem Sisters
5. Two Horses
6. Mary
7. Happy Birthday
8. For The Cold Country
9. Nancy Tries To Take The Night
10. Forever Howlong
11. Goodbye (Don’t Tell Me)

A brand new album of unreleased material from Black Country, New Road, recorded at the historic music venue Bush Hall, in London at a series of unique shows at the end of December 2022. Mixed by John Parish and mastered by Christian Wright at Abbey Road, the new album and material marks a new chapter for the band as a six-piece.

Fresh from the success of ‘Ants From Up There’ and with a full touring schedule ahead of them in 2022, Black Country, New Road aka Lewis Evans, May Kershaw, Georgia Ellery, Luke Mark, Tyler Hyde and Charlie Wayne, wrote an entire new set of material to perform. Playing to swelling crowds at festivals, including triumphant performances at Primavera, Green Man and Fuji Rock, they entered a new musical phase as they navigated and developed songs that were just weeks old. They also toured the US and headlined two sold-out shows in New York.

These new performances have seen the band garner widespread support from across the board with Rolling Stone UK describing their Green Man set as "unmissable", and the Guardian going on to say that they were "greeted by something close to rapture." These performances have also attracted a profile from the NY Times, multiple glowing live reviews, and a nomination for Best Live Performer at the AIM Independent Music Awards last year.

STAFF COMMENTS

Barry says: The almighty BCNR return for a stylistically off-piste but unusually blistering selection of jagged arty rock and soaring instrumentals. Waves of crushing groove and soaring vocals, blasts of activity and languid lulls aplenty. It's a wonderfully weird concept, but it's perfectly executed by this hugely talented bunch.

TRACK LISTING

Side A
Up Song - Live At Bush Hall
The Boy - Live At Bush Hall
I Won’t Always Love You - Live At Bush Hall
Across The Pond Friend - Live At Bush Hall
Laughing Song - Live At Bush Hall
Side B
The Wrong Trousers - Live At Bush Hall
Turbines/Pigs - Live At Bush Hall
Dancers - Live At Bush Hall
Up Song (Reprise) - Live At Bush Hall

Following on almost exactly a year to the day from the release of their acclaimed debut “For the first time”, the band have harnessed the momentum from that record and run full pelt into their second, with “Ants From Up There” managing to strike a skilful balance between feeling like a bold stylistic overhaul of what came before, as well as a natural progression.

Their debut “For the first time” is a certain 2021 Album of the Year, having received ecstatic reviews from critics and fans alike as well as being shortlisted for the prestigious Mercury Music Prize. Released in February to extensive, global, critical support - perhaps best summed up by The Times who wrote in their 5/5 review that they were "the most exciting band of 2021" and The Observer who called their record "one of the best albums of the year" - the album made a significant dent on the UK Albums Chart where it landed at #4 in its first week, a remarkable achievement for a largely experimental debut record. The album also reached #1 on Any Decent Music, #2 at Album Of The Year and sat at #1 on Rate Your Music for several weeks, remaining the record to generate the most fan reviews and site discussion there this year. Black Country, New Road were also declared Artist Of The Week and Album Of The Week by The Observer, The Line Of Best Fit and Stereogum, and saw features, including covers and reviews, from the likes of Mojo, NPR, CRACK, Uncut, The Quietus, Pitchfork, The FADER, Loud & Quiet, The Face, Paste, The Needle Drop, DIY, NME, CLASH, So Young, Dork and more.

With “For the first time” the band melded klezmer, post-rock, indie and an often intense spoken word delivery. On “Ants From Up There” they have expanded on this unique concoction to create a singular sonic middle ground that traverses classical minimalism, indie-folk, pop, alt rock and a distinct tone that is already unique to the band.

Recorded at Chale Abbey Studios, Isle Of Wight, across the summer with the band’s long-term live engineer Sergio Maschetzko, it’s also an album that comes loaded with a deep-rooted conviction in the end result. “We were just so hyped the whole time,” says Hyde. “It was such a pleasure to make. I've kind of accepted that this might be the best thing that I'm ever part of for the rest of my life. And that's fine.”

TRACK LISTING

LP
Side A
A1. Intro
A2. Chaos Space Marine
A3. Concorde
A4. Bread Song
Side B
B1. Good Will Hunting
B2. Haldern
B3. Mark’s Theme
Side C
C1. The Place Where He Inserted The Blade
C2. Snow Globes
Side D
D1. Basketball Shoes

CD 
Intro
Chaos Space Marine
Concorde
Bread Song
Good Will Hunting
Haldern
Mark’s Theme
The Place Where He Inserted The Blade
Snow Globes
Basketball Shoes

4LP Box Set / Deluxe CD
Ants From Up There
Side A
A1. Intro
A2. Chaos Space Marine
A3. Concorde
A4. Bread Song
Side B
B1. Good Will Hunting
B2. Haldern
B3. Mark’s Theme
Side C
C1. The Place Where He Inserted The Blade
C2. Snow Globes
Side D
D1. Basketball Shoes

Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall 
Side A
A1. Mark’s Theme (Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall)
A2. Instrumental (Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall)
A3. Athens France (Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall)
Side B
B1. Science Fair (Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall)
B2. Sunglasses (Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall)
Side C
C1. Track X (Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall)
C2. Opus (Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall)
C3. Bread Song (Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall)
Side D
D1. Basketball Shoes (Live From The Queen Elizabeth Hall) 

Born from the Brixton Windmill scene that has seen the likes of black midi, Squid, Fat White Family and Shame rise to prominence, Black Country, New Road now take up the mantle and release their debut album.
The seven piece kick off proceedings with the aptly titled “Instrumental”, a maelstrom of sounds and influences including the post-rock mastery of Slint, the Klezmer style folk of Beirut and dapples of free-jazz improvisation.
Throughout the album’s six tracks those themes continue along with a simmering sense of drama and intensity. The best example of this occurs on the monolithic last track “Opus”, clocking in at just over 8 minutes it locks the listener in with a sprawling sonic soundscape of plateaus and troughs that recalls the mighty Godspeed You! Black Emperor.
For The First Time is an ambitious and intelligent album that stands out as one of the best debut releases of 2021.

TRACK LISTING

1. Instrumental
2. Athens, France
3. Science Fair
4. Sunglasses
5. Track X
6. Opus