ALBUM REVIEW: Black Country, New Road - Forever Howlong
A new high point for a band with plenty of them already.
The first few albums from Black Country, New Road felt like they were made by a ringleader and his backing band. Singer Isaac Wood felt alone in the spotlight, messily spilling his soul on For the first time and Ants From Up There. His sudden departure left serious questions about the band’s future, but after hearing Forever Howlong, consider any question we had answered. BCNR’s third LP is truly the work of a band, one firing on all cylinders at that. The sextet weaves together all their baroque intentions, their folk stylings, and their orchestral magnificence from the first two records into a more concise experience without sacrificing the complex, often chaotic nature of what made those records great. Forever Howlong is six friends rising from the ashes others put on them knowing full well they would continue towards greatness no matter their group’s makeup.
Each member’s impact is felt on every track. Lewis Evan’s saxophone is an ever present feature, adding a harrowing element to many tracks, and Charlie Wayne’s percussion provides a sturdy backbone as the complexities sets in. Luka Mark and Georgia Ellery’s various stringed instruments can be dainty or intense, depending on the story being told. Little moments, like the way May Kershaw’s pianos burble at the end of “Socks”, stand out among the madness. Most importantly, the trio of Ellery, Kershaw and Tyler Hyde take over on vocals, and these new frontwoman bring a subtlety previously unseen to BCNR’s chamber pop. That subtlety is accented by the writing, a task handled by all members this time around. It’s always been a lot to handle, but these six musicians challenge the listener in all the right ways, and without Wood’s manic vocals as the focus, their chemistry shines brighter than ever.
Lead single and album opener “Besties” is the perfect welcome to this new era. At 3:36 it’s the length of a pop single, bite-sized compared to the gargantuan “Sunglasses” or “Basketball Shoes” I’d come to expect from the band. But it’s got all the hallmarks of the BCNR we know and love; a layered chamber pop instrumental with elated woodwinds, smashing percussion and lovely group harmonies (and some sad lyrics about unrequited love. It can’t all be happy!). By shrinking down the length of their post rock sound, it allows for a brighter, livelier sound, one that persists throughout Forever Howlong. The vaudevillian “Salem Sisters” would’ve never worked in the previous era, but Wade’s breezy vocals liven up the song even as she sings about the dangers of gossip. “Happy Birthday” is inspired by the rhythm of “Besties”, creating an electric instrumental that rises and falls while exploring how privilege doesn’t bring happiness. BCNR will never be a chart-topping act, but the way they’ve translated their sound here shows that they definitely are in some parallel world.
The group finds themselves in dark places like Wood did in the past, but their songwriting is much more story driven than strictly about failed romances. This is where the band uses their skills to stretch out the instrumentals, making every minute count as they delve into darkness. “Mary” sees the trio of vocalists harmonizing over little more than a couple stringed instruments to tell a story about a bullied girl with no way out of her situation. Their perfect harmonies are haunting when telling such a depressing tale. “Nancy Tries to Take the Night” is even darker, opening its tale of a tale of an abused housewife who can’t decide between her dreams or ending it all with a dirge of strings. The chaotic swirl of woodwinds, strings and drums suffocates you as she tries to make her decision, and the song’s climax of strictly sax and Hyde’s read-to-break voice will break you. Tales this dark only succeed when the artistic vision is as pinpoint both instrumentally and lyrically as they are here, showcased no better than on “Two Horses”, Ellery’s masterpiece. It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy of opening your heart to love after expecting to never find it, only to be betrayed at your most vulnerable moment. Ellery handles the beat switch midway through masterfully, and her metaphorical work here is both beautiful and chilling. It’s among the best songs the band has ever made.
But for as dark as these songs can get, the band never forgets how beautiful their baroque pop can be. Forever Howlong closes on a soft note, with its title track and closer “Goodbye (Don’t Tell Me)” among the most gorgeous compositions on the whole record. By this point I had been captivated over and over again, for different reasons on every song. It’s rare to hear a group this large operate so seamlessly, brought closer together by a sudden departure rather than be torn apart by it. The group was clearly always more than Isaac Wood and his signature warble, and their first record without him cements them as one of the most creative, must-listen groups working today. It’s a lot to handle but it’s worth handling, and it wouldn’t be Black Country, New Road if it wasn’t.
Verdict: 9.1/10
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