‘…an album of shimmering ideas and aesthetics, but with nothing holding them together in a cohesive manner…’
Perhaps the most famous modern act to emerge from the Brixton Windmill scene, Black Country, New Road already have had quite the rollercoaster of a ride during their relatively short lifespan. After the unfortunate demise of their previous outfit in 2018, which led to the shelving of an entire debut record, the members of the band reconvened under the banner of BCNR, now with Isaac Wood as their lead vocalist. Their debut record, ‘For the First Time’ released in 2021, and was widely considered one of the best releases of that year, citing its wildly experimental nature as a particularly highlight.
Later that very same year, the band announced their sophomore effort, ‘Ants From Up Here’, which would be released early 2022. In a whiplash moment, however, vocalist Wood would announce his departure from the band just days before the album released, citing his failing mental health. What made this perhaps even harder to contend with was the fact that the band’s new record was, once more, widely considered to be an incredible release, standing at the top of many end of year lists.
Despite this major hurdle, the band endeavoured to continue, and in 2023 released ‘Live at Bush Hall’, which showcased their new format of having multiple members of the band taking turns as the lead vocalist. It gave hope that the band would effortlessly bridge the gap between the Wood era and the future, and this year has seen the band return in a studio capacity, new format in tow. ‘Forever Howlong’ continues the band’s pseudo-improvised jazz rock style, but this time presets it through a baroque pop lens.
With vocals predominantly shared between May Kershaw and Georgia Ellery, alongside appearances from Tyler Hyde, there is now a distinctly more melodic approach to the band’s music; Wood, whilst a phenomenal vocalist, was seemingly often more focused on the emotions than the melody in his work, leading to a striking, vulnerable, and sometimes unsettling presence. Kershaw and Ellery present moreso as spring nymphs or forest spirits, with feathery, serene vocals that delivery some truly gorgeous moments.
As previously mentioned, the band have a decidedly more baroque-pop style on this record, eschewing the rousing, chaotic jazz elements for twinkling harpsichords, glittering pianos, and a general softness. The BCNR DNA is still woven throughout, and the sonic transition feels authentic; there is no doubt that this is a sound that the band chose because they were invested in it, rather than seeking to appeal to the masses. From this, some genuinely lovely pieces of music are constructed.
The opening number ‘Besties’ is a jovial, whimsical listen, with a particular gorgeous vocal performance from Ellery; her delivery is heartfelt and rich throughout, and immediately sucks the listener into the world of ‘Forever Howlong’. The harpsichord is a lovely texture within the sonic fabric, and provides an immediate identifier as to what can be expected from this record. ‘Nancy Tries To Take the Night’ features magnificently composed guitar melodies, and the percussion carves out fantastically unexpected rhythms. This track in particular feels like the freshest take on the BCNR formula, and makes for a genuinely exciting interpretation of baroque-pop.
Another major highlight from the record is the brilliantly fun ‘Two Horses’. A delicate folk flair is woven throughout the track’s galloping back half, as it surges forwards with a righteous, free-spirited yearning for love. Ellery’s playfully theatrical vocals intertwine wonderfully with the sumptuous saxophone performance, with all of this layered atop of buoyant rhythms and a brisk, twanging mandolin. It makes for a genuinely magical listening experience that plays perfectly into the band’s appreciation of theatre and storytelling.
Unfortunately, that is where the highs end for ‘Forever Howlong’, as the rest of the album is an intensely frustrating listen. Whilst their vision for what this record should be is clear, how BCNR have executed it leaves the album feeling like a collection of half completed ideas loosely strung together. Furthermore, the ideas that are present sometimes feel wholly incongruous, massively disturbing the flow and momentum of not just the individual songs, but the entire record.
‘Socks’ features glimmering, bombastic highlights, but has them surrounded with stripped back suggestions of music that refuse to coalesce into anything substantial. ‘Happy Birthday’ has a playful The Beatles-esque flair to much of the track, but the jaunty verses crash into the immense climax as if two separate songs have collided headlong. ‘For The Cold Country’ is perhaps the most egregious offender, with a multitude of fantastic ideas that simply don’t gel together. The core issue with this record is how BCNR transition from one big moment to the next, which is to say that, frankly, they don’t. The listener is thrown one grandiose idea after another in a way that may sound impressive, but ultimately feels like showmanship rather than songwriting.
Furthermore, ‘Forever Howlong’ and ‘Salem Sisters’ are both irritatingly quaint in their nature. These tracks are meant to sound deeply evocative, particularly the former of the two, conjuring up images of lazy summer days in the English country. Instead, both of these tracks end up sounding unsubstantial, insipid, and twee. BCNR seem so focused on conjuring up an aesthetic, they forget to produce nearly anything that feels impactful or memorable beyond flashy instrumental performances.
Black Country, New Road must be commended on their ability to move forwards. To lose a lead vocalist is a challenge many bands are not able to overcome, but the manner in which BCNR have reinvented themselves offers plenty of promise. It is simply unfortunate that ‘Forever Howlong’ does not deliver on that promise; it is an album of shimmering ideas and aesthetics, but with nothing holding them together in a cohesive manner.
It is easy to understand how one could be enamoured with the free-spirited pastoral dream they present with, and further expansion upon this baroque may offer a truly remarkable future for Black Country, New Road. Alas, for the present, ‘Forever Howlong’ remains nothing but a fleeting, wispy dream of an idea.
RATING: 60/100 – Decent
For Fans Of: The Orchestra (For Now), The Family Crest, Geordi Greep, The Last Shadow Puppets
Physical copies of the album can be purchased here.
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