SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD – FOREVER HOWLONG

BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD
FOREVER HOWLONG
NINJA TUNE

Since 2020, Black Country, New Road has been one of the most talked about rock bands. Their debut album, For the first time, received widespread critical acclaim. Their second album, Ants From Up There, the final album to feature lead vocalist Isaac Wood, received a similar massively positive reception. With just those two albums under their belt, Black Country, New Road already was in the makings of becoming a legendary band. Their newest album, Forever Howlong, does not have the same impact as their previous two, but it is still quite a good one. One of the biggest changes is the sound, as it sees the band exploring a bit more of a happily upbeat sound than previous albums.

Throughout their career, Black Country, New Road has always delivered expansive songs with ever-changing time signatures, intriguing instrumentation, and remarkable experimentation. Forever Howlong is no different. The epic “Nancy Tries To Take The Night” is a densely layered and intricate track. Black Country, New Road incorporates lots of fascinating instrumentation throughout. Meanwhile, the equally impressive “Goodbye (Don’t Tell Me)” is a triumphant sendoff featuring tender vocals and an outstanding outro. Lastly, although not everything is executed as flawlessly as other tracks, the experimentation of “Socks” gives it many captivating moments.

The best songs from Forever Howlong are the singles. The album opener “Besties” starts out perfectly with a whimsical harpsichord intro. Modern music needs to try and incorporate the harpsichord more; it is a highly underrated instrument. Additionally, the storytelling of “Besties” is beautifully endearing, and it has a superb combination of baroque pop, chamber rock, and twee elements. It is such an enchantingly entertaining time and has tons of replay value. The mesmerizingly warm vocals and grandiose instrumentation of “For The Cold Country” make it a standout track. It is a captivating journey of a song as it features many distinct sections, with the stunningly haunting halfway point and the exhilarating outro being the main highlights. Even though the song is over six minutes long, Black Country, New Road constantly surprises listeners, and there is never a dull moment. On the other hand, “Happy Birthday” features immaculate production, has some rocking guitar riffs, and is super catchy.

It might not be as good as some of their previous records, but Forever Howlong is still a solid effort from Black Country, New Road with many spectacular songs.

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