On Jan. 19, 2019, the world would be introduced to a band that would change the sound of rock music for years to come. They came out of a lesser-known music scene, better known today as the “Windmill Scene,” a collection of bands that performed at the famed Windmill Pub in Brixton, UK. Since the band emerged, the scene has been more futile than ever, giving other great bands several opportunities to shine, such as Black Midi, Maruja, Squid, and more.
I am of course talking about the Cambridge art-rock band, Black Country, New Road. They have essentially changed the whole UK rock scene with their incredible instrumentals, emotional lyricism, and pure passion to their art. While the band has always embodied this, in recent years, they have seen many changes that have changed their sound entirely.
Each member of the band is amazing at their roles in the music. With their tracks featuring a wide variety of different instruments, it is easy to forget that it is a group of six, formerly seven. Each of them are multi-instrumentalists, classically trained in each. While their old lead singer, Isaac Wood has left the band, their lineup consisted of him on vocals, Tyler Hyde on bass, May Kershaw on keyboards, Charlie Wayne on drums, Lewis Evans on any woodwind instrument you can think of, and Luke Mark on guitar.
It is impossible to overstate the talent shared between the members of Black Country, New Road. Talent is not everything, but when it is used in the way that BCNR uses it, it is impossible to fail.
Their debut single, Athens, France, was an immediate success, not only showing the band’s instrumental expertise, but also lead singer Isaac Wood’s exceptional lyricism and delivery. The song garnered immediate attention by local music reviewers, but nobody could anticipate the track they would release later in the year.
Sunglasses released on Jul. 26, 2019, to substantial praise. Not only is this my favorite song of theirs, but at the time, it was every British music publication’s favorite too. After the release of only their second song ever, publications like The Quietus were already claiming Black Country, New Road as the best band in the world. Looking at the tracks that they released at the time, it is not hard to see why.
Sunglasses is difficult to explain. The version released in 2019 is many things. It is thought-provoking, smoothly produced, sonically perfect, and an excellent vocal performance by Wood. The second half of Sunglasses breaks down into a chaos so brilliant that it might be my favorite musical moment of the last few years. It might not be their best song, but it is the one that I come back to the most.
After a period of touring to focus on their live sound, the band signed to the record label Ninja Tune, a label that features some of today’s best artists, such as Kamasi Washington, Floating Points, Hiatus Kaiyote, and Thundercat. Along with this, Black Country, New Road would announce their debut album, For the first time set for Feb. 5, 2021, as well as the lead single, Science Fair.
Science Fair is not one of my favorite songs by the band. The beginning of the song is somewhat grating, and it is a reoccurring part later in the song. I do love the progression and increasing animosity of the track. It once again shows the undeniable talent that the group would further exercise on the upcoming album.
On February 5, 2021, Black Country, New Road would release their highly anticipated debut album, For the first time. While consisting of just six songs, four of which being singles, each song was rerecorded to incredible effect. The album kicks off with Instrumental, a fun, energetic, and of course, instrumentally astounding introduction to a great album.
Following was the rerecorded Athens, France. A common trend with the rerecordings is that they are all better on the album. Athens, France is a great example of this. While the single was great, the rerecording added an extra touch of chaos and progression that the original did not use to its potential.
Track three is Science Fair, my least favorite on the album. Even though it is my least favorite, that does not make it unredeeming. Aspects like the aforementioned amazing progression, as well as the dazzling delivery by Isaac Wood.
Track four is a rerecording of Sunglasses, also known as the best song in their discography. I have had heated debates on what the band’s greatest song is, and this is the one I always pick. It is different from the single version due to a few slight changes. For one, this version begins with a two-minute post-rock intro that sounds apocalyptic and gorgeous simultaneously.
Another key difference is the lack of vulgar language on the newer version. While the single is still a masterpiece, the awkward vibe that the band was going for is not as effective as the extravagant pettiness of the album version. I would argue that this song also has the best lyrics of any song on the album, with Wood being as fiery as ever. The final burst of chaos seen on the single was utilized once again, this time being longer and more grand.
Track five is Track X, an absolutely gorgeous detour from the chaos that predeceased it. This song features beautiful backup vocals over a delectable guitar riff. I really love the woodwind arrangements on this song especially. Lewis Evans comes into his own on Track X. The most notable thing about this song album-wise is it serves as the connection between the two best and most chaotic tracks on the album.
The final track, Opus, is madness. It is, in some ways, the inverse of the opening instrumental of the album. The melodies are very similar, but Opus is much more frantic, chaotic, and it features some of Wood’s best vocals of his career. Nothing in the band’s discography quite matches the franticity of this song. I love Opus, even though it is somewhat simple. I wish the band explored this style more.
Overall, For the first time is an incredible debut for an increasingly maturing band. Unfortunately, while Isaac Wood did eventually leave the band due to mental health issues, his performances, along with the excellent instrumentation across their debut is a huge factor in their growing popularity and success in the UK. My rating for For the first time: 9.1/10
