Narc. Magazine Online
Reliably informed
Lee Hammond uncovers a state of flux in this nuanced, blissful new album by Black Country, New Road
Image by: Eddie Whelan
Ninja Tune
Released: 04.04.25
Black Country, New Road are not a band to stand still. Forever Howlong reveals a completely new side of the band, one where genre is once again thrown out of the window, with musical styles coming and going almost at will. With the current musical landscape awash with miserable, mediocre post-punk, they stand out for all the right reasons.
Forever Howlong grabs you from the off; Besties opens up with a flourish, demanding attention. This spritely track sets an excellent tone for the rest of the record, you can hear classical elements peeking through alongside more folky tones. It’s followed by The Big Spin, which feels like an embodiment of the carnivalesque; there’s an inherent excitement and flow to the track that equally feels so effortless.
There is so much nuance baked into Forever Howlong; the songs are intricate and delicate. Two Horses morphs around a multitude of sounds, building to something wonderfully far away from its Americana beginnings. Happy Birthday twists through a gentle opening before developing into something altogether more euphoric. However, this complexity is compounded on Nancy Tries To Take The Night, the gentle lengthy instrumental opening bursts into life with a slew of almost medieval lyrics depicting what feels like the breaking down of walls and the development of a relationship.
The blending of three female voices that occurs frequently throughout Forever Howlong is another of its many strengths. For The Cold Country is where this truly comes alive, the harmonies set against the initial delicate instrumentation allow this track to explode.
This is a record packed with incredible songs, which, when brought together, flow effortlessly whilst retaining their own individual character. Each one of these tracks has something different that will draw you in and demand your attention. Forever Howlong is something you’ve never heard from Black Country, New Road and judging by their past albums you will never hear anything like this from them again, which is what ultimately makes their records so exciting. The more Black Country, New Road grow and expand, the better they become.
