Black Country, New Road Champions Experimentation on ‘Forever Howlong’

Electric post-punk instrumentation fuses with authentic folk vocals on Black Country, New Road’s “Forever Howlong.” Released April 4, the record is the English indie rock band’s third studio album together. 

Black Country, New Road formed in 2018 after the members’ previous group, Nervous Conditions, disbanded when lead singer Connor Browne was accused of sexual assault. 

The band then consisted of seven members before their frontman, Isaac Wood, left the group days before the release of their second album, Ants From Up There, in 2022. The latest release solidifies the current band’s lineup after numerous changes throughout the past decade.

“Forever Howlong” is an exploratory album allowing new vocalists to take the reins and unite woodwind, percussion and string instruments. 

“Besties” starts the record with acoustic and electric guitar fused together for a dynamic composition. Violinist Georgia Ellery’s pristine vocals explore the desire to turn a beloved friendship into something more despite the potential risk of losing the friend altogether. 

Pianist May Kershaw’s mystical vocals on “The Big Spin” bring a folk indie tone to the album, conveying a feeling of weightlessness. The backing keyboard and clacking percussion enhance the rhythm of Kershaw’s voice throughout the track.

“Socks” embraces the record’s theme of experimentation with a slow melody built through subtle saxophone and rich piano notes, allowing the lyricism to attract attention. Bassist Tyler Hyde sings delicately of a life steeped in anxiety, while a narrator desperately attempts to escape it. 

The female vocalist trio comes together on “Salem Sisters,” supported by timpani percussion and striking harpsichord notes reminiscent of villainous film soundtracks. With its haunting composition, the song furthers the album’s deep dive into exploratory musical paths. 

“Between the howls lie whispers / They hum like faint transistors / And conspire to light the cinders / Burn the tree for all to witness / Curtains for a Salem Sister,” Hyde sings. 

The track is written from the perspective of a woman being burned alive at the stake as a barbecue takes place around her. While party-goers listen to a song she wrote, none of them make an effort to acknowledge or save her from death. 

“Two Horses” carries on the theme of isolation as a vigorous arrangement of saxophone, clarinet, flute and banjo supports rustic lyrical imagery describing a solo traveler. The instrumentation layers over one another at a rapid tempo to produce a sense of leaving the past behind to race toward the next destination. 

In “Mary,” humming and piccolo are utilized as the main forms of instrumentation, building a musical composition unique from previous tracks. The serene piccolo contradicts alienating lyrics about the difficulty of finding one’s place in the world. 

The record’s eloquent portrayal of solitude continues as the vocalists harmonize about the struggle of fitting in during daily circumstances and the subsequent loss of power that accompanies a loss of self. 

“They say thеy’re only teasing / Made thе fool, that’s life at school / What a way to treat your friend / She screams in the shower / Lost all of her power / Keep face, she’ll leave no trace, not even in her home,” Ellery, Hyde and Kershaw sing. 

“Happy Birthday” follows with a similarly bleak perspective on life, one where privilege doesn’t equate to happiness. Cheerful bass and guiding lyricism answer the previous track by encouraging kids to own their lives and enjoy their birthdays regardless of any worries.

“For the Cold Country” is wrapped in the warmth of Ellery’s violin arrangement which blends pleasantly with Kershaw’s ethereal vocals. The track’s melody is reminiscent of a religious hymn moving gradually through a violent and sublime internal self-reflection. 

Electric guitar and harmonica control “Nancy Tries to Take the Night,” an exhilarating tale of a young woman experiencing the rollercoaster journey of pregnancy through alternating perspectives — a judgmental outsider and Nancy pleading for her mother. 

The track is a culmination of the record’s journey through experimentation of different voices and self-isolation portrayed through Nancy’s seclusion from her family. 

The title track “Forever Howlong” returns to a subdued melody, rising and falling in tandem with Kershaw’s voice. Whimsical flute and clarinet notes aid the song’s relaxing nature as Kershaw walks listeners through a monotonous day of life. 

“Goodbye (Don’t Tell Me)” brings the introspective record to a tranquil end with a romantic ballad. Acoustic guitar backs intimate vocals submerged in fear, realizing love is little more than a flickering feeling eventually blown out by the word goodbye. 

The final track closes the album by bringing the experimentation full circle. Ending with a traditional ballad, questions of how to deal with isolation and loss are left hanging as the record flourishes to a heartbreaking finish. 

“Forever Howlong” ushers in a new era for Black Country, New Road, marking their territory as a distinct indie rock band evolving past their own obstacles and launching themselves into stardom.

“Forever Howlong” is available on all major streaming platforms.