Black Country, New Road – Forever Howlong

Baroque Pop | Progressive Folk

61%

 

Black Country, New Road are a band who have been dividing their fan base pretty much since their inception. Their debut drew criticism from fans of the band’s early singles that the tracks they loved were re-recorded and changed for the album. The much lauded Ants From Up There had a vocal minority bemoaning the sonic shift away from post punk towards anthemic art rock in the vein of early Arcade Fire. Most divisive of all was the abrupt departure of frontman Isaac Wood and the band’s determination to carry on without him and maintain their momentum, as captured on their Live at Bush Hall record. 

Their latest effort however, Forever Howlong, may prove to be their most contentious release yet. It sees them shifting style yet again towards ambitious progressive folk; whimsical and grandiloquent in a way that isn’t all that far removed from the likes of Jethro Tull. I’ve always tried to approach each new era of the band with an open mind, and on paper this new avenue should be right up my street. In fact, my first taster of the record, ‘Happy Birthday‘, instilled a lot of hope and excitement in me for this new direction. Sadly the final product just doesn’t quite deliver.

Much of the album’s grand, ambitious moments, particularly in the first half, tend to blur together. Off-kilter theatricality, enormous orchestral swells, staccato math rock breakdowns, unexpected shifts in tone and tempo. The band are throwing everything they’ve got at you, every trick at their disposal, at every opportunity. It’s technically impressive, but a little alienating, with ‘Sock’s being the most egregious culprit. These moments feel like watching a Shakespeare play while under the influence of some mind altering substance. Half the time you feel like your brain is expanding into another plane, in awe of the amount of culture and artistic splendour you’re trying to absorb, while the other half feels like you’re just watching toffs in silly ren faire frocks spouting pretentious drivel. Being subjected to everything, all the time, feels overwhelming. Favouring intricacy over musicality, and robbing songs of a distinct identity. 

Occasionally the band overcorrects with far more stripped back offerings such as ‘Mary’ and ‘For The Cold Country’, and it’s here that the album’s other major issue is most noticeable. None of the vocals are strong enough or distinct enough. I’d wager the average new listener wouldn’t be able to tell that the band has three different vocalists. They share a similar delivery – soft, lacking in expression, occasionally stumbling over the verbose lyrics. It’s yet another factor that keeps individual tracks from having their own unique character.

What’s frustrating is that none of these issues were present on Live at Bush Hall. In spite of its tempestuous origins, I can’t help but feel that record had a higher quality of songwriting. More diversity of sound, songs with more character and stronger hooks, more assured vocals, the works. Forever Howlong, despite it’s greater ambitions, feels like a regression. That’s not to say this latest album isn’t without its flashes of brilliance. ‘Happy Birthday’ absolutely nails the progressive folk vibe the band are reaching for, bringing grandeur while stilling giving the different elements room to breathe. ‘Two Horses’ is reminiscent of ‘Turbines/Pigs’ in how, after the elegantly austere opening section, the song shifts gear halfway through, the latter half injecting energy and rising tension into the mix. The intro on ‘Nancy Tries to Take the Night’ has an intricate autumnal folk feel reminiscent of Nick Drake, while its proggy mid-section is home to some interesting drum work. 

This record didn’t quite deliver for me, but I still can’t help but root for BCNR. The group have more “power of friendship!” energy than your average JRPG storyline. I admire their ambition, virtuosity, camaraderie and creativity, and I don’t envy the challenging road they’ve been down to reach this point. Forever Howlong isn’t BCNR’s best record, but it is arguably their most interesting, which has to count for something. They sound like a band still on shaky ground, trying to figure out who they are, and I wish them nothing but the best in that endeavour.