Forever Howlong was always going to be a divisive album. Emerging out of the acclaimed Windmill scene in the late 2010s and early 2020s, Black Country New Road was burdened with the hefty expectations of being the face of Britain’s most recent and exciting rock movement. The self-proclaimed “second best Slint tribute act” were unlikely stars as their debut, For the First Time, peaked at number 4 on the UK charts. The album featured lead singer Isaac Woods’ confessional and dramatic lyricism backed up by dissonant guitars, wailing horns, and string interplay, attracting a passionate fan base. 

The group wasted no time in following up their debut, releasing Ants From Up There the following year. The album performed just as well, garnering even more critical acclaim than their debut, as it is widely considered one of the best albums of the decade. The band pushed their sound towards a poppier direction with lush orchestral instrumentation in the vein of Arcade Fire, reaching an entirely new audience. 

This newfound stardom did not come without its consequences, however. Their increasingly large audience had a large impact on the mental health of lead singer Isaac Wood, whose deeply personal lyrics were gaining lots of attention. Shortly before the release of their sophomore album, Ants From Up There, Isaac Wood announced that he would be leaving the band, citing his worsening mental health as the cause for his departure.

After some deliberation, the band decided to continue on without him. They refused to play tracks where Wood was the lead singer live, forcing themselves to write new material. In March of 2023, the band released Live at Bush Hall, a live album featuring completely new songs. The release continued the musical trajectory from Ants from Up There, further pushing into progressive pop territory with complex and catchy instrumentation. The role of lead singer was split among the remaining 3 members of the band, as they explored different lyrical themes and musical tones. The release was met with mostly positive feedback, but did meet some resistance from a section of Black Country, New Road’s dedicated fanbase. These fans felt that the band was betraying Isaac Wood by continuing on without him, carrying their sound away from the noisy post-rock of their debut, towards a more folksy direction.

This constant evolution culminates in the release of Forever Howlong, where Black Country, New Road delves completely into the realm of folk, progressive pop, and baroque pop.

Forever Howlong opens with the lead single to the album, “Besties,” previously reviewed on the KSDT blog. The song is a fitting start to the album with its harpsichord intro leading into grand vocal harmonies. Georgia Ellery is featured as the lead singer for the first time on a Black Country, New Road release, with lyrics covering the innocence of friendship. The track effectively acts as a template for the sounds and lyrical themes explored throughout the record. 

The following song, “The Big Spin” is a short, whimsical pop track that doesn’t overstay its welcome. “The Big Spin” is laced with gorgeous piano playing, which connects the different sections of the song. May Kershaw puts forth a stellar vocal performance, with the choruses being filled with charming melodies. “Salem Sisters” is an energetic song driven by a bouncy piano and verses filled with a variety of jangly guitars, a harpsichord, and horns. In Forever Howlong, Black Country, New Road consistently provides stellar choruses.“Salem Sisters” is no exception to this, with enchanting background vocals backing up Tyler Hyde on each respective chorus. The track feels like it would fit perfectly in a Wes Anderson movie, with its sweet and candylike melodies putting you right into the color-filled world of his movies. “Happy Birthday” is one of the strongest tracks on the record, with its cheerful piano and immediately catchy opening line,“cheer up child, the world don’t owe you a thing.” The final chorus is as anthemic as Black Country, New Road has gotten so far, as distorted guitars mix together with the vocals to create a dramatic climax.

“Socks” is the first of four six-minute-long tracks on Forever Howlong. “Socks,” like the rest of these longer songs, feels like the musical equivalent of a fairytale as it meanders through a variety of different instrumental passages, giving the effect of a short story. However, the track falls victim to the biggest fault of this album: songs feel aimless and underdeveloped. Tracks like “Socks” had the potential to be much stronger if the band had kept developing the main progression and fully fleshed it out over the entire track. Instead, they relegated the best section of the song to a small fraction of the total runtime.

This flaw is very apparent in “Nancy Tries to Take the Night,” where the 3-minute opening section drags on with little in the way of atmosphere building or any coherent melodies to latch onto. It feels like a missed opportunity, as the main section of the track features a gorgeous interplay of keys and strings that, if fully developed and stretched out, could’ve been one of the band’s best songs.

However, the worst offender of this by far is the title track of the album. Between the brief bits of instrumental buildup are verses filled with seemingly random flute playing and singing. The song blows by with little impact at all and could have easily been left off the album.

“Two Horses” is one of the better tracks on the album, with the second half of the song speeding along through fast-paced plucked guitars and serene vocals from Georgia. Unlike songs such as “Socks” and “Nancy Tries to Take the Night,” “Two Horses’” nearly 3-minute opening section contributes positively to the track as a whole. The instruments added on top of the acoustic guitar feel purposeful and build up an atmosphere in a way that produces a desire to frolic around a meadow in medieval times. It’s definitely Black Country, New Road at their most twee.

“For the Cold Country” acts as the centerpiece to the album, clocking in at 6 and a half minutes. Much like the other longer songs on the album, it features a long intro and multiple instrumental phases. However, they execute this format best on “For the Cold Country,” as you’re never quite sure where the track is headed. Yet, each part is strung together cohesively so that you’re not disoriented between the switches. The final section of “For the Cold Country,” with its swirling horns and grand drums, feels like the end of a duel between two knights.

The album ends on a peaceful note with “Goodbye (Don’t Tell Me),” which follows the most standard song structure on the album, switching between verses and choruses. The track has a slight country tinge with a steel guitar coming through the mix occasionally. The track is a solid conclusion to the record, with a triumphant final chorus closing it out.
Through Forever Howlong, Black Country New Road continues the sonic evolution that started on Ants From Up There, fully indulging in the sounds of folk and progressive pop. It does feel like somewhat of a missed opportunity, as Forever Howlong has some of Black Country, New Road’s best instrumental sections and melodies to date. However, they don’t have the impact they could’ve had, as they take up so little time on their respective tracks. That being said, Forever Howlong is still full of rich soundscapes and enchanting melodies that make it a worthwhile listen.

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