Black Country, New Road - Forever Howlong

Britain's most intrepid experimentalists resurface with a third album that doesn't just fill the void left by their departed frontman – it opens up glorious new dimensions entirely.

The departure of Isaac Wood in 2022 could have been a full stop for Black Country, New Road. Swimming in critical praise and - unusually for a band of their ilk - not unreasonable amounts of commercial success, they’d found their very specific audience and captured their attention perfectly. Instead, though, it's become a pulsing ellipsis, a pause as the band typed out an unexpected plot twist that nobody saw coming – not least the cast involved.

'Forever Howlong' arrives as both a reassertion and reinvention of what makes BCNR special. The sextet's third album embraces a new vocal triumvirate of bassist Tyler Hyde, violinist Georgia Ellery, and pianist May Kershaw, creating a democratic experiment in shared storytelling. Where Wood's anguished confessionals once dominated, now three distinctive perspectives trade verses and choruses across eleven tracks of baroque oddity and understated brilliance.

This is decidedly not another guy's breakup album - and it’s so much better for it. In place of tear-stained romantic despair that defined 'Ants From Up There' is something altogether more communal – tales of friendship, growth, and the weird emotional landscapes we navigate between twentysomething joy and terror.

Opener 'Besties' announces this new beginning with startling confidence. A harpsichord introduces Ellery's airy vocals as she delivers an ode to friendship that manages to be both charmingly direct and quintessentially BCNR. The song's bright, uplifting demeanour feels almost revolutionary for a band once steeped in literate misery. There are hints of all sorts of influences in there - at times, you can hear Pavement at their oddball, spiralling best - but it’s also something unique and empowering. For those willing to go with them, it’s an evolution to be welcomed, not feared.

There's a genuine thrill in hearing these musicians stretch into new territory. Produced by famed collaborator James Ford (who apparently worked marathon 16-hour days throughout recording), 'Forever Howlong' pulls from an absurdly broad palette. Folk, prog, baroque pop, and alt-rock all make appearances, yet somehow coalesce into something distinctly BCNR-shaped.

The album maintains its own kind of wonky, organic pop mentality with deep-set weirdness lurking beneath. That's the perfect summation of what makes this record so compelling – its accessibility never comes at the expense of BCNR's wonderfully warped sensibilities. Even at their most direct, there's always another layer waiting to be uncovered, a quirk or flourish that reminds you this isn't your average band.

The shared vocal duties create a small encyclopedia of human experiences. Each brings her own perspective, yet together they form a coherent narrative voice that defines this new era. There's a remarkable unity in how these varied approaches hang together – a testament to both Ford's production and the band's instinctive chemistry.

What's perhaps most impressive is how the band balances light and dark throughout. There's plenty of tongue-in-cheek moments alongside undercurrents of melancholy. The prevailing mood is one of hope and perseverance, framed by collective experience rather than singular despair. It feels like growing up, moving on, and finding new ways to be weird together.

For listeners still mourning the Wood era, 'Forever Howlong' doesn't attempt to replicate that specific brand of catharsis. Instead, it carves out entirely new - and, honestly, better - emotional territory. The richness that Hyde, Ellery, and Kershaw bring as a vocal trio quickly dispels any lingering nostalgia for what came before. This is Black Country, New Road settled into a new shape and thriving within it – still recognizably themselves in their ambition and idiosyncrasy, but boldly different in perspective.

With 'Forever Howlong', Black Country, New Road have done what few bands manage after losing their frontperson – they've emerged stronger, more adventurous, and somehow more themselves than ever. They've navigated seismic changes and delivered music that feels both radically new and deeply authentic. In doing so, they've cemented their status as Britain's most fearlessly inventive young band, no longer defined by what they've lost but revitalised by the exciting possibilities of what they've found.