Black Country, New Road: Ants From Up There - Track by Track Review

By the time Black Country, New Road released their debut album, ‘For The First Time’ in 2021, the hype could no longer be charted. Early singles ‘Sunglasses’ and ‘Athens, France’ had set expectations for their debut full length exceptionally high. Thankfully, the band delivered a stellar collection of songs that saw the 7-piece band tackle Post-Punk, Post-Rock, Experimental and even Klezmer music. Frontman Isaac Wood delivered spoken word meanderings that painted the picture of a young, anxious man still finding his place in the world, both artistically and personally. Musically, we were treat to progressive tracks that highlighted every member's individual inputs, from the rock band backbone to the sax, violin and piano flourishes, the finishing strokes on an already beautiful canvas.

Fast forward one year (almost to the day!) and Black Country, New Road release the follow up to FTFT in the form of ‘Ants From Up There’. Once again, thanks to early tastes of the record in the form of a handful of singles, the hype train was nearing 88 mph. We got a small glimpse of a band that had refined their craft. They no longer sounded like “the worlds second best Slint tribute band,” but instead hinted towards more accessible melodies and even some elements of Chamber Pop. However, on January 21st, just 5 days before the album's release, the band released a co-statement, penned by Isaac and the rest of the band, informing their legions of fans that, due to mental health reasons, Isaac Wood would no longer be a member of Black Country, New Road. I’d like to take this opportunity to wish Isaac all the best and hope that he can find a way to deal with the struggles he faces.

Thankfully, the album still met its release date of February 4th. The postman handed me my pre-ordered copy and I can confirm it has not yet made its way off my turntable. So let's dig into what's on offer here…

Intro

A descending arpeggio of strings, sax and keys introduce a repeating motif of the record, one that we will return to later… It leads way to an incredibly short stomping track that is mostly light and heartwarming, but an unexpected note change turns things somewhat dissonant, as though it's suggesting all is not as well as would appear at surface level.

Chaos Space Marine

BC, NR waste no time in showing us that their second album is in no small part an evolution of their previous work. Kicking things off with a stabbing, joyful melody, Chaos Space Marine is a baroque-pop tune that steers away from the post-rock we’ve come to expect of the group, opting instead of soaring choruses and tuneful melodies that are hugely nostalgic and warming. It has a whimsical nature and even has shades of “musical” about it, but is tied together by incredible musicianship that really highlights why it is important that BC, NR have 7 members.

Despite being one of the shortest songs in the band's arsenal, this is a truly endearing way to kick the album off; a progressive pop jaunt that demonstrates a willingness to meander away from the beaten path, to traverse space, to set sail for lands new.

Concorde

Next up is Concorde; an absolutely stunning jaunt that uses its simple musical structure to devastating effect. It builds throughout, using its foundations as platforms to introduce new elements; mandolin, choral vocals and some of the most touching lyrics from Isaac to date (though there will be more times throughout the record where this is the case). 

This is a love song, with truly moving lyrics, relating a reluctance to let go of a loved one to the “Concorde Fallacy”. Though the Concorde aeroplane was riddled with issues, the UK and France refused to let the project go; a truly stunning analogy that plucks heavily at the heartstrings as Isaac sings of chasing down the light of his love, even if just for a glimpse. It leans back in the post-rock direction but maintains the warmth and heart.

Bread Song

Bread Song is one of the albums most tender moments; Isaac sounds on the verge of tears as he sings of the heartache of a long-distance relationship. The music swells in like tepid waves lazily lapping at the beach, loosely enveloping Isaacs gentle mourns. Once again, this song highlights BC, NR’s maturation. The title draws from the comparison to leaving “bread crumbs” in a partners bed. As Isaac draws close to the one he sings of, they leave parts of themselves behind, like crumbs from toast.

The guitars are drenched in sorrow, loosely flowing between finger-plucked chords. The track is void of rhythmical structure in its initial verses, relying more on the heartfelt performance of all players involved, guiding each other with slight flourishes and queues. There are shades of country and folk in the later verses, as the swells, almost orchestral in nature, clear a path to a stomping beat that leads the track to its conclusion. 

Good Will Hunting

Retro synths lead way to one of the quirkier cuts from the album, Good Will Hunting, an up-tempo poppy track, dominated by insatiably infectious melodies. The chorus burrows into the mind, in a way that was seldom seen on their debut album, with Isaac adopting melodies over spoken-word passages. The song has a semi-start/stop feel to it, as the drums push and relent, backing off just as things seem to escalate, before unleashing for a big crunchy ending, while Isaac reprises the chorus with untapped energy, held back for the crescendo.

It’s moments like these that paints the record in a whole other world to their debut, allowing themselves the freedom to explore genres, time signatures and lyrical themes that would have felt out of place in the past but are charming and heartwarming on an emotional journey such as this record.

Haldern

The story goes that Haldern was born entirely out of a moment of improvisation at Germany’s “Haldern Pop Festival” in 2020. The band claims to have never written a song in this way before and that following the improv session, they had basically written the whole song. If what they claim is true, and I see no reason for it to not be, they captured magic in a bottle, as the song is another tender moment, with sombre passages leading to noisy stomps. It has a looseness to it, no chorus ties it together, opting instead to progress through a series of beautiful verses, increasing and decreasing in intensity before concluding with staccato piano and strings. Its a slightly uncomfortable and unexpected way to end a delicate piece, one that skirts the edges of refinement and collapse.

Mark’s Theme

A truly touching moment; a sax-lead lament written in tribute to saxophone player Lewis Evans uncle who sadly passed away from Covid in 2021. Musically, a simple chord structure leaves room for the saxophone to play a sorrowful melody, backed by chiming piano notes and softly plucked bass. It’s a poignant and wistful tribute and a beautiful addition to the record.

The Place Where He Inserted the Blade

Next up is the balladesque The Place Where He Inserted The Blade, which is, ironically, one of the most uplifting moments on the album. It feels like a warm coffee sipped with friends on a cold morning, feeling nostalgic for the youth you’ve been robbed of. By this point, the aggression and angst of For The First Time seems to have been left by the wayside, as this piano-lead serenade swaps the quiet/loud post-punk moments for the understated, gently descending guitar lines that feel like a soft blanket wrapped around the chorus as they weave in and out of the mournful saxophone notes

Isaac longs for his beloved in the chorus to come to him when things go wrong, to comfort him and remind him that all is well. He sings of not feeling at home without his love by his side - its a song about co-dependency but softly laments the possibility of the feeling not being mutual.

Snow Globes

Ants From Up There saves its most impressive moments for its final two tracks, and if these are to be the last we ever hear of Isaac fronting this band, then at least he delivered a performance that is goosebump-inducing. The first of these two epics is Snow Globes; a gentle repeated guitar passage that forms the basis for the song introduces tender keys and strings in a soft and forbearing instrumental introduction. Impressively, all players here remain subdued, whilst Charlie Wayne on drums progressively builds into a thunderous free jazz drum solo. It’s intensely wild and is a direct juxtaposition to the rest of the music. It’s as though two separate tracks have collided, to create a performance that somehow holds back whilst pushing its way into vast sonic territories. 

Isaac repeats the lyrics “Oh God of weather, Henry knows, Snow Globes don’t shake on their own.” It’s poetic and impassioned, as he increases in intensity alongside Charlies drum odyssey, practically wailing the final passage, the anxiety and anguish in his vocals charged with the emotional baggage carried through the album to this point. It’s a truly stunning performance and one of BC, NRs best songs to date.

Basketball Shoes

I feel I may struggle here to put into words my feelings for this song without getting too caught up in the emotional impact it has upon me. This is, and I say this with certainty, the best thing the band has created to date. This is a multi-part epic that shifts between gentle croons, indie-rock moments, impassioned instrumental sections and devastatingly-epic crescendos. It’s an absolute masterpiece; a song that oozes emotion and passion; a 12 and a half minute voyage that ties the album together as both its opus and a summary of all that has led to this moment. The motif from “Intro” is reintroduced here, like a loop, inviting the listener along to sprawl in the records’ final moments.

The fervent way in which Isaac yells the albums final lyrics, “All I’ve been forms the drone, we sing the rest. Oh, your generous loan to me, your crippling interest” is simply heart-wrenching, especially given the context of his departure from the band. The attention he has received for his art has caused him so much anguish and anxiety that he can longer continue - his final moments with the band are charged with so much hair-raising passion, it’s difficult to listen to without feeling the weighty burden placed upon his shoulders, standing side by side with him as we bask in the greatest artistic achievement that he and his best friends have made yet. In short, this song is astonishing. Truly.

Conclusions

In almost every conceivable way, Ants From Up There is an improvement over Black Country, New Road’ 2021 debut. Where that record used angst and darker tendencies, this one uses restraint and passion; it's warm and comforting, sweet and nostalgic. The moments of grandiose are breathtaking, the sombre moments are tearjerking and everything in between is stitched together in a way that highlights the bands' maturity, a maturity that is mighty impressive given that there has only been a year between records. They have shown an ability to best utilise every disparate element of the group. Though it shows incredible musicianship, with each player displaying their impressive chops, they never tread on each other's toes. It’s close and reassuring but never sounds claustrophobic, even during the enormous climax of Basketball Shoes.

Where Black Country, New Road goes next, nobody knows except for the 6 remaining members. It is honestly tragic that we won’t get to hear these songs live (not any time soon, at least), while the band go back to the drawing board following Isaacs departure. They can no doubt continue their musical maturity, after all, this is a large ensemble with some incredibly talented players, and they all equally contribute to this step forward in their abilities. It’s exciting to think that we will get, yet again, a new direction, whatever comes next. Again, I wish all the best to Isaac in all he does. He should be proud, as should the rest of the band, that this is a truly exceptional album that will no doubt remain relevant for years to come, a shining example of an experimental art-rock record.

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Header image credit: Black Country, New Road / Facebook