Black Country, New Road - For The First Time

THE ABSOLUTE PINNACLE OF BRITISH ENGINEERING

Here it is. The long-awaited debut of Black Country, New Road. Heralded as a septet of prodigies hellbent on traversing Art Punk and Experimental Rock for a new generation of anxious adolescents, with all the hype derived from one song; 'Sunglasses.' It stands as a monument for existentialism wrapped up in the manacled confines of mental illness. All things considered, arguably the greatest song of the past decade (though The Knife's 'Full Of Fire,' Kendrick Lamar's 'Sing About Me,' and Bruno Pernadas' 'Ya Ya Breathe' would provide tangible competition). So, then, what do we make of For The First Time? As we saw on their anticipatory singles, ambition was boundless. Both 'Sunglasses' and 'Athens, France' marched frantically through intricate webs and tightening sections, exploding like a champagne cork when tension reached its inevitable breaking point. They had live performances that took people's breaths away, with lengthy compositions and close-ups of Isaac Wood's deranged exorcisms. It all predicated an epic, a debut unlike anything we've heard in years. Yes, even that of their label mate Black Midi's Schlagenheim. But at a measly 40 minutes, with only one legitimately unheard song - an 'Instrumental' at that - and two unwarranted reworks, one can't help but feel disappointed in For The First Time. Is that even possible when you're listening to greatness? Seems so.

That obvious needs to be stated. For those lucky, wide-eyed few who embark on For The First Time without having heard the singles, this six-track LP is close to revelatory. Much in the same way of Can, Slint, or Godspeed You! Black Emperor when their time to revolutionize came around. All influences worn candidly by Black Country, mind you. This is exceptional music made by ludicrously talented and desperate artists. It's just the rollout which lacks a true first impression - ironic, given the album's title - sours that otherwise momentous occasion. Nonetheless, on a song-by-song basis you'd be hard-pressed to find a more sterling collection. Though, it can't be ignored, linear cohesion seems to be a major stopping block for Black Country. Despite Wood's obtrusive poetics - like a Jamie Stewart for social media outcasts - each song feels singular and autonomous, stitched together shoddily by mercurial hysterics. One song ends, the next begins. For most bands, uniform themes giving credence to the outline of an album is too much to ask for. For Black Country - one reliant on Post-Rock structuring builds and stop-gaps - the bumper-to-bumper momentum is a certain setback.

Isolated, these achievements shine. The reworks of 'Athens, France' and 'Sunglasses' have, justifiably, garnered tremendous attention. And, like most, I'm left shaking my head as to why. Even with the gap between releases, there's no need to change perfection to satisfy eager fans, especially in 'Sunglasses' case. If we're to boil it down, Wood's performance - with his melodic half-singing and PG dumbing-down of lyrics - warrants the criticism, while the production's clarity, tenacity, and concentrated live feel invoke a reignited flame. Essentially, it's a wash, as I'm growing fond of the remake, though the manic breakdown is massacred and the "courtesy of pig" line wholly unnecessary.

Elsewhere, the surprise inclusion of Klezmer on 'Instrumental' and 'Opus' provide a unique diversion that proudly emblazons Lewis Evans (saxophone), Georgia Ellery (violin), and May Kershaw (keyboards) as necessary components and not tacky, 'big band' additions. As Wood states on 'Sunglasses,' Black Country sure is "more than the sum of their parts." Each member deserves praise for attributing to the whole, and nowhere does their uniformity rise better than 'Science Fair.' Vicious, incisive, and compounding, the structure glow-up is truly a sight to witness. Kershaw's plodding keyboard, Evans' Free Jazz freak-outs, the balls to the wall climax, it all culminates aptly around Wood's shredded yelping of "it's Black Country out there!" Though 'Sunglasses' is their best, 'Science Fair' is likely the most representative, striking that difficult balance between accessible and intimidating.

This then leaves the quaint and, frankly, indispensable 'Track X.' It's the black sheep only to a crowd of wolves, lovable and relinquishing through ariose Chamber Pop that prioritizes both texture and euphony. To many, this'll be For The First Time's best, an exposé of Black Country's versatility and mature admittance that not all of life is dour and harrowing. The female background vocals are filled with summer vivacity, as the dancing strings and tip-tapping percussion flutter with the movement of stomach butterflies. Though it derails their portentous concordance, there's no denying 'Track X's' deserving place off quality alone. In some way, that can be applied to every For The First Time track at large. Though the immeasurable excitement wasn't reached due to pre-overexposure and post-underexposure, steadfast quality permeates these six memorable tracks so much that a rave response and satisfactory ovation is deserving.