Forever Howlong

Black Country, New Road somehow remain just as essential as they were back then. It takes time to get your head around ‘Forever Howlong’, with its freeform song structures and heady arrangements — but if you allow yourself the space to unravel its secrets, you’ll be amply rewarded.

This album, as different as it is from the band’s other output, is simultaneously the most distinct Black Country, New Road has ever been.

If there’s any justice in the world, however, Forever Howlong will not only garner a fresh following for what is perhaps the UK’s most progressive collective of musicians and songwriters, but also cement Black Country, New Road as one of the most vital, innovative, and bewitching acts the world has to offer right now.

Black Country, New Road remain one of the most intriguing indie bands of the 2020s, and their flair for reinvention makes every release a thrill.

From the Western scenic shifts of “Two Horses” to the twee operatics of “For the Cold Country,” there are risks taken everywhere, ultimately paying off in an album bursting with explorative creativity.

Although it isn’t always consistent and is evidently a representation still the band finding their footing in many ways, Forever Howlong is undeniably special.

The songs aren’t quite as riveting as those on Ants from Up There (2022) or For the First Time (2021). Still, Two Horses is a majestic three-act road movie, minimal yet expansive.

There’s something exploratory about the sound of Forever Howlong and not every approach it tries works. But at its best, it’s surprising, captivating and unique: the work of a remarkably resilient band determined to take the most scenic route.

There’s a fresh warmth to ‘Forever, Howlong’, but don’t mistake that for sonic pathetic fallacy. The pregnant protagonist of ‘Nancy Tries To Take The Night’ has one of the most devastating narrative arcs on the record; the combination of banjo and nylon guitar makes for such an unusually rich tone for the band, bolstered by Hyde’s sonorous alto that grounds the song.

Forever Howlong is more of the daring prog-rock Black Country has become known for, and while their growth is subtle, it is far from a non-factor. Across these eleven songs, the band spins fascinating, folksy tales and whimsically delivers them, giving the album’s dark subject matter a soft edge.

Forever Howlong is a remarkably unified - and gloriously intriguing - piece of work. [May 2025, p.84]

Like the queen of the night, it fans wide and confident; its petals may fall back to earth quickly before dawn, but its essence lingers. The same flower, transformed but unmistakably familiar, will greet eyes, though briefly, once again.

Forever Howlong sees Black Country, New Road take their individualistic aura another gallant stride forward. What comes next is anyone’s guess.

Folky and pastoral, with recorder solos and mandolin excursions and proggy journeys-in-song, Forever Howlong is as ambitious as anything this band has done.

Songcraft conventions - choruses, recurring riffs - are daringly absent. On repeat listens, though, the meandering strands - from the dreamy acoustica of "Two Horses" and choral harmonies on "Mary" to the Philip Glass-like horns of "Nancy Takes The Night" - begin to stick, aided by frequently arresting lyrics. [Apr 2025, p.28]

Moments of brilliance emerge when Black Country New Road’s theatricality and emotional depth align, but at times, the ornate instrumentation feels more suffocating than immersive. The record demands patience, but whether it rewards that patience will vary by listener.