Standout longplayers

25 March 2023

Band: BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD

Who: Experimental 7-piece from London producing a hypnotic mix
of prog and math rock, jazz, post-psych-punk, and other musical roads.

The band made an instant impression with their 2021 debut full-length
For The First Time and repeated the feat with follow-up LP Ants From
Up There.

Dark clouds threatened the collective’s future as frontman and otherwordly
vox Isaac Wood left citing mental health problems, shortly after the 2nd album
was recorded.

But the band doubted not one second to go on without Wood. This live registration
of a gig at London’s Bush Hall venue proves they were totally right to do so, they’re just
to good to vanish. Bassist Taylor Hyde, saxophonist Lewis Evans, and keyboardist May Kershaw take care of the vocals now.

Guess what? I didn’t miss Wood here (mind you, I will go back to their studio longplayers to hear him, annex the full orchestra). Black Country, New Road make it loud and clear: they’re here to stay.

Photo by Holly Whitaker

NME: “‘Live At Bush Hall’, then, offers a remarkable snapshot of a band in transition, one willing to push on and not let circumstances stand in the way of what they love doing most. They’re a collective that remains humble and ready to tackle whatever is yet to come, steadfast that, as a unit, they are unstoppable.” Score 4/5.

LIVE AT BUS HALL

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