For The Old Country

BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD – British Inventive Collective Return With New Bewildering Album ‘FOREVER HOWLONG’

Posted on by JL

5 April 2025

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 him and
with this new bewildering album, titled FOREVER HOWLONG, their decision is
one to cheer about, loudly.

DIY Magazine says: “‘Forever Howlong’ is so distinct from Black Country, New Road’s
past albums that you’d be forgiven for thinking it was made by a different band altogether. Through the redirection of their sound, lyrics, and indeed, vocalists, ‘Forever Howlong’ redefines who BCNR are. But if one thing remains constant, it’s their unwavering desire to reinvent what their music can be.

TUTV: With a range of unusual rock/pop instruments, such as a mandolin, clarinet, harmonium, harpsichord, timpani, lap steel guitar, banjo, and the traditional ones
(guitar, bass, drums) BCNR brew an inventive and singular sound that includes jazz,
pop, musical, opera, folk, post-punk and prog-rock. Somewhere between Black Midi
and Arcade Fire.

With no mainstream, yet accessible songs, wrapped in an organic package they attract thousands and thousands of fans. Georgia Ellery‘s riveting vocals make you (almost) forget that Isaac Wood‘s mystifying voice was a very significant force on the band’s first two LPs. BCNR overcame the loss and prove here that they have the far-reaching potential to be around for a long time.

Singles/clips: Besties / Happy Birthday / For The Old Country

– BESTIES –

– HAPPY BIRTHDAY –

– FOR THE OLD COUNTRY –

ALBUM


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Instagram – Bandcamp

JUKEBOX 2025 – Week 13 – Five New Rad Tracks Added Twice A Week

Posted on by JL

In order to not miss a beat TURN UP THE VOLUME scans the musical
horizon daily, for 10 years now, to pick ace tracks and add 5 new ones
twice per week, to the one and only JUKEBOX playlist that matters.

ALL TOGETHER


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The 5 fresh ones
TRACK BY TRACK

Band: SONS
Who: Praised garage
rock unit from Belgium.

Track: DO MY THING
First single from their upcoming, 3rd LP,
called Hallo and lands on 26 September.

TUTV: Infectious riff-roaring roaster.
No breakdowns. Always frontwards. Sticky chorus.
As long as Sons do their own thing my ears will
be amused. What about yours?

Instagram – Linktree
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Band: WETSUIT
Who: Indie hit team
from Brooklyn, NY.

Track: MIDWEST DREAM

At its core, it’s a tribute to frontwoman Allison Becker’s mother.
The song is a personal reflection, an exploration of her
changing relationship with her mom as she grows older.

Becker: “I grew up in St. Louis, where there’s a saying: ‘If you don’t like the weather, wait
5 minutes.’ As a Midwest girl, I can confirm the weather does change every 5 minutes, but the saying is why I embrace the seasons and changes in life. There’s so much you can’t control, and sometimes it’s all about finding the little pleasures and riding out the storm. That sentiment echoes throughout the song, especially in the refrain: “They say if you don’t like the weather, wait and it will go.”

TUTV: Midwest Dream is a fabulous, pepped-up pop gem for all weathers, all seasons,
all hours of the day, spiced with high-voltage guitars, Becker‘s heart-rending vocals and
an evocative chorus. Don’t wait 5 minutes to play it on repeat. Bingo.

Instagram – Linktree
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Photo by Barton van Flymen

Band: KATHMANDU
Who: Alternative four-piece band from The Netherlands, led by songwriter and lyricist Donna Marie. Their catchy dreamy songs thrive on the tension between light and dark, exploring the spaces where the two meet.

Track: DIFFERENT LIFE

Donna Marie: “I wanted to write a song that doesn’t just talk about freedom, but actually sounds like it. That expresses this urge to escape and create a fresh start for yourself. What
I wanted to convey is that it is never too late to start over. But you need to initiate it yourself.
No one else will do it for you.”

TUTV: Brisk and energetic, juiced with sensuous vocals
and a shaky chorus. A refreshing, stimulative, amplified
pop debut thrill.

Clap your hands to the beat. Right here.


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Instagram – Facebook
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Artists: TIME AND THE HUNTER
Who: The visionary musical project
of Enrico Longhin and Niklas Sundin.

Track: THE FOLLOWING SILENCE
From their upcoming debut album Weapon Pt. 1
scheduled for release on 25th April.

“It’s a deeply introspective piece. When we reached this stage of the arrangements, we immediately thought of Mikael as a guest. He had been following the project’s development behind the scenes, and his contribution to the lyrics was a perfect fit for both his voice and the song’s message.”

TUTV: The Following Silence echoes the gothic powerfulness of former Bauhaus maestro Peter Murphy’s solo work. Well, that’s what my excited ears tell me. Its polyphonic dynamic lifts the overall resonance to a melodramatic level that stirs, arouses and incites. Triumphant piece.

Instagram – Facebook
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Band: BLACK COUNTRY, NEW ROAD
Who: English indies who keep
on climbing up the indie ladder.

Track: FOR THE OLD COUNTRY
Piece from their forthcoming 3rd album,
named Forever Howlong. Out 4th April.

TUTV: BC, NR should write an indie opera and open it with this chant.

Linktree
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