Black Country, New Road

Black Country, New Road formed in Cambridge around 2018, a seven-piece collective drawing on post-rock, jazz, klezmer, and art rock in ways that felt genuinely new. Their early singles generated enormous critical excitement, and their debut album 'For the first time' (2021) delivered on the promise — a dense, complex, emotionally overwhelming record that announced them as one of the most important British bands in years.

The departure of vocalist and primary songwriter Isaac Wood on the eve of their second album's release in 2022 could have been catastrophic. Instead, 'Ants from Up There' — recorded with Wood but released as he left — was widely acclaimed as one of the albums of the year, a sprawling, emotionally devastating record that drew on Arcade Fire and Scott Walker in equal measure. Its release under these circumstances gave it an additional layer of poignancy.

The remaining six members regrouped and continued, with shared vocal duties replacing Wood's singular voice. 'Live at Bush Hall' (2023) documented this new configuration, and 'Forever Howlong' (2024) was their first proper studio album without Wood — a record that demonstrated remarkable resilience and continued creative ambition. They remain one of the most compelling and unpredictable bands in British music. ⚠ Flag: post-2023 activity — verify 'Forever Howlong' release details.