FOR THE FIRST TIME

Experimental art-rockers Black Country, New Road released their debut studio album 'For the first time' in early 2021 and have since become one of the emblematic representatives of the so-called Windmill Scene, alongside similar new acts like black midi and Squid. The septet of young British musicians present a jarring collection of six tracks that combine the affinities and desperate romanticism of post-punk with the avant-garde turmoil of the art rock movement, emulating enough of that King Crimson/Talking Heads bravado, all essential elements of the innovative playing and writing that BCNR bolster here. The music is neurotic and complex, unpredictable and suspenseful, elevated by the sprechgesang of then-lead vocalist and guitar player Isaac Wood, who delivers some of the most unnerving yet fascinating lyrics to be heard on any newer experimental rock release. And on that note, the guitar playing here is angular, angsty and temperamental, in line with the "orderly chaos" of the songs, which are also rich in percussion, violins, and sax, giving the album a tint of fusion, among all the intricacy carried on by the strong musicianship of the group.

The sharp contrasts between quiet playing, an aspect of this band's music that has been explored thoroughly and excellently, and the dynamic, instant jabs of aggressive playing are what drive the songs on here; there is a genuine, sheer intensity to the music of this young band, which makes BCNR one of the really inventive contemporary acts hailing from the UK. The absurdity of the lyrics and the vocal delivery remain one of the distinctive features of the album, which also exhibits neuroticism, indulgence and compulsion in large amounts. Instrumental opener track is a nice and quirky piece that sets a daring, atmospheric and somewhat dissonant tone, followed by the surrealist rocker 'Athens, France', the first real taster of the group's peculiarities in terms of singing and instrumentation. The mellow, pensive ending of this song gives way to the distressful 'Science Fair', one of the more chaotic numbers on here, a song that can become overbearing and overindulgent at times. Yet among all this clatter, the listener will catch the brilliant post-rock riffing and distorted compulsions, which can be sufficiently adventurous and experimental here, among all the recognizable rock tropes. Then the second half of the record goes into a jazzier direction, as the band explores more unconventional song structures, rhythms and tempo changes, depicted perfectly by the 10-minute centerpiece 'Sunglasses'. 'Track X' has a more somber, pensive mood to it, while the closing 'Opus' is a technical onslaught that finishes off brilliantly this noisy, experimental album. Just a brilliant first idea of Black Country, New Road - as manic as their music can get, there are a lot of subtle elements here that contribute to the overall consistency of the album, one of the best debuts of the 2020s.

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