Black Country, “New Road” Reinvent Themselves with Bold, Beautiful ‘Forever Newhowlong’
When Isaac Wood, Black Country, New Road’s enigmatic frontman and lyrical architect, exited the band just days before the release of 2022’s Ants From Up There, it felt like a seismic shift—one that could’ve spelled the end for a band already hailed as one of Britain’s most promising art-rock forces.
Instead, it sparked a radical rebirth.
Their new album, Forever Newhowlong, is not only a stunning reintroduction—it’s a statement of evolution, resilience, and collective creativity. With Tyler Hyde, May Kershaw, and Georgia Ellery now sharing vocal duties, the band has reshaped its identity into something more collaborative, more dynamic, and just as emotionally resonant.
Gone is the singular voice of tortured introspection. In its place: a rotating chorus of perspectives, moods, and textures. Singles like “Besties,” “Happy Birthday,” and “For the Cold Country” showcase a lighter touch, but no less emotional depth. These songs shimmer with newfound warmth and wry humor, all while retaining the band’s signature intricacy—flashes of chamber pop, experimental rock, and post-punk tension swirling together in unexpected harmony.
“It’s not a guy’s breakup album, that’s for sure,” Ellery quipped to Ian Cohen, and she’s right. This is a sprawling, emotionally kaleidoscopic record that resists easy definition. It dances where past albums brooded. It experiments with joy, nostalgia, absurdity—and it works.
With Forever Newhowlong, Black Country, New Road prove they’re not only still standing—they’re thriving in the unknown. What could’ve been an ending is instead a beautiful, bold new beginning.
