Single Review: Black Country, New Road – Bread Song
Aran Grover reviews the latest single from Black Country, New Road.
Black Country, New Road are back with a second single for their upcoming album Ants from Up There, releasing in February. This new single is an emotional ballad with characteristic rich instrumentation and pretty melody. Singer Isaac Wood describes perhaps a long-distance, or COVID-struck relationship over the phone.
Wood tries his best to inject some romance into the frame seen by his lover
He strives for connection “through the headset that you wear”, lamenting that he “tried [his] best to hold” his lover, but in vain. It almost sounds Christmassy as Wood tries his best to inject some romance into the frame seen by his lover. As he slips into chorus, he explores the damaged or inhibited relationship through the particular truthfulness of a bed ridden with crumbs.
The band have this ability to tap into a deeply emotional side of relationships whilst maintaining a comic distance with use of mundanities like toast, Wi-Fi, headsets, and zoom calls, as well as deeply metaphorical and literary writing styles. Their writing is a blend of serious and unseriousness that populates the psyche of the modern Generation Z-er.
They situate this strong, discursive lyrical style in a framework of musical talent and a real penchant for pretty tunes. They seem to have emerged out of the cacophonous, dissonant, angular sonic place they began, and, like the eye of the storm, have become this beautiful fusion of post-rock styles that speaks to a new generation of music lovers.
The guitars on this track are beautiful and harrowing, laying a perfect backdrop for the smooth and sonorous saxophone, sounding almost fitting for a John Lewis Christmas advert (in this case, it’s a good thing).
BCNR continue to amaze with their tight performances, subtle, emotional lyrics, and great wit. This album is on track to be a huge hit, as BCNR soar into this new era of beauty, their music becomes far more commercially appealing, in the most fantastic way possible.