In February, the London seven-piece Black Country, New Road released a much-anticipated debut “For the first time” on Ninja Tune which saw them embed themselves as a vital prospect in forward-thinking music.
One, perhaps best summed up by The Times who wrote in their 5/5 write-up that they were “the most exciting band of 2021” and The Observer who called their record “one of the best albums of the year”. “For the first time” was welcomed by extensive critical support globally, and also made a significant dent on the UK Albums Chart, landing at #4 in its first week, a remarkable achievement for a largely experimental debut record.
Now, the band share a new version of “Track X” entitled “Track X (The Guest)”, the genesis from which the album highlight would later develop and a track that Isaac Wood first performed solo under the name “The Guest”, pre-BC,NR.
Stripped right back to front-man Isaac’s stark lyrics and an acoustic guitar, it’s a tender take on personal experience and a reminder of the creative dynamics within the group, how sparse beginnings can grow into something ever-expansive and different entirely.
"For the first time"
“This version is where the lyrics for "Track X" originally came from. It’s an old story, with some simple guitar playing and has the extra lyrics in the chorus. It's "The Guest" version, written about 2 years ago in this format and we thought it would make for a good accomplice to the album.”
Stream / Buy “For the first time“
“For the first time” also reached #1 on Any Decent Music, #2 at Album Of The Year and sat at #1 on Rate Your Music for several weeks, remaining the record to generate the most fan reviews and site discussion there this year. Black Country, New Road were also declared Artist Of The Week and Album Of The Week at the likes of The Observer, The Line Of Best Fit and Stereogum, and saw features, including covers and reviews, from the likes of Mojo, NPR, CRACK, Uncut, The Quietus, Pitchfork, The FADER, Loud & Quiet, The Face, Paste, The Needle Drop, DIY, NME, CLASH, So Young, Dork and more.
Black Country, New Road’s live performances have already gained legendary status from fans and has seen them labelled “one of the UK’s best live bands” by The Guardian. After the success of their recent livestream direct from the Southbank Centre – where the band were joined by a choir for the debut of new material, showing a second full-length record is already within their sights, and for which the band received a further 5/5 live review from The Times – and a recent stand-out performance at the BBC 6 Music Festival, the band are now excited to be returning to the live fold from June, starting with a sold out UK tour and three London headliners at The Islington Assembly Hall, the third added after the first two sold out in three minutes.
As well as their own sold out dates in the near future, the band have a busy year and further ascent in front of them, with festival dates including End Of The Road, Wide Awake and Gilles Peterson’s We Out Here, as well as extensive shows and festivals across Europe and another UK headline tour of their own to follow in November and December.
Playing the following dates in 2021
15/06/2021 – Komedia, Bath – UK (SOLD OUT)
16/06/2021 – Gaiety Bar, Portsmouth – UK (SOLD OUT)
17/06/2021 – Komedia (2x sets), Brighton – UK (SOLD OUT)
18/06/2021 – The Castle & Falcon (2x sets), Birmingham – UK (SOLD OUT)
20/06/2021 – Future Yard (2x sets), Liverpool – UK (SOLD OUT)
21/06/2021 – Gosforth Civic Theatre, Newcastle – UK (SOLD OUT)
23/06/2021 – Abbeydale Picturehouse, Sheffield – UK (SOLD OUT)
25/06/2021 – YES (2x sets), Manchester – UK (SOLD OUT)
26/06/2021 – Brudenell Social Club (2x sets), Leeds – UK (SOLD OUT)
27/06/2021 – Islington Assembly Hall, London – UK (SOLD OUT)
28/06/2021 – Islington Assembly Hall, London – UK (SOLD OUT)
29/06/2021 – Islington Assembly Hall, London – UK (SOLD OUT)
07-11/07/2021 – Pohoda, Trencin – SK
12/07/2021 – Magnolia, Milan – IT*
13/07/2021 – Piazza Delle Feste @ Porto Antico, Genoa – IT*
14/07/2021 – Express Festival, Bologna – IT*
16/07/2021 – Spilla, Ancona – IT*
15/08/2021 – Rotondes, Luxembourg – LUX
19-22/08/2021 – We Out Here, Cambridgeshire – UK
02-05/09/2021 – End Of The Road, London – UK
03/09/2021 – Wide Awake, London – UK
14/09/2021 – Electric Ballroom, London – UK (SOLD OUT)
23/10/2021 – Bumann & Sohn, Cologne – DE
24/10/2021 – Botanique Orangerie, Belgium – BE
25/10/2021 – Le Trabendo, Paris – FR
27/10/2021 – Le Grand Mix, Tourcoing – FR
28/10/2021 – Lieu Unique, Nantes – FR
29/10/2021 – Rockschool Barbey, Bordeaux – FR
30/10/2021 – Dabadaba, San Sebastian – ES
01/11/2021 – ZDB, Lisbon – PT (SOLD OUT)
02/11/2021 – El Sol, Madrid – ES
03/11/2021 – Laut, Barcelona – ES
05/11/2021 – Circolo della Musica, Turin – IT
06/11/2021 – Bogen F, Zürich – CH
08/11/2021 – Underdogs’, Prague – CZ
09/11/2021 – Lido, Berlin – DE
10/11/2021 – Hydrozagadka, Warsaw – PL
11/11/2021 – Transcentury Update Warm Up @ UT Connewitz Leipzig – DE
12/11/2021 – Bahnhof Pauli, Hamburg – DE
14/11/2021 – Le Guess Who? Festival, Utrecht – NL
16/11/2021 – Paradiso Noord, Amsterdam – NL (SOLD OUT)
29/11/2021 – Chalk, Brighton – UK
30/11/2021 – Junction 1, Cambridge – UK
01/12/2021 – 1865, Southampton – UK
03/12/2021 – Arts Club, Liverpool – UK
04/12/2021 – Irish Centre, Leeds – UK (SOLD OUT)
06/12/2021 – O2 Ritz Manchester, Manchster – UK
07/12/2021 – Newcastle University Student Union, Newcastle Upon Tyne – UK
08/12/2021 – SWG3, Glasgow – UK
09/12/2021 – The Mill, Birmingham – UK
10/12/2021 – The Waterfront, Norwich – UK
12/12/2021 – SWX, Bristol – UK
13/12/2021 – Y Plas, Cardiff – UK
15/12/2021 – Whelan’s, Dublin – IE (SOLD OUT)
Tickets are available HERE
*Tickets on sale 21/05/2021
‘For the first time’ is available on Limited Edition White LP [with exclusive negative sleeve], Black LP, CD, as well as Cassette (BC,NR store only).
Order the album HERE
Black Country, New Road
For the first time
Out now on Ninja Tune
1.Instrumental
2. Athens, France
3. Science Fair
4. Sunglasses
5. Track X
6. Opus
Black Country, New Road are:
May Kershaw – Keys
Charlie Wayne – Drums
Luke Mark – Guitar
Isaac Wood – Vocals/Guitar
Tyler Hyde – Bass
Lewis Evans – Sax
Georgia Ellery – Violin
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