Page 460 - Guildhall School Coverage Book 2020/21

remember the Mid-00s indie rock wave of British guitar music around bands
like Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party, only to realize that this time already lies 15
years in the past. New waves and bands came and went ever since but those who
tend to declare the end of band-driven guitar music should take a closer look at
what’s happening in Post-Brexit Britain right now. Groups like Black Midi, Dry
Cleaning, Sorry, Squid and Black Country, New Road are currently revitalizing British
guitar music by detaching it from any remaining genre limitations and open it for
uncompromising, improvised jazz influences and no intentions to deliver suitable
streaming-friendly pop gems. And Black Country, New Road might be the finest
representatives of this fascinating movement. Just don’t call it a hype.

The seven-piece have been receiving swelling praise from critics since the release of
their first two singles Sunglasses and Athens, France, culminating this week in a
five-star review for their debut album from The Guardian, the good ol’ NME and
well… we love it a lot as well. Part of the praise surrounding the band seems to
centre on the unlikely combinations that comprise their music: their press photos of
seven relatively clean cut early 20-year old’s and intense post- rock, their lyrics
bringing in seemingly bizarre references to NutriBullets meeting hints of klezmer
music. In short, nothing about this band seems to make a lot of sense, but they’ve
been delighting those who listen regardless.

Recorded over the first lockdown last March, the band have been sitting on For the
First Time for a while as it’s release was pushed back from late 2020 to last
week. For the First Time is a comparatively short album, containing two tracks
already released but cements the band as thrilling newcomers, cementing what
they’ve done previously whilst still nodding to what they have in store for the future. I
met two of the musicians for a talk about the record and their process of developing
the album.

Lockdown’s influence and lack of live

performances