Nathaniel Clark

Staff Writer

nuc5002@psu.edu

On February 4, British rock band Black Country, New Road released their second

studio album Ants from Up There. This release follows the band’s debut album For the first time

from 2021 and accolades said album received. Released exactly a year after BCNRs first

album, Ants from Up There comes in around an hour length with ten tracks. The record was

produced over two weeks at Chale Abbey on the Isle of Wight with the band’s live sound

engineer Sergio Maschetzko at the board. This is the band’s final album to feature lead vocalist

and guitarist Isaac Wood (known as The Guest) as his departure was announced four days

before the album’s release.

One of the main differences between the band’s first album-length venture and Ants

from Up There are the different genres. While For the first time can easily be placed in the post-punk genre, Ants from Up There is more fluid as it can be placed in post-rock and chamber pop. One of the main factors which make this album harder to define are the influences which range from indie rock bands like Arcade Fire, art pop icons ala Sufjan Stevens, and more contemporary artists like Billie Eilish (who gets multiple name drops throughout the project).

“Chaos Space Marine,” the album’s lead single, was described by Isaac Wood as “the

best song [they have] ever written.” The overall grandiosity of the track acts as a perfect

introduction to the sort of musical production found on the rest of the project. Based on science

fiction stories, “Concorde” is split into two sections with the first one being more tender and

mellow, leading into the second half being more energetic and eruptive. “Bread Song” is another

classic piece that demonstrates Isaac Wood’s peculiar writing style. He discusses one’s desire to be vulnerable and intimate with someone else and the emotional struggle associated with having that initiative was rejected.

Closing out the album is the song “Basketball Shoes.” The track acts as a medley of the

whole album by containing motifs repeated from the album’s earlier songs. Predating For the

first time, “Basketball Shoes” was one of the first songs the band wrote. Originally describing

an unhealthy obsession with British singer Charli XCX, the track underwent significant lyrical

changes for the final version.

In essence, Ants from Up There acts as a showcase that the band has more in store for

the rest of their career, no signs of a sophomore slump here. Even though Isaac Wood is gone, I

believe that the band still has a bright future. Long live Black Country, New Road.

Release date: February 4, 2022

Length: 58:51 

Number of tracks: 10