The following that Black Country, New Road have cultivated may seem a bit odd out of context, because For the first time is their debut album. The band is not popular in a pop sense, and their music isn’t designed to get them there. However, BC, NR has already made a dent in their niche off the back of two stellar singles and rapturous live shows in England. The opening track, "Instrumental", makes it easy to see why - it's hard not to long for a live show in the age of coronavirus lockdowns when hearing musicianship this good.
BC, NR has been described as a "post-punk" band, but "Instrumental" is far from the typical way a modern band with that label begins a debut record. The song is a romp that excels in how it builds. Percussion, bass, keys, guitar, and sax progressively pile over one another to form an irresistible driving rhythm. The band is a force of nature, with violinist Georgia Ellery and saxophonist Lewis Evans standing out in particular as it moves through fluid, klezmer-infused themes. "Instrumental" is a hell of a way to introduce themselves to the uninitiated.
BC, NR, is young and modern - unapologetically so. This comes through in 22-year-old frontman Issac Wood’s lyricism. In “Science Fair”, some of his best moments are simple, yet so unabashedly of-his-age that they are instantly quotable (“Still living with my mother / As I move from one micro-influencer to another / References, references, references / What are you on tonight? / I love this city, despite the burden of preferences / What a time to be alive”). Wood moves with restless energy, and is clearly, as many younger musicians tend to be, aware of the band's perception in the press and social media. A lot of his lyrics are self-referential, and some lines are a clear wink at the audience (“Just to think I could've left the fair with my dignity intact / And fled from the stage with the world's second-best Slint tribute act"). The song is BC, NR at their best – a shot of adrenaline to the veins powered by discordant guitar, abrasive sax, dark keys – and the ending is colossal.
Hectic performances like “Science Fair” are what gained BC, NR their current fanbase, and this was embodied in their fiery second single, “Sunglasses”. However, BC, NR opted to re-record the song for the album, and there are key lyrical moments that are taken out completely (“fuck me like you mean it Issac”) or lyrically neutered (“and you cannot touch me” sung plainly as opposed to the yelp of “and you cannot fucking touch me!”). Wood’s approach is much more melodic and forlorn this time around. He does get forceful in the end, but it would have been great to hear something different that consistently matches the visceral, more expressive nature of the original. Instrumentally, the band is still great – especially during the twisted deluge of a breakdown in the middle of the song. Despite the complaints, this version of “Sunglasses” is still a good song - those who haven't spent a year listening to the first version are unlikely to find it disappointing if their ears agree with the rest of For the first time.
BC, NR's first single, “Athens, France” was also re-made for the album, and the changes go over much better than in “Sunglasses” despite being of a similar ilk. Wood retains his anxious cadence in the beginning, but like “Sunglasses”, he is less explicit lyrically and is at times more melodic. This smoother approach comes off very well in the more melancholic instrumental passages of the song – and the recording is notably cleaner. The new “Athens, France”, like “Sunglasses”, will be divisive amongst fans, but the sonic changes work to its advantage. The horns sound much better, and the way the guitar part twinkles through the ending gives the song a dreamy beauty.
BC, NR spend much of For the first time in moving towards or away from tension – be it in the instrumental approach or Wood’s words, but “Track X” is an outlier. A graceful combination of saxophone, keys, and violin gives the song a chamber-pop prettiness absent from the rest of the album. “Track X” is a gentle remembrance of a former love and the anguish that came with losing it. The song is a sweet change of pace before the frantic album closer "Opus" resumes regular proceedings. The klezmer-influence returns on “Opus” and the band move at a breakneck pace. Strong performances from the violin and sax are again key to success as the song shifts between sections of relentless attack and mellow beauty. Like on “Science Fair”, the power of BC, NR is monumental by the end of “Opus”.
BC, NR does a lot of things very well on For the first time, but one of the most notable of how consistently the album maintains a great groove. The album is vibrant and easy to nod along to, and Wood's presence can be striking. BC, NR is a band with the chops to develop in different ways - the wildest parts of “Instrumental” suggest an ability to focus on looser, more improvised territory and “Track X” shows that they have no problem knocking out something with a lighter, more immediately accessible structure. The talent is evident, and the future is looking bright. For the first time is a great debut that will push BC, NR’s stature to new heights.
