The task of changing one’s sound is an impossibly daunting one at the best of times— for Black Country, New Road, it’s a downright frightening prospect. After former singer Isaac Wood left the band in 2023, the now six-piece have been forced to scramble to fill his shoes, doing everything they can to distance themselves from the melancholic compositions of ‘Ants From Up There.’ By contrast, ‘Forever Howlong’ aims to be the most adorable album of 2025, using everything from its endearing artwork to its bright and whimsical arrangements to signal a new chapter for BCNR. Though the transition isn’t without its quirks, we’re pleased to report that ‘Forever Howlong’ is just about as loveable as it sets out to be.

Setting itself apart from the very insular and claustrophobic character portrait of ‘Ants From Up There,’ ‘Forever Howlong’ acts more like a patchwork of endearing little escapades, exploring homely themes of friendship, romance, belonging and womanhood throughout its eleven tracks. The group’s unique instrumental palate hasn’t gone anywhere: in fact, BCNR are leaning further into their eclectic sound on this one, attempting to turn each track into something brighter and more wholesome than the band have ever created before. The range of styles and timbres the group pull off is staggering— there’s a harpsichord intro on ‘Besties,’ a country-jam throughout ‘Two Horses,’ three part vocal harmonies that define ‘Mary,’ woodwind-forward scoring on the title track and so, so many more diverse and unconstrained ideas here. This more joyous feeling seeps into the performances as well— Ellery, Hyde and Kershaw all bring unique and intimate vocal performances to the table, playing off each other brilliantly as the six members continue to demonstrate their refined instrumental playing.

This whimsy lends itself to a number of adorable tunes throughout ‘Forever Howlong,’ all of which bounce along with a gentle yet infectious momentum. Lead single ‘Besties’ may open in a grand display of vocal harmony and Pink Floyd-esque bravado, but the track is really defined by its wandering saxophone accompaniments and sweet guitar underscoring— the track’s explorations of friendship and lesbianism are captured succinctly in this cute little arrangement, showcasing the band’s central focus on crafting the most loveable collection of tunes possible. A number of cuts, including the off-kilter ‘The Big Spin’ and heartfelt closer ‘Goodbye (Don’t Tell Me),’ sit among Black Country, New Road’s shortest and least intricate, yet succeed in spades when it comes to memorability and effectiveness— the latter is especially gorgeous, with its refrain of “I’ve fallen in love with a feeling” sending the album out on an indisputable high note.

These songs are certainly sweet, though are unlikely to sit among many BCNR fans favourites lists: it’s in its longer, more ambitious compositions that ‘Forever Howlong’ really makes its mark, elevating itself from a charming folk-rock record to an impressive feat of songwriting and storytelling. ‘Two Horses’ is the album’s crown jewel, standing apart from everything the band have ever produced, even as it fits into their discography seamlessly. Ellery’s vocals soar as she recounts tales of journeys across the wild west, scored by evocative banjos and guitars— as the song slowly morphs into a momentum-fuelled gallop packed full of excitement and energy, its genius becomes clear. Similar praise could be heaped onto single ‘For the Cold Country,’ which sees the group amping the song up from a cozy, wintery ballad into a show-stopping crescendo of soprano vocals and furious percussion. Black Country, New Road are at their best when let off the leash: it’s in the moments of infectious rhythm on ‘Happy Birthday’ or ‘Nancy Tries to Take the Night’ that the group really win us over.

Structuring an album around a collection of isolated short stories does leave room for some inconsistency though, and ‘Forever Howlong’ frequently falters when BCNR fail to divorce themselves from the intimate spoken passages that ran all-throughout ‘Ants From Up There.’ A number of these songs are often left to stumble between their various segments, often failing to build any momentum or drive in the meantime. The six-minute ‘Socks’ is a prime example, seeing Hyde’s vocals left out to dry as the rest of the band, seemingly, refuse to settle in together. ‘Salem Sisters’ suffers in a similar manner: though the track has all the makings of an infectious jam like ‘Besties,’ the constant time signature changes leave it feeling a little more confused than we might’ve hoped for. We’d also be best off not mentioning the title track, which winds up as (by far) the most lethargic and poorly-paced cut on the record: the talents of drummer Charlie Wayne often feel wasted when the band outright refuse to let him get into a groove.

It’s important to remember that ‘Forever Howlong’ is not ‘Ants From Up There,’ and it’s very clear that it’s not trying to be. Black Country, New Road may not be crafting the emotionally poignant compositions they were a few years ago, but their dedication to evolving their sound is more than admirable. In its best moments, the new album manages to reach staggering heights of instrumental variety and sonic depth— we just wish those moments were dished out more consistently, or tied together into a more cohesive package. ‘Forever Howlong’ may well wind up as a stepping stone release for BCNR if the six-piece manage to refine this style down the road: for now though, the best tracks from the new album are more than enough to keep us smiling.