Matt’s Take
Black Country, New Road is easily the most exciting rock band today, and rather fortunately/unfortunately Ants From Up There serves as an almost swan song for the eclectic group following vocalist and guitarist Isaac Wood’s departure from the band. This album serving as a swan song is unfortunate due to how much potential the group still had, especially so early in their career, and fortunate because Ants From Up There feels like a perfect send-off for Wood and what he brought to the band.
One year ago, to the day, Black Country, New Road dropped what would eventually become my favorite album of 2021: For the First Time and unleashed their chaotic style to the world. This album has been praised enough, including in my review for this site, but more than anything, the album was one of the best breakthrough albums in many years. It let people in on a new sound that could only evolve and become more grandiose as the years go on. With Ants From Up There, the band has proven that and then some.
I should say that it is rare for a new album to really hit me emotionally, but Ants From Up There hit harder than I ever would have expected it to. Even going into this album with a melancholic excitement knowing it would be the last to feature Wood on vocals, this album still floored me especially with the final three tracks: “The Place Where He Inserted the Blade,” “Snow Globes,” and the absolutely gut-wrenching “Basketball Shoes.” This album is the proper send-off for the original lineup of the band, and I knew that even before “Basketball Shoes” ended. It is the poignant final song that some legendary bands don’t even get to have, whether it be from running out of steam or unexpectedly breaking up before releasing a true finale.
A lot of praise has been thrown at Isaac Wood in this review up to this point, even though there is not enough praise to give to him, but I must shift focus to the surrounding instruments on display. From the expected bass, guitar, and drums to the more unique saxophone, cello, violin, and glockenspiel, this album delivers a maximalist sound that you don’t get from too much rock music these days. It is the same abrasive style found on For the First Time, but with a more symbiotic relationship with Wood’s vocals and eccentric lyrics that has finally found its true potential. Everything on this record meshes absolutely flawlessly, and listeners will get the feeling that they are listening to a seasoned rock band that have finally cracked the code on finding their sound after years of hard work. Not bad for a second album by a band of people in their early to mid 20s.
I must end this review for fear of this becoming a repetitive golden shower of praise, but I just need to thank this band, this record, and Isaac Wood especially for proving that rock is still alive and weird. I am still excited for what the future holds for the group, but I will miss the off-kilter heart that Wood brought to the group and I can only wish him the best as he works on his mental health. For the First Time stands as one of my favorite albums of all-time, and I am nothing but truly proud and happy to announce that Ants From Up There is right up there next to its predecessor in my heart. While this piece serves as a less technical and specific review than I would usually write for this site, I hope that at the very least this love letter that I have penned for a monumental work of art inspires those not familiar with the group to check them out. Thank you Black Country, New Road and godspeed to you all.
Top Three Tracks: “Chaos Space Marine,” “The Place Where He Inserted the Blade,” and “Basketball Shoes.”
Score: 10/10