Black Country, New Road unveil their charming evolution with new single ‘Happy Birthday’
The second single from their upcoming third album continues to prove the band’s commitment to intricacy and wondrous maximalism.
Photo: Eddie Whelan
The second single from Forever Howlong, Black Country, New Road’s highly anticipated third album, arrives ahead of its April 4th release via Ninja Tune. Following the celebrated Besties, Happy Birthday reaffirms that, despite a new line-up, the band’s signature vibrancy, sonic intricacy, and powerful arrangements continue as boundless as ever. Accompanying the release is a stunning stop-motion video by Lesley-Anne Rose depicting two birds escaping hunters — a haunting and visually rich piece reminiscent of Chris Hopewell’s work with Radiohead.
The track commences into wondrous instrumental lines that weave seamlessly around Tyler Hyde’s vocals. Its arrangement is bright and dynamic, controlled yet bubbling with a rich blend of the band’s old and new timbres. Driven by bright piano and fluid guitar lines, the song unfolds with relentless purpose and remains exhilarating and unpredictable throughout. Hyde’s vocals soar and, after Georgia Ellery’s performance on Besties, proves the band are bursting with vocal and song-writing power. Textures grow and topple over throughout as the ensemble swells around Hyde, yet beneath the vibrant instrumentation it becomes clear this isn’t a birthday song but a frustrated commentary on generational privilege and self-absorption.
“It’s not your fault, we don’t blame you / We blame the world you were born into”
— Happy Birthday (2025)
This being the forthcoming album’s second single anticipates something undeniably different from their previous releases, as the lead vocals and songwriting has been taken over by Hyde, Ellery, and May Kershaw. This new configuration breeds a fresh and intriguing sense of connection and song-writing interplay that will undeniably lead to some fascinating ventures for Forever Howlong.
“When I wrote ‘Happy Birthday’, I had Georgia’s song ‘Besties’ in my head while I was writing it,” says Hyde. “Therefore, the structure of it is heavily influenced by it.” Happy Birthday offers a momentous, sonically rich glimpse into the new Black Country, New Road, hinting that their upcoming third album will further set them apart — embracing limitless creativity, relentless motion, and expansive sonic ambition.
Forever Howlong will be released on April 4th via Ninja Tune and followed by a newly announced UK tour in April 2025.