London art rockers Black Country, New Road have shared a video for Besties, the first new music from their just-announced third album Forever Howlong, which the band will release through Ninja Tune Records on April 4.
It's the band's first studio release since 2022's Top Five album Ants From Up There, the release of which was somewhat overshadowed by the departure of vocalist Isaac Wood.
Forever Howlong arrives with lead vocal duties now shared between Tyler Hyde, May Kershaw and Georgia Ellery. “It opened up a real through-line in having three girls singing,” says Ellery. “It's definitely very different to Ants From Up There because of having that different female perspective – and the music we've made also really compliments that.”
"Besties came into my world with a dance of feelings, with such an understood concept of exploring the core emotion of taking on the world, and its obstacles to be with her, the bestie, again," Ellery continues about the band's new single on which she takes sole lead vocal.
"Building this with the band took me to so many memories, informed by a collective of experiences from my childhood writing letters and maps to my bestie, into formulating our own map and sliding-doors effect narrative - charged with the instinctual punch and intuition of: I need to be with my bestie now. Working with Georgia, May and Tyler was a real treat across their performances especially, and quite literally, running from the more conventional lip-sync world, and injecting cameo moments with Charlie, Lewis and Luke.
"Knee-high in January’s jacket of mud, darkness, fields, street corners and a pack of hounds we found the beating heart of a world made better by chasing love and connection. Shooting in these conditions, and having fun is a real testament to a fantastic team and collective of people! It’s been such a pleasure, this song was love at first harpsichord!
The sextet have also announced live dates for 2025, including festival dates at Primavera Sound, Paredes De Coura, Lowlands and End Of The Road followed by a full UK and EU tour in September and October, ending eith the band's biggest headline show to date at London's O2 Brixton Academy. You can see all the dates and ticket details below.
Forever Howlong will be available as a standard 2LP on recycled black vinyl, a white label 2LP signed by the band, an Indie exclusive negative effect artworked 2LP, and both a Collector's Edition 2LP with an alternate tracklisting in translucent eco jazz red and a Collector's Edition Cassette, also featuring the alternate tracklisting.
Black Country, New Road 2025 Live Dates
Jun 7: SPA Barcelona Primavera Sound
Aug 5: POR Paredes De Coura
Aug 17: NED Biddinghuizen Lowlands Festival
Aug 28 - 31: UK Dorset End Of The Road
Sep 11: UK Nottingham Rock City
Sep 12: UK Manchester Albert Hall
Sep 15: IRE Dublin Olympia
Sep 18: UK Glasgow Barrowlands
Sep 20: UKL Gateshead The Glasshouse
Sep 22: UK Bristol Beacon
Sep 24: UK Cambridge The Corn Exchange
Oct 9: FRA Paris Casino De Pari
Oct 10: FRA Nantes Stereolux
Oct 12: NED Amsterdam Paradiso
Oct 14: GER Cologne Gloria
Oct 15: GER Berlin Astra
Oct 17: DEN Copenhagen Vega
Oct 18: SWE Stockholm Fallan
Oct 19: NOR Olso Sentrum Scene
Oct 21: GER Hamburg Mojo
Oct 22: CZE Prague Roxy
Oct 23 : SWI Lausanne Les Docks
Oct 25: ITA Milan Magazzini Genera
Oct 26: FRA Lyon Epicerie Moderne
Oct 28: BEL Brussels Ancienne Belgique
Oct 30: UK Brighton Dome
Oct 31: UK London O2 Brixton Academy
Fans can get pre-sale ticket access for the United Kingdom and Ireland dates by pre-ordering any album format of Forever Howlong by 3pm GMT on February 4. Purchasers will be sent a code via their email.
Tickets will then go on general sale Friday 7th February at 10am local time.
