SONG OF THE DAY Black Country, New Road – Sunglasses

---

I thought I had discovered a new band last night when I heard today’s song playing on the radio until I was told, “No, we were listening to this ages ago!”….so, apparently this band have been under my radar since last year, but I reconnected with them again last night!

Black Country, New Road are a 6-piece group who (mostly) originate from my neck of the woods:Cambridge,UK!  Consisting of Charlie (Drums), Georgia (Violin), Isaac (Guitars / Vocals), Lewis (Saxophone), May (Synthesiser) and Tyler (Bass), this alt-rock collective have released two singles to date, but have an album on its way this Summer I believe!  With influences including Shellac, Oxbow and Georgia’s experiences in Klezmer groups, the band created a buzz from the minute they released their debut single!  Athens, France sold out of its pressing on Speedy Wunderground in just days and a lot of their early popularity is a direct result of their crazy live shows!!

Their second single was released on London label, Blank Editions and, in all of its dynamic glory, provides just under nine minutes of punchy, post-punk, post-rock, zany mayhem!  Musically, Sunglasses protrudes with shape-shifting flair, ranging from gentle solace into disharmony as it grows and evolves into a song you wouldn’t quite anticipate judging by the way it starts!  Lyrics are wild and engrossing, twists are unexpected and rousing, whilst the vocal delivery is utterly masterful and truly spirited!  It’s a metamorphosis of sounds and the skilled transition over this nine minutes presents itself in a feast of compelling textures!  Love this!

Speaking of the song front man Isaac Wood explained how, “It describes a series of events, loosely connected, all yet to happen,” says frontman Isaac Wood. “The song was intended to be highly inspirational. The lyrics are sometimes concerned with symbols of wealth or affluence but they are not written from a critical or even external position.” Listen above and check out the lyrics below..I had to include these!!

Lyrics

Welcome
To the best new six-part Danish crime drama
She steams herself in marble rooms, courtesy of Big Pharma
I lose myself in the light of the TV, courtesy of her father
She buys everything that glows gold in the kitchen larder

Mother is juicing watermelons on the breakfast island
And with frail hands she grips the NutriBullet
And the bite of its blades reminds me
Of a future that I am in no way part of
And in a wall of photographs
In the downstairs second living room’s TV area
I become her father
And complain of mediocre theatre in the
Daytime’ and ice in single malt whiskey at night
Of rising skirt hems’ lowering IQs
And things just aren’t built like they used to be
The absolute pinnacle of British engineering

And I am so ignorant now, with all that I have learnt
So ignorant now, with all that I have learnt
Oh baby can you hear me
Oh touch me
Just touch me
Oh touch me
Just like I’ve always wanted
Just fuck me like you mean it this time, Isaac
Buy me dinner, meet my parents
And fuck me like you mean it this time, Isaac
Touch me, oh touched

I am invincible in these sunglasses
I am the Fonz’ I am the Jack of Hearts
I am looking at you and you cannot
Tell I am more than the sum of my parts
I am looking at you with my best eyes and I wish you could tell
I wish all my kids would stop dressing up like Richard Hell
I am locked away in a high-tech, wraparound
Translucent, blue-tinted fortress, and you cannot fucking touch me
I am invincible in these sunglasses
Cars are going beep, beep, beep
And there are so many roadmen on this street
And you cannot tell that I am scared
I am invincible in these sunglasses
I’m modern Scott Walker
I’m a surprisingly smooth talker
And I am invincible in these sunglasses

And I am so ignorant now, with all that I’ve learnt
Oh, baby can you hear me right here
So ignorant now, with all that I’ve learnt
Oh touch me
Oh touch me

I’m more than adequate
Leave Kanye out of this
Leave your Sertraline in the cabinet
And fuck me like you mean it this time, Isaac
I’m more than adequate
Leave my daddy’s job out of this
Leave your Sertraline in the cabinet
And fuck me like you mean it this time, Isaac
I’m more than adequate
Leave Kanye out of this
Leave your Sertraline in the cabinet
And fuck me like you mean it this time, Isaac
I’m more than adequate
Leave my daddy’s job out of this
Leave your Sertraline in the cabinet
And fuck me like you mean it this time, Isaac

She sells chemtrails
To the students at Bedales
I try to free myself from the grip of Shellac nails
She sells chemtrails
To the students at Bedales
I try to free myself from the grip of Shellac nails
She sells chemtrails
To the students at Bedales