Black Country, New Road are delighted to share the news that their album “For the first time” has been shortlisted for the 2021 Hyundai Mercury Prize.
“It felt great to release our debut album earlier this year and to see so many people enjoy it. For it to be nominated for such a prestigious award has blown our minds! We feel truly grateful for the album to be shortlisted in a year when so many other great albums were released too.”
“For the first time” was released in February on Ninja Tune and immediately saw the band embedded in the public consciousness as a vital prospect in forward-thinking music. A prospect perhaps best defined by The Times who wrote in their 5/5 write-up that they were “the most exciting band of 2021” and The Observer who called their record “one of the best albums of the year”. “For the first time” was welcomed by extensive critical support globally, and also made a significant dent on the UK Albums Chart, landing at #4 in its first week, a remarkable achievement for a largely experimental debut record.
As well as today’s Mercury Prize shortlist inclusion, “For the first time” has also made a wide number of mid-year “best of” lists at press, radio and retail already. They sit at the top of Uncut’s and have seen further inclusion at The Guardian, NME, SPIN, Stereogum, The Quietus, Pop Matters, 6 Music’s Albums Of The Year So Far, KCRW, Rough Trade, Resident and Norman Records.
Earlier this year, “For the first time” also reached #1 on Any Decent Music, #2 at Album Of The Year and sat at #1 on Rate Your Music for several weeks, remaining the record to generate the most fan reviews and site discussion there this year. Black Country, New Road and “For the first time” were also declared Artist Of The Week and Album Of The Week at the likes of The Observer, The Line Of Best Fit and Stereogum, and saw features, including covers and reviews, from the likes of Mojo, NPR, CRACK, Uncut, The Quietus, Pitchfork, The FADER, Loud & Quiet, The Face, Paste, The Needle Drop, DIY, NME, CLASH, So Young, Dork and more.
The band recently shared a live version video of “Opus”, which was taken from their “Live From Another World” session.
Watch “Live From Another World” in full HERE
The band will play the following dates in 2021:
15/08/2021 – Rotondes, Luxembourg – LUX
19-22/08/2021 – We Out Here, Cambridgeshire – UK
02-05/09/2021 – End Of The Road, London – UK
03/09/2021 – Wide Awake, London – UK
14/09/2021 – Electric Ballroom, London – UK (SOLD OUT) *
23/10/2021 – Bumann & Sohn, Cologne – DE
24/10/2021 – Botanique Orangerie, Belgium – BE
25/10/2021 – Le Trabendo, Paris – FR
27/10/2021 – Le Grand Mix, Tourcoing – FR
28/10/2021 – Lieu Unique, Nantes – FR
29/10/2021 – Rockschool Barbey, Bordeaux – FR
30/10/2021 – Dabadaba, San Sebastian – ES
01/11/2021 – ZDB, Lisbon – PT (SOLD OUT)
02/11/2021 – El Sol, Madrid – ES
03/11/2021 – Laut, Barcelona – ES
05/11/2021 – Circolo della Musica, Turin – IT
06/11/2021 – Bogen F, Zürich – CH
08/11/2021 – Underdogs’, Prague – CZ
09/11/2021 – Lido, Berlin – DE
10/11/2021 – Hydrozagadka, Warsaw – PL
11/11/2021 – Transcentury Update Warm Up @ UT Connewitz Leipzig – DE
12/11/2021 – Bahnhof Pauli, Hamburg – DE
14/11/2021 – Le Guess Who? Festival, Utrecht – NL
16/11/2021 – Paradiso Noord, Amsterdam – NL (SOLD OUT)
29/11/2021 – Chalk, Brighton – UK *
30/11/2021 – Junction 1, Cambridge – UK *
01/12/2021 – 1865, Southampton – UK *
03/12/2021 – Arts Club, Liverpool – UK *
04/12/2021 – Irish Centre, Leeds – UK (SOLD OUT) *
06/12/2021 – O2 Ritz Manchester, Manchster – UK *
07/12/2021 – Newcastle University Student Union, Newcastle Upon Tyne – UK *
08/12/2021 – SWG3, Glasgow – UK *
09/12/2021 – The Mill, Birmingham – UK *
10/12/2021 – The Waterfront, Norwich – UK *
12/12/2021 – SWX, Bristol – UK *
13/12/2021 – Y Plas, Cardiff – UK *
15/12/2021 – Whelan’s, Dublin – IE (SOLD OUT) *
* – with Ethan P. Flynn
Black Country, New Road
For the first time
Out now on Ninja Tune
1. Instrumental
2. Athens, France
3. Science Fair
4. Sunglasses
5. Track X
6. Opus
Black Country, New Road are:
May Kershaw – Keys
Charlie Wayne – Drums
Luke Mark – Guitar
Isaac Wood – Vocals/Guitar
Tyler Hyde – Bass
Lewis Evans – Sax
Georgia Ellery – Violin