For the First Time is the debut album from UK based post-rockers Black Country, New Road. A band whose purpose seems to be creating ominous atmospheres through their tension filled guitar riffs and chaotic saxophone outbursts. Opener “Instrumental,” works like the title sequence for a film, building anticipation as it layers on more and more instruments until it explodes in it’s final climax. “Athens, France” begins with a riff that sounds right out of Slint’s Spiderland , whose influence can be seen all over this record, even getting namedropped in the track “Science Fair,” which is one of the most tense moments on the record with saxophones and guitars exploding with cathartic bursts of noise. This tension is built all the way up until the outro which can only be described as pure evil with it’s unsettling wall of noise.

     The highlight of the album is “Sunglasses,” which begins with an excellent drone of extremely distorted guitar which then subsides into the verse of the song with it’s changing time signatures and spoken word vocal that builds to an incredible refrain (“I’m so ignorant now…”). This refrain then collapses back into the verse, this time with a bit more of a pulse, which then builds into the bridge where the song gets more and more unhinged as singer Isaac Wood provides one of the most powerful performances of the record. The album soon subdues itself a bit with “Track X” where the band becomes very tranquil and calming while still retaining dark undertones with the use of dissonant strings. Closer “Opus” is where the saxophones may be most effective on the album with their melancholic melodies throughout the verses, and their manic staccato releases during the faster instrumental sections. The song builds to an extremely powerful climax before leaving us with the haunting moans of that beautiful saxophone melody.

     With For the First Time, Black Country, New Road have started their career strong, throughout it’s 40 minute runtime it succeeds in constructing an incredibly dark atmosphere that captivates the listener with every musical twist and turn it throws their way. I’m very excited to see what this band does in the future.

Starting in the winter of 2019, while most of the band members were still in highschool, Orange Culture, and fellow bands like The Snapping Turtlenecks, revitalized the Roanoke Valley youth music scene, playing a series of high energy shows across Southwest Virginia. Orange Culture’s combination of original music, unique sound on Retrograde Tapes EP and popular singles like Kratom Days and Ten Rings, as well their technical prowess and showmanship, allowed them to develop a rabid following of young moshers and headbangers. Their growing reputation landed them opportunities to play for larger crowds, opening for the likes of B.o.B, Kendall Street Company, Adam Rutledge, and upcoming Floydfest 2021. With social media streams and views of their music and video posts numbering in the hundreds of thousands across their Spotify, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook pages, Orange Culture has made fans all over the United States, as well as the Czech Republic, Russia, Germany, Australia, Canada, Japan, and the UK.

After some early lineup changes, the band settled into the rhythm section of Reid Jepson (drums) and Landon Carder (bass), who provide a tight, steady groove and dynamic backbeat for the sonic soundscapes of guitarist Charlie Lewis. Lyricist and lead vocalist, Griffin Boucher, sings with a unique voice, writing stories well beyond his teenage years, about a generation struggling under the sun in a fragile world. But one thing about the restless, young band is unmistakably clear…Orange Culture plays with the confidence and energy of a band out to breath new life into Rock and Roll!