The South West folk-punk outfit are back with a frank and emotional LP, where they work through themes of breakups, heartbreak and the feeling of hitting rock bottom.
The record opens with a monumental bang- The Only Life Worth Living is a monster - driving drums and a hugely euphoric pop-punk chorus clears away any cobwebs right away. There is no fucking around from Black Water County, they mean business from the outset.
They deviate from punk to folk and back again on Cruel State of Mind, which starts off as a sensitive folk-y number before blasting back headfirst into the punk. The scuzzy, fuzzy guitar is a delight, and it powers along with their thunderous rhythm section and a snare so powerfully punchy, it sounds like a shotgun blast.
Their punkier leanings dominate the record, to great effect. The songs are performed at a frantic pace with a clear eye on the live show - these cuts are bespoke numbers designed to open circle pits. Disasters, and 'The Archives' are perfect examples of this, and with a band that has been writing and performing together for over a decade at this point, they clearly know exactly how to whip up a punk show.
The band are also expert at 'bait and switch': Here We Are Again is a prime example of Black Water County commencing a song with a gorgeous, sensitive, folky feeling and building it up to a snarling, punk banger. They pull it off with aplomb. Second Guessing is a real highlight of sensitivity, with Creeper's Hannah Greenwood supplying a quite stunning vocal feature. It's a cut of stark quiet in the record - introspective self reckoning and soul-searching melancholy. Perhaps slightly out of place on an album of such punk-vivacity, but it's one of the best numbers on the whole record.
Overall a huge effort from BWC, culminating in a fantastically fizzy and punky record. Designed for live play, this will certainly go off in the live environment.
"THE ONLY LIFE WORTH LIVING"
TO BE RELEASED ON 3 NOVEMBER 2023
