Ants from Up There
Black Country, New Road · 2022
58 min · 10 tracks · alternative rock
A mesmerizing blend of intricate arrangements and introspective lyrics that evoke a sense of melancholy and wonder.
Top tracks — play these first
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Bread Song — This track features haunting melodies intertwined with poignant lyrics about loss and longing, encapsulating the album’s thematic focus on introspection.
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Concorde — With its dynamic shifts and rich instrumentation, this song exemplifies the band's ability to merge complex musicality with deeply personal storytelling.
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The Place Where He Inserted the Blade — This lengthy piece showcases an emotional climax of the album, weaving a narrative that deftly navigates themes of pain and healing through its evolving structure.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases intricate compositions and emotional lyrics, establishing a strong identity within its genre.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a brief instrumental track that sets a reflective tone before transitioning into more complex arrangements.
- The final track features an extended outro that gradually fades out, leaving a lingering sense of contemplation.
- Composition 25% of the score
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8/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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8/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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7/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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8/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Significant within its genre. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- long, immersive listening sessions
- dynamic emotional journeys
- layered, dense sonic textures
- gradual builds and payoffs
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released on February 4, 2022, Ants from Up There is Black Country, New Road's sophomore album, following their acclaimed debut, For the First Time. The band had already established themselves as a significant force in the UK music scene, gaining critical recognition for their inventive sound and lyrical depth.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Squid· Black Midi· The Weather Station
Moments worth listening for
Where the writing does something specific.
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Good Will Hunting
The singer reflects on unfulfilled potential while addressing an absent figure directly for the first time.
This direct address creates a stark contrast with earlier tracks that maintain distance, intensifying the emotional weight of regret.
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Intro 0:54
- 2 Chaos Space Marine 3:36
- 3 Concorde 6:03
- 4 Bread Song 6:21
- 5 Good Will Hunting 4:57
- 6 Haldern 5:05
- 7 Mark’s Theme 2:47
- 8 The Place Where He Inserted the Blade 7:13
- 9 Snow Globes 9:13
- 10 Basketball Shoes 12:37
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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