Intro is an instrumental track that preludes the rest of the record quite well! The strings and saxophone combine in a pristinely bright manner — something that will keep happening throughout the album.

Mid 8.

Chaos Space Marine is a very personal track in which the narrator expresses a tired distaste and need for anarchy — but with a strong, overarching vulnerability and powerlessness. Instrumentally, it’s a fantastic and theatrical cut with an absolutely larger-than-life chorus. The performances are also incredibly clean and bright, as well as spotlessly mixed in a way that accentuates the cleanliness and energy.

Mid-High 8.

Concorde is both a metaphor for someone the narrator loves and for the sunk cost fallacy. The mere power of the Concorde plane represents the crushing inferiority the narrator feels in the face of this person, who they seem to only be holding on to due to the aptly named Concorde fallacy. This track continues with the very bright and emotive chamber pop aesthetic, and it also boasts some greatly heartfelt performances. However, this time around, the energy is traded for an emotional (albeit slightly less moving) balance between endearment and melancholy, with a particularly splendid explosion in the outro.

Mid-High 8.

Bread Song is —lyrically— a heartbreaking detailing of the narrator’s saddeningly relatable state, one of one-sidedness, fading love, and growing distaste. This track explores an introspective and downcast instrumental approach quite well due to its beautiful piano and saxophone arrangements. The song structure is also noteworthy due to its ability to build up emotion throughout, although it does feel ever-so-slightly drawn out, for my taste.

Mid 8.

Good Will Hunting has absolutely fantastic lyricism from the very first verse. The lyrics depict the protagonist coming across as more codependent and in spiteful heartbreak than they have done previously — in a truly sympathy-inducing way. Also, the conversational approach to the writing is quite creative and fits considerably well with the anecdotal feel of the track. Moreover, the instrumentation and arrangements on this track do a fantastic job at being intoxicating in their rhythm and emotion, and also have great chemistry with Isaac Wood’s vocal performance.

Low-Mid 9.

Haldern is another beautifully poetic and sincere track that deals with the overwhelming pains and emotions of dehumanisation someone might feel at the time of a breakup or dying relationship. Instrumentally, this cut feels like it has oodles of depth, in the most playful and artful of ways. What’s more, the song is also hypnotic and aesthetically orchestrated; as well as emotionally devastating. This profound emotion beautifully contrasts with the tone of the performances as they, simultaneously, form a gigantically alluring soundscape to behold.

Mid 9.

Mark’s Theme is an instrumental track that gives more ear time for the non-vocal performers to shine on a bright and charming palette cleanser. Personally, this cut marks the halfway point after which the album feels wholly superior.

Low-Mid 8.

The Place Where He Inserted the Blade has allusions to alienation and uses the imagery of childhood times in order to explore this emotional/social separation, as well as the previously established themes of a dying relationship. This track is also the most blatantly straightforward about the narrator’s codependence. Moreover, the outro switches these topics to be about the perspective of a musician in the face of stressful expectations in the music world — similar to the band’s lyrical approach in their debut record. Instrumentally, this track has one the most evocative cases of cohesion between Isaac Wood’s greatly sincere and energetic vocal performance and the beautifully arranged passages; flawlessly performed by virtue of the rest of this wonderful band. Finally, this track masterfully hits a multitude of compositional and structural marks — ultimately arriving at a highly emotive moment in the chorus due to a brilliantly crafted buildup.

Low-Mid 9.

Snow Globes: here, we’re introduced to the character of Henry; described as emotionally hollowed by a set of painful attempts to hold on to past memories. This emotional setback is also explored with a recurring symbol in the Black Country, New Road discography: the clamp, achingly blocking the possibility of betterment. However, this character is not the speaker; rather, it’s someone asking for God’s forgiveness in the face of Henry’s actions — which are mostly those of sacrilege. Still, the moniker “God of weather” also subtly suggests polytheism and thus more blasphemy. Overall, taking this into account, the lyrics come across as a fully unfruitful attempt at forgiveness. This —regarding the protagonist for the rest of the album— parallels their selfless need to forgive/justify their previous partner despite (or perhaps even against) their own interests. Sonically, the drum performance on this track is absolutely stunning and beautiful in its calculated chaos. Additionally, every other performance complements this greatly into a grandiosely euphoric track. Personally, the drum’s breakdown is towering and powerful enough that I would even call it the climax of the album (apart from the actual finale, of course).

Low 9.

Basketball Shoes has three sections, resulting in a structure that is epic, ever-growing, and admirable:

Part I seems to allude to a painful and unfruitful attempt at moving on from the romantic rupture explored throughout the album, with additional overtones of a lingering sexual attraction. The instrumental opening, as well as the introduction of the vocals, are both very moving in a straightforward, focused and greatly performed manner.

Part II delves deeper into the pain caused by the narrator’s estrangement from their former significant other. Audibly, this second part is highly energetic and evocatively youthful, which has great chemistry with the hurt and tortured vocal performance.

Part III has the most remnants of this track’s previous renditions, which had more blatant mentions of Charli XCX. On this studio version, however, the wet dream is kept; but it’s less important who it is about on this —more mature and fleshed out— time around. Themes of the monotony that plagues a dying relationship are also explored. Moreover, the juxtaposition of this embarrassing moment with days past when our protagonist was the subject of “crippling” interest makes for quite a heartbreaking moment. This is accompanied by a magnificent instrumental, courtesy of Pig’s the band’s immense-sounding performances and arrangements towards the end. All in all, the cut is a beautifully conclusive, carried out, and evocative closing track. This conclusivity is, needless to say, disheartening in the most artistic of ways.

Mid 9.