With a harpsichord in one hand and queer undertones in the other, Black Country, New Road makes a triumphant return with their lead single, “Besties,” for their upcoming album Forever Howlong.
“Besties” is the first single to be released without Issac Wood, the band’s former lead vocalist. For context, days before the release of their sophomore album, Ants From Up There, Wood announced that he was leaving the band for mental health reasons. That album ended up being widely acclaimed, with Pitchfork naming it “Best New Music” in 2022.
Despite the setback, Black Country, New Road pushed forward. In 2023, they released Live at Bush Hall, which contained live performances of new songs the band created. Through the album, as a whole, the band showed that they could and would carry on.
Now we’ve arrived at “Besties.” What sets Black Country, New Road apart from others is their tremendous instrumental range. One of my favorite things about listening to a Black Country, New Road release is how unpredictable the trajectory of a song is, and that’s the case for their new single.
The first introduction to the song and album — since “Besties” serves as the first track on Forever Howlong — is May Kershaw going ham on a harpsichord. Upon first listen, I felt like a kid at an arcade, mesmerized by the big and colorful spinny wheel where I’d soon lose all of my credits.
We’re then launched into a cathartic intro that sets the tone for what’s to follow. Georgia Ellery performs the lead vocals for this song. (Side note: she’s also the lead singer of Jockstrap, a duo you should check out.)
The first verse contains lyrics that I think many can relate to in terms of friendship.
“I wanna be anywhere other than this /
I wanna see my best friend waving at me /
I wanna be living with you /
Seeing it through”
This feeling is all too familiar. I’ve been in many situations where I thought, “This would be so much better if my best friend were here.” The music video encapsulates this feeling perfectly.
Until the first chorus, it’s easy to interpret the song as a simple expression of friendship. However, the emotions in this relationship are deeper than what’s on the surface, and the romantic feeling felt by the narrator may be one-sided.
“Yeah, I know what’s expected of me /
Besties, night and day /
Remember when I said he shouldn’t treat you that way, and are you sure? /
I know I want something more”
There’s an expectation that comes with being a “bestie,” which is being available at all times and providing support when the other needs it. The narrator understands this and tries her best to assist her friend, who’s in the midst of a turbulent relationship. However, there’s a deep yearning on the narrator’s side of things for the situation to progress past a simple friendship.
But fears begin to arise about reciprocation on the other end.
“And what about you? /
In fact, don’t answer that /
Wouldn’t want it any other way”
This friendship seems to be going well, but throwing a confession of love into the mix might shake things up for the worse. If you follow the friends-to-lovers trope playbook, not admitting romantic feelings is how you play it safe. You could confess and risk losing a friend, or you could say nothing at all and keep a good thing going.
The conflict in the narrator’s mind creates a feeling of desperation for the other party to give into the narrator’s desires.
“Yeah, I came out and where were you? /
I think you see right through me /
Bestie, on my mind /
Just lean into it”
This statement deflects the first move onto the friend, begging her to take action if she knows how the narrator feels. The narrator understands how cliché this trope is and admits to it wholeheartedly.
“I’m a walking TikTok trend /
But the color runs out in the end”
These feelings have been felt by others before, and this experience is not original. Our narrator knows how the situation will play out and accepts that one step further will ruin the friendship.
Throughout the song, the instrumental travels through intense and soft moments, serving as a representation of the rocky feelings and array of emotions felt by the narrator. On first listen, “Besties” sounds like a happy, surface-level song, but a dive into the lyrical content reveals the opposite. The juxtaposition between the instrumental and lyrics creates depth and sums up the song well: a friendship that looks perfect to observers but, in reality, contains a one-sided desire for something more.
I highly recommend giving “Besties” a listen, especially if you’re a sucker for the saxophone.
To partially quote “Up Song – Live at Bush Hall” – look at what they did together.
