Black Country, New Road – For the First Time

For the First Time (stylized in sentence case as For the first time) is the debut studio album by British rock band Black Country, New Road, released on 5 February 2021 through Ninja Tune. The album was preceded by the release of two singles, “Science Fair” and “Track X”, and also includes re-recorded versions of their 2019 debut singles “Athens, France” and “Sunglasses”. Known for experimenting with post-punk, klezmer, free jazz, and math rock, the band showcased a clear preference for atmospherics over post-punk on For the First Time.

The album received widespread acclaim from music critics for its experimental sound and poetic lyricism. It was nominated for the Mercury Prize in 2021. It was successful commercially, debuting at No. 4 on the UK Albums Chart.