“Ants From Up There” Songs Ranked

My god, “Ants From Up There” is one of the best albums ever. I finally listened to it while going through 2022‘s high-rated music and I immediately fell in love. To put it into context, I was going to briefly listen to each track again for the purpose of this list (just to finalize the rankings) but I ended up listening to the whole album once more in full. That’s the power it has.

I want to rank all ten songs from the critically acclaimed Black Country, New Road album based on my personal preferences. I was tempted to put a lot of these songs in the higher tiers … but for the sake of this list I’ll be a harsh critic. Some songs are better than others, after all.

Before we begin, you can check out some of my related blog posts below:

2022: The Year In Music

“Getting Killed” (Geese) – Every Song Ranked

“Red” (King Crimson) – Songs Ranked

“The Downward Spiral” – Songs Ranked

Good

10 – Intro

It’s no shock to see “Intro” at the bottom of the list. It’s a quick, ultimately harmless minute of music to get you in the right frame of mind.

Usually I rank these kinds of “throwaway” interlude songs in lower tiers like “Okay” or even “Meh”, but I liked “Intro” more than most interlude tracks. It’s buoyant and the subtle complexity prepares you for the rest of the album’s delights.

9 – Mark’s Theme

The other track which comes under the “interlude” bracket (that’s how I see it commonly labelled, but I think it’s far more than just an interlude … but whatever).

“Mark’s Theme” is a lovely saxophone-centric piece, and is apparently a tribute to someone close to the band. Heart-warming stuff, but forgettable in the grand scheme of things.

Great

8 – Chaos Space Marine

It’s common for bands to put their best songs near the start of the album, but I don’t think that’s the case for “Ants From Up There”. In fact, the first “real” song is my pick for the “worst” of the “real” songs.

But it’s still a great track. It starts with a big woodwind riff, and then the rest of the song has an infectious energy. For as fun and vibrant as this track is, I can’t believe I’ve ranked it so low!

7 – Concorde

The titular “Concorde” would go on to be a prominent lyrical theme on the album, but its origins here are a great first teaser.

“Chaos Space Marine” is perhaps the more fun track, but “Concorde” is much more akin to what the album would go on to be. It’s a sombre piece with big ideas.

6 – Haldern

By far and away the most delicate song on the album – I saw a lot of people rank “Haldern” in their top three, and I get it. This is a really beautiful track.

This had some of my favourite orchestration on the whole album. I love how it neither overstays its welcome nor becomes bombastic or pretentious.

5 – Bread Song

“Bread Song” is one of the silliest song titles I’ve ever heard … which is why I was blindsided when the track itself ended up being so affecting.

Isaac’s lyrics are really moving on this one. I never thought a toast crumb analogy of all things would make me feel so sad.

Amazing

4 – Good Will Hunting

I wouldn’t call “Ants From Up There” a riff-centric album, but “Good Will Hunting” has my favourite riff of them all. That guitar lick is so slick.

I also really like how the choruses take a step back, and the metre switch-ups kept the song engaging throughout.

3 – Snow Globes

I wasn’t actually a huge fan of “Snow Globes” when I first heard it. I thought the percussion was too chaotic and the “snow globes don’t shake on their own” refrain was too repetitive. Now I realise that’s the point.

It’s an absolutely gorgeous chord sequence which devolves deliberately and then reforms in a very satisfying, cathartic way. Isaac’s vocals are utterly impeccable.

All-Time Great

2 – The Place Where He Inserted The Blade

It’s baffling that this is only second in this ranking – “The Place Where He Inserted The Blade” is one of the best songs I’ve heard in years.

The opening piano is already sublime, but when that chorus hit for the first time I was blown away. It’s so communal yet so tragic, and – even though I’m repeating myself – Isaac’s vocals cut through to my soul. I can’t believe he left the band. It physically hurts me knowing how much he was hurting during this era. I hope he’s in a better place now.

1 – Basketball Shoes

Black Country, New Road absolutely saved the best ’til last with “Basketball Shoes”. In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if the whole album was built around this masterpiece.

There are three sections here, each better than the last. The first, slow section is a simple yet soul-crushing riff. The next section is a big left turn which picks up the pace. And then that final section is absolutely glorious.

(If you ignore the fact Isaac is singing about a Charli XCX wet dream) it’s such a powerful few minutes of music. Just when you think the song can’t get any more enormous, that final chorus hits like a thousand brick walls.

I can maybe count on one hand the number of album finales which are as incredible as this. That’s the level we’re talking about.

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