OR   Search for Artist/Title    Advanced Search
 
you are not logged in...  [login] 
All Reviews    Edit This Review     
Review: 'New Model Army'
'Between Wine and Blood'   

-  Album: 'Between Wine and Blood'
-  Genre: 'Rock' -  Release Date: '8th September 2014'

Our Rating:
It’s rather heartening to know New Model Army are still going. They may no longer trouble the charts, but that’s neither here nor there: they were always a singular band, who got lumped in with the goth crowd in the mid 80s despite being more of a punk-folk outfit and somehow failed to get picked up by the crusty crowd when The Levellers made German army jackets, dreadlocks and cider all the rage for middle-class kids wanting to piss their parents off with nose-rings and left-wing political statements. And that’s probably for the best: they’re still doing now what they always did, namely their own thing, unaffected by trends or fads.

The plan had been to release a live album on the back of their last Joe Baressi-produced studio album ‘Between Dog and Wolf’ but with drummer Michael Dean forced to take a break from touring, the band used the down-time to record a mini-album with six new tracks. The resulting package of the two sets together captures a band riding the crest of a resurgent wave.

‘According to You’ is strong on melody, with backing harmonies making for a breezy chorus. More US new wave in sound than the sound you may expect from NMA, it’s extremely accessible. It’s on ‘Angry Planet’, which brings a heavy guitar chug and sounds not unlike Butthole Surfers ‘Who Was in My Room Last Night?’ that they really get into their stride, Sullivan spitting venom over western society and snarling about revolution. The dark and quietly menacing country shuffle of ‘Happy to be Here’ follows a classic folk narrative style and presents some strong, evocative images. ‘Sunrise’ is reminiscent of the era most associated with the band. And why not? It’s a decent song.

The live set, featuring 11 cuts from the first leg of he tour, is fiery, solid and demonstrates the muscularity of NMA’s live sound in the 34th year of their career. With Justin’s more ragged vocal tones and some hefty drumming coupled with chunky guitar chugs, comparisons to Killing Joke aren’t without merit. All of the material is lifted from ‘Between Dog and Wolf, but not in the same sequence as the studio original. The thunderous tribal percussion of ‘Stormclouds’ dominates the opening track and makes for a powerful start, and it’s a solid set – both sonically and in terms of the material. The rendition of ‘Horsemen’ that closes is dark, brooding and very much drum-led, and in between, there’s range and depth, and a lot more to NMA than leftist sociopolitical anger.

It won’t win any new converts, but it’s a quality live release and the studio tracks are well worth the effort.

New Model Army Online
  author: Christopher Nosnibor

[Show all reviews for this Artist]

READERS COMMENTS    10 comments still available (max 10)    [Click here to add your own comments]

There are currently no comments...
----------



New Model Army - Between Wine and Blood