New Model Army : "Unbroken"

 

At 67 Justin Sullivan is keeping New Model Army going. With their 16th album "Unbroken" they are going with great vigor. Powerful anthemic choruses that ring out. It does not take you back to their punk days, though they come close on "Reload". The guitars have more jangle to them here. There is plenty in the world for Sullivan to angrily ponder and these songs express that in full. The key to their success is not the sound they have cultivated, which is distinct to them as much as their songwriting chops. "I Did Nothing Wrong" is an example of this. It starts with a folk strum and builds into a harder pounding. 

 There is a similar formula employed in "Cold Wind". They come even closer to punk on " Coming or Going"  than they did on "Reload". I am not at all invested in these guys being a punk band again. But a fair sector of their fan base thinks of them this way. I am happy with them being dark and brooding. I just want them to make dark music, which is what is happening here though it can be upbeat in a more rock n roll manner. There is a more rambling Western feel to " If I Am Still Me." The bass is slightly muddy here, but it still works. 

The more post-punk feel of "Legend" works well in how it interplays the vocals against the riff. This is not the first time they have strayed from the verse/chorus blueprint, but the most noticeable on this album as it works off tension more than release. "Do You Really Want to Go There" is a burly rocker that packs a powerful punch. Things ebb down to more of a folk mood with "Idumea". The album ends in a fashion that is not unexpected as "Deserters". This album is not a nostalgic look back at who they were as a band, nor is it the kind of victory lap bands put out in order to justify a reunion tour. THese guys have stayed the course and this is the sound of a band that keeps looking forward. I will give this album a 9.5, fans should rejoice as it touches on every side of the band. 

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