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General Category => New Model Army => Topic started by: Shush on February 14, 2014, 02:17:58 PM
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When ever there is a discussion on least favourite NMA albums, Strange Brotherhood so often seems to be in peoples bottom two. Personally, I love the album.
I think the first five albums are in a class of their own, the 1980s - 90 period. Personally I was a little disappointed with , The love of Hopeless Causes. There are some fine songs on it, but to me, it did not have the same impact as the first five.
Then after a long gap, Strange Brotherhood. I am sure I read JS said it took ages to write, and was a difficult album to finish. Personally, I can appreciate where al that work went. So many of the NMA albums start with a strong catchy first song to lead you into the album such as Wired, or World, TIAGD, etc. But what a phenomenal start to Strange Brotherhood with , Wonderful Way To Go. IMO, the best opening song on all the albums.
Whites of their eyes, OK, I never really got that one, and for me, the only one to skip on the album. But then there are belters like, Over the Wire, No Pain, etc. Some superb ballads with Headlights, Queen of my Heart.
All in all, one of my favourite NMA albums.
Am I alone ?
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No, mate, you're not. SB is a special album for me as well, simply because it was the first one to be released after I had discovered the band (well, after Adrian W had put my nose in the right direction on that fateful day in Huddersfield in 1991). I particularly remember a gig in a small town in the Tyrol (Rattenberg) which NMA headlined in 1997. They played Over The Wire, Gigabyte Wars, Long Goodbye, WWTG and Headlights before the album was released and I was blown away (I had had a few beers as well which always helps). WWTG , Long Goodbye and Headlights are still amongst my absolute favourites.
So, SB is probably my second favourite album after T&C. Let the jeers commence, then ("Bo-Humbug, you forget No Rest, Impurity, LOHC, TIAGD", ... delete as you wish)
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Strange brotherhood is a excellent album for me the songs are better live than listening to them on cd Maybe as NMA fans were spoiled for choice. 1 thing i would disagree on is LOHC is a totally awesome cd Maybe its because my life was in a darker place at the time stuck in a bad relationship songs like Believe It and Understand You really helped through but am never going back to that bad old world
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Nope, not alone! I always liked this album and never quite understood why there seems to be a bit of a thumbs down to it unless it's just the usual "it's not Vengeance is it" complaints. As you say Shush - WWTG is an awesome opener and then the goodies keep coming; No Pain, Gigabyte Wars (and thinking about it in the light of recent contretemps "In the web of lies there's savage tales" was quite a prescient line really.... ;) ), Big Blue and Over The Wire being personal favourites.
Not my favourite album - that's TIAGD and I suspect it always will be - but it's easily equal 2nd with T&C.
:-*
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Shush, we might have talked about this before, but I bloody love SB... even more so than, as you said, TLOHC...
Was it four or five years between those albums? Whatever, I was genuinely convinced that NMA has split up in the meantime. I remember seeing a poster for Red Sky Coven (I think) that said 'featuring Justin Sullivan, ex-New Model Army' and thinking 'well, that's that...'
I can't remember how I found out that the band were still together, but I remember getting the album and loving it so much... so much diverse stuff, the band really stretching themselves in different directions, adding new shades to the whole NMA thing and, IMO, coming up with one of their best albums...
And then to see them at (if memory serves) Manchester Academy 2 and doing the whole two-set thing, later commemorated on the 'And Nobody Else' live album...
I thought my favourite band was dead and gone. Not the case, thank god. An amazing night that gave me so much hope for further great music... the lads didn't let me down.
And, in summary, that's why I love SB so much. Deffo in my top 5 NMA albums...
:D
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Nope, not alone! I always liked this album and never quite understood why there seems to be a bit of a thumbs down to it unless it's just the usual "it's not Vengeance is it" complaints. As you say Shush - WWTG is an awesome opener and then the goodies keep coming; No Pain, Gigabyte Wars (and thinking about it in the light of recent contretemps "In the web of lies there's savage tales" was quite a prescient line really.... ;) ), Big Blue and Over The Wire being personal favourites.
Not my favourite album - that's TIAGD and I suspect it always will be - but it's easily equal 2nd with T&C.
:-*
Good quote Anna, maybe JS is a bit of a fortune teller on the side ;D
But yes, Gigabyte Wars, what phenomenal drum work in that one. Fast rolling drum beats, the great Mr Heaton at his best ;)
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M/Ray, yes, there was a five year gap, which there has been since between Eight and Carnival, but the gap in the 90s probably felt longer as the albums came in regular supply before that.
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I love strange brotherhood. Wonderful way to go has a musical niddle section unlike anything they had done before. Sounds like they had been listening to a bit of King Crimson. I feel the same way about Over the wire. Powerful stuff, dense sounds with driving rhythms.The entire album is excellent.
I could be wrong but I thought the delay between albums was because of "too much time in the studio" syndrome.
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But yes, Gigabyte Wars, what phenomenal drum work in that one. Fast rolling drum beats, the great Mr Heaton at his best ;)
Pretty sure I've only ever heard this live once. Could work well with where the guys are at now.
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No, definitely you're not alone on this. LoHoCa took some listenings but it finally got me; as for Strange Bro, it caught me with my guard down, if you know what I mean. And what an opener in "Wonderful Way To Go", but I also love "Whites Of Their Eyes", especially the harmonica bit; and the different approach to music that NMA take in stuff like "Gigabyte Wars" is something not heard in many 'rock' bands from then and now. But my favourites are ballads such as "Queen Of My Heart", "Aimless Desire" and "Headlights"; and yes, I'd love to see them play "Gigabyte Wars" live in Sao Paulo (Brasil), hopefully this year! :D
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I have no problems with that album and I`m a fan of the lp version 8)
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I was in Northern Ireland enjoying the pleasure of having bricks, bottles and petrol bombs thrown at me during the Drumcree Parade.
My wife sent me the Album from Germany (Luckily the double cd Version) and I played it on my Walkman (Remember them) non stop and it was the only thing that kept me sane.
The Album title for me summed up Northern Ireland, Strange Brotherhood
Over the Wire was ironically what I wished I could do everynight, living in a fortified prison, sorry camp.
I loved the Album from the first listen and in my own way I interpreted the Songs to be about where I was at the time.
Whenever I hear any of the Songs from the Album I can close my eyes and I am back in Portadown, Armagh, Craigavon or stood on the Garvachy road in 98.
A fantastic Album in my view and well worth the wait.
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When ever there is a discussion on least favourite NMA albums, Strange Brotherhood so often seems to be in peoples bottom two.
Which is the other least favourite NMA album? "Carnival"? "Today is a good day"?
I think that "Strange brotherhood" is a...strange album, a bit experimental and slightly uneven, it lacks a bit some energy and i don't like too much its sound production but there are still very goods songs like WWTG, "Aimless desire", "Long goodbye", "Killing" and my fav on the album, "Headlights"...the album is still my least favourite NMA album i think, with "Carnival" or "Today is a good day".
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Not alone.
:)
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I love it, too. It's an album that I sort of forget about for a while, then come back to and realise just how many absolutely amazing songs are on it. Not the most cohesive, perhaps, or easily accessible, but there is some incredible, dark stuff on there.
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It is a very difficult album to get into. I think there is an experimental feel to it.
I don't play it that often but I do enjoy it when I do. Love Wonderful Way To Go and Aimless Desire.
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I remember being really excited when it came out because it had been such a long silence. I really liked it at first and then kinda got over it pretty quick (with the exception of a few tracks).
I did get back into it a few years ago. Musically, it's still not my favourite but I'm a bit nostalgic about it. In some ways it is the swansong to the 'old' New Model Army, what with Rob's departure and everything. It's a very important milestone in the artistic development of the band.
So, yes I love it.
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Well , at first listen I admit I was confused with the difference between WWTG and the second track. Also a song including brass instruments sounded a bit weird experiment. The amount of songs on the album didn't make it easy too.
BUT I really found the album when I saw some of the songs live from the 25th anniversary DVD set, at a time when they released Wired and toured Finland also couple of times. A Friend of mine gave me a copy of SB. When I found it I was amazed by Over The Wire, No Pain, Queen of My Heart, WWTG, for some to mention.
There are also some "B-siders" from SB era in Lost Songs 2CD. I really, really love those songs too. BD7 and especially Southwest being super songs. < or at least I think so that Southwest was from the same era - please correct me if I'm wrong. (I get shivers [in a good way] when I listen to those songs.)
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Becoming obvious that you're far from alone on this :)
SB is a superb album. For a few years after it came out, it was my favourite NMA album, and one of my favourite albums by anyone. Over time, and with the following releases, I've found I don't really have a favourite NMA album anymore as such. They all have their own individual feel, and I honestly like, nay love them all equally. Really pleased to see several positive mentions for Gigabyte Wars. That often used to come up as peoples' least favourite track on SB, and I could never see why. It's excellent !
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Yes, I love Gigabyte Wars, and have also heard people say its their least favourate, usually blaming the brass. Really, there is not that much brass in it , infact there is more air time to the sirens in the back ground. Very strong sond when you get into it.
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Also love GW, but if it was to be resurrected, I'd prefer it in the 'Song For The Men Of England' version... be nice to see Joolz back up on stage with the lads...
Just a personal opinion...
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The old lp version with
Brother, Southwest, Rainy Night, Refugee, Sunset, Caslen, See You In Hell
Can`t understand, what`s wrong with SB and why a lot of fans have problems to love the cd or the lp ???
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The old lp version with
Brother, Southwest, Rainy Night, Refugee, Sunset, Caslen, See You In Hell
Can`t understand, what`s wrong with SB and why a lot of fans have problems to love the cd or the lp ???
Were those extra tracks on the LP (I presume that means vinyl) version? All great songs, BTW...
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Yes, Master Ray :)
I wanted to have this vinyl so much, I was forced to be a member of the internet and newmodelarmy@org and to handle online shopping ...
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Wow... those seven tracks would be a cracking opener for the April UK dates...
... just throwing it out there... ::)
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Wow... those seven tracks would be a cracking opener for the April UK dates...
... just throwing it out there... ::)
Right on. Thank god for "lost songs" for us C.D. ers :)
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The old lp version with
Brother, Southwest, Rainy Night, Refugee, Sunset, Caslen, See You In Hell
Can`t understand, what`s wrong with SB and why a lot of fans have problems to love the cd or the lp ???
AAAAARRRGGGGGHHHH !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! >:(
I don't f*****g believe this. I bought the vinyl (and CD... seems I must have been rich at the time)and when it turned up I got the first half of the album ok in the right sleeve but 2 copies of the second half so I never even played it cos the extra songs weren't there :(
That's what I I've always thought till just now when I read this and dug out my copy ................ the sleeves might have been wrong but the vinyl itself is right. I had the bleedin' songs all along. Course the thing is now I don't even have a turntable to play the f*****g thing on ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Just rummaging around on Youtube and found this, a great quality hour-long show from Sziget in '97... enjoy, I did.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnzVwSGFn0A
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The old lp version with
Brother, Southwest, Rainy Night, Refugee, Sunset, Caslen, See You In Hell
You just mentioned some of the most powerful NMA songs ever that`ll reach to the TOP 20 in my list. ;)
Editing:
It's somehow interesting to try to remember when you think about nineties what it was - and what the NMA did then. I don`know is it only due to the age thing that in nineties everything felt knew; all those subcultures, hundreds of new bands, styles, genres and all that. And political things on the other hand. There was some kind of a silent gap with NMA in between -93 and -97... But then when you listen to the SB AND the Lost Songs from that era, you could now see what were going under. While others went to all that future sound electronic craze and being sooo "present" with the so called new era - Mr. Sullivan & co. took guitars in their hands and went a step or two nearer to folkish thing (Sunset), created some very shadowy atmosphere with synths (Refugee, Far Better Thing), while being still reconizeable also as independent rock type of thing what they had always been known for. He / they were really aware about the things then and did f.e that Song to The Men of England which was aimed at the Criminal Justice Bill laws then.
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I happen to like Strange Brotherhood an awful lot.
Killing, No Pain, Lullaby, Headlights, Queen of My Heart, and of course the standards. Loads of "lost tracks" from this time, too. How Brother didn't make it on the album is beyond me.
I suppose my only critique is that some of the songs do seem to carry on a bit, both intro and outro. 5 songs on the album over 5 minutes, two more very close. Killing could have been about 2 minutes shorter, would have been a great single, I think.
And Gigabyte Wars I think has some great lyrics, clever turns of phrase. The brass doesn't bother me at all, I kind of like it. Strange that people don't seem to slag Knife for having brass in it...