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General Category => New Model Army => Topic started by: Space on March 18, 2015, 08:59:06 PM

Title: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Space on March 18, 2015, 08:59:06 PM
OK, best and worst opening album track.
And the nominees are:

Vengeance --- "Christian Militia"
NoRest -------- "Frightened"
Ghost ---------- "The Hunt"
T&C ------------ "I Love The World"
Impurity ------- "Get Me Out"
LoveofHope -- "Here Comes The War"
StrangeBroth - "Wonderful Way To Go"
Eight ----------- "Flying Through The Smoke"
Carnival ------- "Water"
High ------------ "Wired"
GoodDay ------ "Today Is A Good Day"
DogAndWolf -- "Horsemen"


Best:
"Here Comes The WAAAAAAAAARRRRRR!"

Worst:
"I Love The World" a.k.a. "I Love Singing The Same Phrase Over And Over Again Because I Can't Think Of Anything Else To Write"

Your selections for best and worst?
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: texaspete on March 19, 2015, 03:43:45 PM
I've removed my last and apologise for any offence caused to Space or any one else.
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Pol on March 19, 2015, 04:13:15 PM
I'm going to pick today is a good day n not because it's better. I picking it because when i first heard it i thought wow nma are back and kicking. Special mention to Christian Militia as it was the first nma song i ever heard n i might not be on the this board or be the person im are today without it.

I'm not going to pick a worst track because there isn't one.
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Space on March 19, 2015, 04:44:11 PM
I'm not going to pick a worst track because there isn't one.

There has to be a worst track. Are you suggesting that every single opening track is exactly equal in quality?

What is it with this place? Is there a certain double secret order that says:
"No member here is allowed to say anything by New Model Army is not good."

Hey, Pol, there is nothing wrong with saying the band has an opening track that may be weaker than other tracks. You are allowed to have your own opinion. No one will shun you. It isn't a crime to believe in something different, you know.
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Pol on March 19, 2015, 06:09:16 PM
I honestly believe that all the opening tracks are excellent It would be like picking between my kids. And the believe it or not there is the odd nma track im not so keen on. I'm always up for giving my honest opinion whatever it is on.
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Brian-DC on March 19, 2015, 07:12:03 PM
I like all their opening tracks, but if I have to choose my favorite, I'd say "Here Comes The War". 

Least favorite, hmmm, it would have to be either "Flying Through the Smoke" or "Horsemen".  The ONLY reason I'd pick those is because I tend to prefer albums that come storming out of the gates with the first track and those are a bit more laid back than the other openers.
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Master Ray on March 19, 2015, 07:23:26 PM
Space you missed BWAB, in which case I'd choose 'According To You'... not that I dislike the tune, far from it, it just seems a bit 'NMA Recycled' from the TLOHC era...
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Fransson on March 19, 2015, 08:46:00 PM
All opening tracks from Vengeance to SB are great.
All opening tracks from Eight to BDAW should have been something else from the album.

You don't have to tell me I'm right, because I already know I am.

However, I never liked Water (in any shape or form). But - since everyone else seems to, I know I must have missed something out. I just don't understand what it might be.
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: peternotbaldyet on March 19, 2015, 08:56:22 PM
Not an opening track, but my least favourite song is 'Whites of their Eyes' on SB.
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: szmurf on March 20, 2015, 01:06:58 AM
I like all their opening tracks, but if I have to choose my favorite, I'd say "Here Comes The War". 

Least favorite, hmmm, it would have to be either "Flying Through the Smoke" or "Horsemen".  The ONLY reason I'd pick those is because I tend to prefer albums that come storming out of the gates with the first track and those are a bit more laid back than the other openers.

Flying through the smoke is laid back?  Maybe to start off, but the end?
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Rusco on March 20, 2015, 10:33:21 AM

Flying through the smoke is laid back?  Maybe to start off, but the end?

Have to say I wonder that too, Szmurf. Mighty, double drum sets beating. One of my faves! Heard it live once.
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Ava Enturin on March 20, 2015, 12:16:37 PM
Same here, Rusco! If I´d have to pick a fav opening song, it would be Flying through the smoke.

Also heard it live, but that´s one of the very very few songs that don´t work for me life. The studio version is mighty, though :)

Worst one: "Get me out", closely followed by "According to you".
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Tony S on March 20, 2015, 04:07:00 PM

There has to be a worst track. Are you suggesting that every single opening track is exactly equal in quality?

What is it with this place? Is there a certain double secret order that says:
"No member here is allowed to say anything by New Model Army is not good."


I think it's a question of terminology. "Worst" implies "not good", as per your final quote above. I don't find any of those opening tracks to be 'not good' though, so maybe a better term would be "least brilliant" rather than "worst"  :)  And it then becomes difficult to make a choice because they're all different and good in their own ways.

And I'm not someone who would say you can't say anything by New Model Army is not good. But there are precious few tracks I would put in that category. I'm not a big fan of LURHSTAAP or Whites Of Their Eyes, as someone else mentioned, but I can still listen to even them. If I'm listening to the albums, I don't just skip those tracks.
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Space on March 20, 2015, 04:38:07 PM
I'm not a big fan of LURHSTAAP.


Wow, that's odd. I find "Lurhstaap" to be one of NMA's top ten greatest tracks. Just curious, don't you love the nasty growl of that guitar? How about the nifty little guitar lick between the verses? Backwards guitar? The wary sense of dread and doom in the lyrics? A lyric chock full of memorable phrases ("now they're gone...all is gone," "you can buy a crown it doesn't make you king," "these changing winds can turn cold and hostile," "the death of the promised land"....) The song has it all. And if that chugging gritty guitar that opens the song doesn't grab you...man, how do you dislike "Lurhstaap'?
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Pol on March 20, 2015, 06:29:16 PM
Wow I'm going to agree with space 'Lurhstaap' is a brilliant song definitely one of my favourites
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Anna Woman von NRW on March 20, 2015, 07:23:18 PM
Wow I'm going to agree with space 'Lurhstaap' is a brilliant song definitely one of my favourites

Oh bollox - me too  ;D  ;D
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Intothewind on March 20, 2015, 09:12:50 PM
Yeah I pretty much love all the opening tracks, but I have a bit of a problem with Impurity starting with the 3 weakest songs on the album. Overall It's one of my favorite albums but 'get me out' 'space' and Innocence' are my 3 least favorite songs on there.

I think with a different track listing I wouldn't notice they weren't my favorite, but as it is all of them at once at the beginning I think it could be sequenced better for me.

As I say really like all 3 though!   
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Brian-DC on March 20, 2015, 10:08:49 PM
I like all their opening tracks, but if I have to choose my favorite, I'd say "Here Comes The War". 

Least favorite, hmmm, it would have to be either "Flying Through the Smoke" or "Horsemen".  The ONLY reason I'd pick those is because I tend to prefer albums that come storming out of the gates with the first track and those are a bit more laid back than the other openers.

Flying through the smoke is laid back?  Maybe to start off, but the end?
I'm always a fan of a lot of guitars and as intense as the drumming is with that song, it doesn't have the.... bite... that some of the more guitar-driven ones have.  I love that song, but it doesn't make the same kind of statement right out of the gate like the other ones do.  I'll admit that my idea of laid back is usually quite a bit different from others.  LOL!!
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Willard on March 22, 2015, 10:32:15 PM
I've always though I love the world and Archway Towers are perhaps my favorite opening/closing set to an album I know.  In fact, much as I enjoyed their inclusion, I was always a little bothered the extra tracks on the US cd disrupted the flow of the album. 
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: szmurf on March 23, 2015, 01:54:33 AM
I've always though I love the world and Archway Towers are perhaps my favorite opening/closing set to an album I know.  In fact, much as I enjoyed their inclusion, I was always a little bothered the extra tracks on the US cd disrupted the flow of the album.
I think I owned the US tape first, and I believe it had the extra songs as well.  To be honest, when I got the 2xCD reissue, I thought, man that album seems short.  I never really think of first and last song, or album flow in general.  I know the artist do, but I'm not that concerned by it.
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Willard on March 23, 2015, 01:34:49 PM
I've always though I love the world and Archway Towers are perhaps my favorite opening/closing set to an album I know.  In fact, much as I enjoyed their inclusion, I was always a little bothered the extra tracks on the US cd disrupted the flow of the album.
I think I owned the US tape first, and I believe it had the extra songs as well.  To be honest, when I got the 2xCD reissue, I thought, man that album seems short.  I never really think of first and last song, or album flow in general.  I know the artist do, but I'm not that concerned by it.

I agree on the  album feeling short when I got the 2xcd.  Just so epic with the White Coats ep and Nothing Touches.  I think the US tape had Nothing Touches before Archway Towers, can't quite remember (although I know I still have it).  I don't always pay that much attention to song order, especially in these days of digital music, but this is one case that just seemed so obvious.  I remember thinking Archway Towers should close TandC before I knew that it actually did, on the original running order.
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Tony S on March 24, 2015, 01:44:13 PM
I'm not a big fan of LURHSTAAP.


Wow, that's odd. I find "Lurhstaap" to be one of NMA's top ten greatest tracks. Just curious, don't you love the nasty growl of that guitar? How about the nifty little guitar lick between the verses? Backwards guitar? The wary sense of dread and doom in the lyrics? A lyric chock full of memorable phrases ("now they're gone...all is gone," "you can buy a crown it doesn't make you king," "these changing winds can turn cold and hostile," "the death of the promised land"....) The song has it all. And if that chugging gritty guitar that opens the song doesn't grab you...man, how do you dislike "Lurhstaap'?

When you break it down into its components, yes, it does have many elements that should make it great. I do like the backwards guitar bits, and there are some great lyrics, but for once, I'm just not keen on the way Justin delivers the lyrics, and the pace of the song, and it's overall sound just comes across a bit too dirge-like for me. It just doesn't do anything for me the way so many others do. As I say I don't dislike it so much that I skip it if listening to that album. I can listen to it, but it's not a favourite at all.
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: Guillaume on August 11, 2018, 07:35:07 PM
I honestly believe that all the opening tracks are excellent

same opinion!

The best opening track?

"I love the world" is powerful, and "the hunt" too..."Here comes the war" "Wonderful way to go" and "Frightened" also very effective opening tracks.

The "worst" opening track?

Probably "Water"..."Today is a good day" is "fun" and effective enough opening song, but maybe not NMA at its most subtle and original!   
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: lupus225 on August 13, 2018, 04:17:27 PM
Water is a bit of a weak opener in my opinion.
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: ruckedout on August 14, 2018, 08:04:28 PM
New Model Army - Live at Sziget 1997, you are going to be hard pushed to beat that, not only for the opening song but for the next few songs too....
Title: Re: Best / Worst Opening Track
Post by: cthulhu on August 25, 2018, 09:50:55 PM
just wanted to check that again, watch the beginning and just couldn't stop. the energy jumped directly from the screen and speakers into me. fantastic gig and nice to have such a recording.