Recent Posts

21

New Model Army / Re: NMA Genre (Genre fluid?)

« Last post by Master Ray on May 16, 2026, 11:31:19 PM »

Any halfway decent band doesn't give a fook about tying themselves to any particular genre.  NMA have dipped in and out of any style of sound if it was to the benefit of a song in question... and all for the better.  I mean, can you imagine if they'd decided that the Vengeance / No Rest For The Wicked era was what they were sticking with and were still replicating those early tunes in the 21st Century?  How utterly shite would those albums be (although, I suspect, that there would be a certain level of the fanbase who would love such a thing...)   

Sometimes it doesn't work.  Let me refer you to my very fave Metal band ever, Paradise Lost.  Love this band... they started out as full on doomy sludgy rock with Cookie Monster vocals, started doing more melodic (but still very heavy) stuff, then had a couple of pretty successful albums with Icon and Draconian Times, cleaner vocals, catchy choruses but still fine and heavy musicianship. People forget that they were once tipped to be massive on the Metal scene, like playing arenas and stuff...

... and then they decided that they'd bring on the electronic side of things, make an album called One Second that was somewhat keyboard-y and then a follow up that sounded exactly like Depeche Mode.  Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge fan of DM, I was all over that album... but it killed them for a while, commercially and critically a huge failure!  They made a succession of records that gradually brought back the heaviness (including last years Ascension which is one of their finest albums ever) but they're no denying that changing their style stuck a stick in their spokes.

Should bands amend or flat out change their style?  I would say so... if they've got the nerve.   

(oh, and it's not just two people... Shush pops in here occasionally...  )

22

New Model Army / NMA Genre (Genre fluid?)

« Last post by huwcamden on May 16, 2026, 09:56:17 PM »

Genre is an  all important narrative for most artists as it enables them to be pigeonholed for maximum commercial gain! NMA are well known for crossing multiple genres and defieing precise definition..which is a good thing I would say so just for fun really I'm wondering what your venn diagram would say over all these long years for NMA.
I'm saying:
30% post punk
30% folk rock
15% Goth rock
15% Heavy metal
5% Rap
5% Prog rock
....I have a feeling the only replies will be from 2 people but that's cool...your opinions as musical historians and men of impeccable musical taste don't go unnoticed here!

23

On The Road / Re: 17 May -- Istanbul

« Last post by CelticFlavor on May 15, 2026, 09:53:01 AM »

We are in Istanbul and staying in the Cihangir district, near Taksim Square, if anyone wants to meet up.
We are also planning to visit the Asian side of the city on Saturday and will definitely check in at Karga…
🤘😎

24

New Model Army / Re: Do you think NMA's music "speaks" to young Rock/Folk fans?

« Last post by Master Ray on May 14, 2026, 07:20:36 PM »

Yup, that's the album.  Can't wait to see The Chameleons supporting NMA, love it when two bands I love are on the same bill, like when I'm seeing Manic Street Preachers and Suede on the same bill in November!

If you're looking for a full album by The Triffids then 'Born Sandy Devotional' (from 1986 and the one that got me into them first) and 'Calenture' (from 1987) are generally considered to be their best but you can't really go wrong whatever you pick.  Hope you like them!

25

New Model Army / Re: Do you think NMA's music "speaks" to young Rock/Folk fans?

« Last post by Guillaume on May 14, 2026, 08:32:42 AM »

If you're looking at best albums by The Chameleons then 'Script From A Bridge' is just one great tracks after another but they've never put out anything bad... the album they put out last year was on of my faves of 2025....

Is "Script from a Bridge" the album with the song "Don't Fall"? If so, I've listened to it; I had it on CD back then. The other album I've listened to is "Strange Times," which has two tracks I love: "Soul in Isolation" and "Swamp Thing." I need to listen to their latest album too (even more so if I go to their french concert next October!). Thanks for the recommendation of The Triffids; I'll listen to it as soon as possible.

26

New Model Army / Re: Crippled Black Phoenix Vengeance

« Last post by Master Ray on May 13, 2026, 07:40:24 PM »

Nice cover version!

27

New Model Army / Re: Do you think NMA's music "speaks" to young Rock/Folk fans?

« Last post by Master Ray on May 13, 2026, 07:37:37 PM »

And I have to thank you for introducing me to The Sound,

You're welcome! 

I've listened to a whole lot of their stuff since then and they are on a par with The Chameleons as the most under-rated 80's indie band

Is "All Fall Down" still your favorite The Sound album? It was somewhat snubbed by fans of the band when it came out in 1982, but I agree with you that it's a good, eclectic album. My favorite albums are still, I think, "From the Lion's Mouth," the "Shock of Daylight" EP, and the incredible live album at the Marquee, "In the Hothouse." Yes, The Sound has been unfairly overlooked compared to others bands of the time to which they have sometimes been hastily compared: U2, Echo & The Bunnymen, Joy Division, Simple Minds... fortunately there has been a partial re-evaluation/"rehabilitation" of this band for about ten years, but it is tragic that this belated rediscovery comes when the very talented Adrian Borland is no longer with us...Mark Burgess of The Chameleons was a friend of Adrian Borland, here's a Burgess cover of the excellent "Sense of purpose" from the superb FROM THE LION'S MOUTH:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQwU6Ly2Ak8

By the way, The Chameleons are playing a concert this fall about an hour and a half from my place... I'm tempted to go see them. I don't know their discography so well, but I like a few songs here and there.

I don't know The Triffids. What album(s) would you recommend?

I think From The Lions Mouth is probably my fave album so far by The Sound although I haven't gotten around to listening to the entirety of their output...

If you're looking at best albums by The Chameleons then 'Script From A Bridge' is just one great tracks after another but they've never put out anything bad... the album they put out last year was on of my faves of 2025....

Now,  The Triffids... now bear in mind that they don't sound much like The Chameleons or The Sound, I was merely referring to them in the sense of they are highly regarded in certain quarters of people who love obscure indie bands from the 80's.  But they've got great melodic tunes that have a sort of windswept and epic feel to them... probably their best known tune is 'Wide Open Road', have a listen to this one and get back to me if it interest you...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CiLlRXUU3DE

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New Model Army / Crippled Black Phoenix Vengeance

« Last post by Tariq on May 13, 2026, 07:16:00 PM »

Wondered if anyone else had heard this cover? It's fairly recent. Would highly recommend Crippled Black Phoenix if you've not heard them.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fnh5PeThJRsv

29

New Model Army / Re: Do you think NMA's music "speaks" to young Rock/Folk fans?

« Last post by Guillaume on May 13, 2026, 10:15:33 AM »

And I have to thank you for introducing me to The Sound,

You're welcome! 

I've listened to a whole lot of their stuff since then and they are on a par with The Chameleons as the most under-rated 80's indie band

Is "All Fall Down" still your favorite The Sound album? It was somewhat snubbed by fans of the band when it came out in 1982, but I agree with you that it's a good, eclectic album. My favorite albums are still, I think, "From the Lion's Mouth," the "Shock of Daylight" EP, and the incredible live album at the Marquee, "In the Hothouse." Yes, The Sound has been unfairly overlooked compared to others bands of the time to which they have sometimes been hastily compared: U2, Echo & The Bunnymen, Joy Division, Simple Minds... fortunately there has been a partial re-evaluation/"rehabilitation" of this band for about ten years, but it is tragic that this belated rediscovery comes when the very talented Adrian Borland is no longer with us...Mark Burgess of The Chameleons was a friend of Adrian Borland, here's a Burgess cover of the excellent "Sense of purpose" from the superb FROM THE LION'S MOUTH:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQwU6Ly2Ak8

By the way, The Chameleons are playing a concert this fall about an hour and a half from my place... I'm tempted to go see them. I don't know their discography so well, but I like a few songs here and there.

I don't know The Triffids. What album(s) would you recommend?

30

New Model Army / Re: Do you think NMA's music "speaks" to young Rock/Folk fans?

« Last post by Master Ray on May 12, 2026, 08:42:57 PM »

Ha, I also think that NMA were referred to as a 'goth' band somewhere back in time... probably by someone who had never heard a single tune by them.  Maybe if they'd done a video in a graveyard with some bats flying around I could understand it?   

And I have to thank you for introducing me to The Sound, I've listened to a whole lot of their stuff since then and they are on a par with The Chameleons as the most under-rated 80's indie band (btw, ever listened to the Australian band The Triffids?  You might like them...).  As a sidenote, I've got my ticket to NMA in London this December when I will finally be able see The Chameleons...   

I think we're going around in circles a bit... in this day and age good music will always find the ears to appreciate it.  No band / act are assured a wider audience than they have but someone might stumble across some tune or other (like from a certain post punk folk rock band that we all adore!) and it might lead to a lifelong musical love affair. 

So Say We All!  Yes, that's a Battlestar Galactica reference...