Watch the Super Bowl this Sunday. I hope Justin Sullivan will be because Katy Perry is the halftime show and Justin can learn from her how to become a better songwriter: keep songs short and to the point.
Let's be honest and admit that most NMA songs are waaaaaay too long. "Ballad"? That's about seventeen minutes of a guy playing an acoustic guitar and singing. "Someone Like Jesus"? I thought by the time the song was over Jesus himself would have returned for His second coming. "Qasr El Nil Bridge"? My God, both the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were shorter than that song.
In the past I have used my recording gear to improve some NMA songs by just cutting out a verse or fading the song out quicker. Why doesn't the band itself do that? They have some great songs that just go on and on and on... Many New Model Army songs feel like they clock in at twenty minutes. Sometimes I have to look at the album cover just to make sure I am not listening to a Rush album by mistake.
I am telling you, Katy Perry this Sunday will play five songs in her fifteen minute Super Bowl spot. New Model Army would be lucky to get one song done in fifteen minutes. (That's probably the reason why NMA have never been asked to play the Super Bowl.)
"Frightened"? Perfect song. Says it all it wants to say and gets it done in three and a half minutes.
"Lullaby"? I put that song on two days ago and it is still playing.
Every top musician knows the first rule of songwriting is KISS -- Keep It Short, Stupid! Katy Perry knows that, why doesn't New Model Army?