Negativity has creeped into this place, time for a change.
I know this is going to be difficult. We all will want to say, "Can't name just one." But that's the challenge, that's the fun. Try to name your one favorite New Model Army track of all time and give your reasons.
"Western Dream"
1 - lyrically it is Justin's best work. I marvel over how each stanza is a complete, perfect picture. He's dealing with rather complex issues in this song -- the entire idea of western capitalism! -- and yet, he can somehow succinctly come to grips with it in each stanza. And his imagery of the laborers hands "stretching out like children for a crumb that they can chew" is both dead on and frightening.
But the real bullseye in the lyrics is how Justin breaks capitalism down to two ways to go: "the bitterness in failure and the dirt in success." In just a few words Sullivan was able to encapsulate an entire economic/social structure. And then, remarkably, Justin is able to do it again in the chorus: "Every winner means a loser in the western dream." The song is so extraordinary in its economy of words to perfectly hit on such a complex idea.
2 - and of course the music is bad-ass. Quick tempo, a drum/bass rhythm that propels us along like a speeding train, crashing power chords from Justin's guitar, tasty guitar lick intro, and the best guitar solo in all the NMA catalogue. Plus there is my favorite guitar work in all of music. The guitar stabs that punctuate the bridge sections ("they tell when to laugh, they tell you when to cheer") still to this day amazes me. Nothing Van Halen/Satriani/Hendrix complex in what Justin is doing with his guitar there, but his guitar chops there are just so perfect and they are my favorite bit in any NMA song.
"Western Dream"
Killer music, brilliant lyrics. New Model Army's high point.
