Is there any other British 80s rock band as dependable as New Model Army? Formed in 1980 by vocalist/guitarist/songwriter and sole continuous member Justin Sullivan, they’ve been ploughing their own uniquely distinctive furrow of punk/folk/rock for over 40 years – far outliving the short-lived 80s genres into which they were often inappropriately categorised.
Album opener, the lead-off single First Summer After, is classic New Model Army: a mesmerising bass riff and powerful tribal drumming buttressing intricate and delicate guitar melodies, with Sullivan’s ireful yet poetic lyrics telling a story with the timeless vernacular of a homily or fable but without the dogmatic preaching of their 80s punk counterparts.
