New Model Army

Politically charged British band New Model Army had a late-’80s career at home, but never made a huge splash here beyond the killer single “I Love The World.” The group has always had a determined focus on humanitarian and anti-imperial concerns—leader Justin Sullivan was raised as a Quaker—and are still heartfelt social critics, expanding recently into sharp cultural observation in lieu of simple political ranting. Though the band seems to be focusing more on the message than the music—heavy bass and cranked-amp guitar are a pretty simplistic way to scale back—it’s still given respect on the global punk scene, though 2007's High was completely under the radar. NMA is back now with Today Is A Good Day, a powerfully straightforward rock record reminiscent of recent work by Jon Langford or Richard Thompson.

Updated 09/16/2009