Artist: New Model Army
Title: Sinfonia
Genre: Rock
Release Date: 15th September 2023
Label: earMusic
Album Review
After months of preparation NEW MODEL ARMY and SINFONIA LEIPZIG recorded ‘Sinfonia’ in Berlin’s Tempodrom. The musicians lay down a master piece of tracks from the band’s five-decades spanning career, that I now available on vinyl and CD. The tracks, chosen by the band were arranged for a classical orchestra by Shir-Ran Yinon, who collaborated with the band over the years. The 40-piece orchestra was conducted by Cornelius During, who perfectly balanced the worlds of Classical Music and Rock.
The musicians greet you with a perfect orchestral overture and you have to pay close attention to find the tunes of ‘Green and Grey’ woven into the soundscape, making you curious for more discoveries. The next track, ‘Devil’s Bargain’ is more obvious, the drums seeking one of its kind, while strings and cellos swirl beautiful melodies around them. Justin’s clear vocals making it a perfect combination of bands and orchestras skills. Strings are dominating at the beginning of ‘Devil’, but the guitar that kicks in, takes the track to the max. while the vocals provide the story. And thus the concert carries on with arrangements that sometimes gives the tracks a new twist or enhances the lyrics and emotion.
The second CD starts very melancholic with ‘Ballad’, a track from ‘The Ghost of Cain’. The arrangement as such is beautiful, but die-hard fans will miss the harmonica that makes the original track so unique. If you want to hear Justin at his best, you will fall for ‘Passing Through’. While the instruments come in step by step, his voice climbs over them with every step until reaching the top of his voice and the song. Chapeau! ‘Guessing’ saw the crowd dance for sure, and SINFONIA LEIPZIG proved, that Classic orchestras do not always force you to sit cramped in your seat. Those who love the bands bitter-sweet music, will approve the newly arranged ‘Lullaby’ that comes with wonderful harp and string combinations. But the band does not always go for the obvious. They brought back ‘Shot 18’ back on stage after over 35 years. This track from their second studio album is a blast of guitar work and strings. Of course the band added ‘Vagabonds’ to the setlist and you can hear the audiences approval.
The final part of the show once more starts with an orchestral interlude until the guitars lead into ‘What a Wonderful Way To Go’. Step by step layers of energy are added until the track almost explodes. A true finale furioso of a concert that exceeded all expectations, bring back long forgotten tracks, showing new aspects of fan favourites and sending the listener through all kinds of emotional stages. NEW MODEL ARMY and SINFONIA LEIPZIG achieved, what only few collaborations of Rock bands and Classical orchestras can do, they sound as one. This is one of the best collaborations since METALLICA released ‘S&M’.
Tracklist
CD1
01. Overture (LP side A)
02. Devil’s Bargain (Orchestral Version)
03. Devil (Orchestral Version)
04. Innocence (Orchestral Version)
05. Winter (Orchestral Version) (LP side B)
06. March In September (Orchestral Version)
07. 1984 (Orchestral Version)
08. Orange Tree Roads (Orchestral Version)
09. Marry the Sea (Orchestral Version) (LP side C)
10. Ocean Rising (Orchestral Version)
CD2
01. Ballad (Orchestral Version)
02. Passing Through (Orchestral Version)
03. Guessing (Orchestral Version) (LP side D)
04. Too Close to the Sun (Orchestral Version)
05. Lullaby (Orchestral Version)
06. Did You Make It Safe? (Orchestral Version)
07. Shot 18 (Orchestral Version) (LP side E)
08. Purity (Orchestral Version)
09. Vagabonds (Orchestral Version)
10. Green and Grey (Orchestral Version) (LP Side F)
11. Wonderful Way to Go (Orchestral Version)
Line-up
Justin Sullivan - Vocals, Guitar
Dean White - Guitar, Keyboards
Michael Dean - Drums
Ceri Monger - Bass
Shir-Ran Yinon - Violin
Sinfonia Leipzig
Website
https://www.newmodelarmy.org/
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 9
Sound: 9
Total: 9 / 10
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