Every week we are gonna choose a nice music for you and share it here 😊🎶
🗓️ Week 38-2026:
New Model Army – “Orange Tree Roads ” – Official video
How about we start the week with a touch of alternative post-punk for a change?
Our Music of the Week – “ORANGE TREE ROADS ” is a track from New Model Army’s album, released in January, 2000, titled *Eight*.
New Model Army is a legendary British rock band formed in 1980 by vocalist, guitarist, and lead songwriter Justin Sullivan.
The group is known for its unique blend of post-punk, folk-rock, punk, and alternative rock, with a strong identity marked by poetic, political, and deeply humanistic lyrics.
The band’s name was inspired by Oliver Cromwell’s revolutionary army during the English Civil War.
From the very beginning, they established an identity marked by a raw sound with a strong bass presence and an openly political stance, criticizing the Thatcher government and social injustices.
A lot of people are familiar with the band without even realizing it, and that’s due to the success of one of their hits, “51st State ” (1986) – a song that, ironically, the band no longer plays at all during concerts, precisely because it strays from the band’s philosophy, which is not to produce hits that become commercial products, but rather to create songs that convey important messages in the right way.
Even though they have a huge fan base all over the world, part of the band’s identity is also playing at smaller venues that are part of the local music scene in each city they visit. No big stadiums or massive concert halls.
Fun Fact!⭐️
New Model Army played their first gig in Bradford (West Yorkshire – England), on October 23rd 1980…on my 4th birthday 😅
Maybe someone will add the band to my astrological chart 🤣…
Moving on… I consider NMA’s work to be a legacy of resilience and longevity.
Unlike many bands of their generation, NMA has never stopped. They continue to release new music and have put out incredible, highly acclaimed albums recently, such as *Winter* (2016) and *Unbroken* (2024).
It’s really interesting how they’ve cultivated a cult-like following. They have one of the most loyal and dedicated fan bases in rock (affectionately known as “The Family”), who travel the world to follow their energetic and visceral tours.
We’ve had the chance to see them live twice since I (Patty) have been living here in Germany – once in 2022 at Kammgarn in Kaiserslautern and another time in 2024, close to home, at the Garage in Saarbrücken.
And look, besides being a band I (P) absolutely love – I have to say – they produce music of the highest quality, with equipment and a team that are totally in sync, organized, no frills, but everything is top-notch.
You walk in already certain that you’re going to witness something exceptionally well-done, professional, and seasoned.
And you walk out even more amazed at how each of their songs sticks in your mind in the most perfect way.
The atmosphere is kinda relaxed. The audience that goes to NMA shows is there to be truly dazzled, with no chaos or pushing and shoving…
And the sound is at just the right volume and quality – a real show!
In short, the New Model Army is an independent force that refuses to be pigeonholed, surviving the trends of the music industry and maintaining the same sense of urgency and integrity it had more than 40 years ago.
About the Music of the Week:
The album “Eight” consists of 11 songs. The band’s lineup for this album was:
Justin Sullivan – Vocals, Guitars, Keyboards, Bass, Harmonica
Michael Dean – Drums, Percussion, Backing Vocals
Nelson – Bass, Percussion
Dean White – Keyboards, guitars, Bass, Programming, Manuals
Dave Blomberg – Guitar and as guest: Mark Feltham – Harmonica
“Orange Tree Roads ” is a beautiful, atmospheric track. The story and meaning behind it are deeply tied to a shift in Justin Sullivan‘s outlook on life and his strong connection to Spain.
During the band’s European tour in the spring of 2000, Justin Sullivan himself described the song in no uncertain terms:
“This song is about embracing change.”
The lyrics describe the act of leaving the past, past glories, and regrets behind in order to move forward. It is a hymn about detachment and spiritual renewal.
The song’s atmosphere and geographical inspiration stemmed from a trip and stay by Justin Sullivan and his longtime partner (and artistic collaborator on the band), the writer and poet Joolz Denby.
The song was directly inspired by Joolz’s second novel, titled *Corazón*.
In fact, if you listen closely to the track, you’ll notice whispered voices in the background.
Those words are the Spanish translation of one of her poems also titled “Corazón,” which describes the Spanish landscapes and hills.
Even without a music video for this song, you’re immediately drawn into the vibe just by listening to it.
Here are the lyrics from “Orange Tree Roads “:
It was late, we were driving home in the rain
I thought I saw something flying across the two-lane
It was white like an angel - or like curse
There and gone in a second in front of us
In our house all the trophies are gathering dust
All the things we remember - but only just
We won't need them anymore
Ch: Once we were lost but we can be found
On the Orange Tree trail, on the roads heading south
Standing in the sun, in the fields of grain
Will you still love me when everything is changed?
In the shadows of the mountains we were watching the sky
Hale Bopp flying motionless out across the night
You turned to me and said with a smile
Everything these days seems to be some kind of sign
No one cares anymore where you've been
So you find a quiet place to shed that old skin
You won't need it again
Ch: Once we were lost but we can be found
On the Orange Tree trail, on the roads heading south
Standing in the sun, in the fields of grain
Will you still love me when everything is changed?
Musically, this song strays somewhat from the aggressive post-punk of the 1980s and embraces a more modern, acoustic, and progressive sound, which would set the course for the band at the start of the new millennium.
Another very interesting aspect of NMA’s career is the curation of the artwork used on the band’s album covers, singles, and everything else.
The whole thing is carefully tied to the compositions and the message each song / album conveys.
Check out the band’s website to learn more about this: https://www.newmodelarmy.org/the-band/art
Well, especially for our dear readers, here are links to the band’s profiles on Apple Music and Spotify:
Want to learn even more about the band? Here’s the official website: https://www.newmodelarmy.org/
Alright, now it’s your turn to check out our song choice of this week and tell us what you think of this band!
Once again😅, recalling: this is our music of the week, from New Model Army’ album Eight (2000): “ORANGE TREE ROADS ” 🎵🤘🎶
AAAAAAND We put together a very “eclectic” playlist (😂) featuring all the “Music of the Week” picks!
It’s available on our YouTube Channel and also on our Spotify profile:
We hope you like it! Cheers! 🤘😎
See you next week!
Patty & Carsten
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One response to “Music of the week..38/26”
nossa tinha esquecido dele