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New Model Army knew they were onto something special when they released Between Dog and Wolf last year but even they probably didn't expect the critical acclaim that followed. It brought many back into the fold and thanks to widespread coverage, opened up the back catalogue to many newer fans. Having been forced to cancel the second part of the tour promoting the album due to illness, they used the time to record Between Wine and Blood instead.
The album is split into two sections of six studio and eleven live tracks. The studio tracks follow on nicely from previous album Between Dog and Wolf but despite all the plaudits it received (and it was a very good album indeed) it lacked a little urgency. Thankfully much of that is restored here as the songs have a touch more bite and grit and are all the better for it. The opening tracks According To You and Angry Planet are as good as anything the band have released in the last 20 years. They have all the classic NMA elements of melody, grit and engaging lyrics and are fast paced adrenalin rides that there were all too few of on Between Dog and Wolf. After Guessing it does slow down a bit but the quality remains high with the haunting ballad of Devil's Bargain. It's only the last of the studio tracks Sunrise that doesn't really hit the mark. The chorus just doesn't work that well and amongst such a strong collection of songs it stands out.
The production on the live tracks is excellent and all are taken from Between Dog and Wolf. Stripped of the slick production of their studio counterparts, they have more of an edge, which makes them work alongside the studio tracks here. We'd even venture as far to say that tracks like Lean Back and Fall sound better live than the studio version. What this and the last album have done is to really cement the identity of this line up, to plant their flag firmly in the sand and whilst acknowledging what had gone before, they took it somewhere else and you have to say that by and large it worked.
As a package this is a perfect follow up to Between Dog and Wolf that maintains the momentum built up by that album and keeps it rolling. The songs are certainly no stop gap or filler, in the main they are as strong as anything on the last album and if anything whet the appetite for more! The live tracks are solid and a good document of the tour, capturing some of the intensity and excitement from at the time. As a long term follower it's hard to explain what has changed recently but all of a sudden there is a renewed vigour about the band and their followers. They've created a new identity and they're pushing it hard and it's a real breath of fresh air.