Thunder and ConsolationNational Album Day 2025 edition

New Model Army

Originally issued in March 1989, Thunder and Consolation, represents a pivotal moment in New Model Army’s evolution.

 

Composed in two intense ten-day writing bursts at Cornwall’s remote Sawmill Studio and completed across sessions at The Manor, the album balances urgency with expansiveness. Across its ten core tracks, the ensemble fuses elements of folk, post-punk and soul — always anchored by Justin Sullivan’s probing lyrics and the rhythmic drive of Robert Heaton and Jason Harris. A distinctive new voice in the mix is Ed Alleyne-Johnson’s violin, which weaves through “Green and Grey,” “Vagabonds” and others like a haunting counterpoint — transforming the album from a rock record into something broader.

 

Upon its release, Thunder and Consolation earned wide acclaim and deepened New Model Army’s listener base. It went gold in Germany and remains one of the group’s most enduring and beloved records. To honor its legacy, Thunder and Consolation is being reissued as a 2LP black-vinyl pressing in conjunction with National Album Day 2025 (NAD 2025) — restoring the full original tracklist and reaffirming its place as a landmark in the band’s catalogue.