Maxïmo Park | ||
| Allmusic Biography : Newcastles angular pop quintet Maxïmo Park consist of singer Paul Smith, guitarist Duncan Lloyd, bassist Archie Tiku, keyboardist Lukas Wooller, and drummer Tom English. Like their friends and neighbors the Futureheads and Field Music, Maxïmo Park craft smart, sharply catchy songs inspired by post-punk and new wave legends like the Jam, XTC, Wire, and the Smiths. Lloyd, Tiku, Wooller, and English formed the band as an avant rock, largely instrumental group, taking their name from a meeting place in Cuba for communists. Smith had previously played with the band Me and the Twins and was recommended as the bands new singer by Englishs girlfriend, who heard him singing Stevie Wonders "Superstitious" at a karaoke night. Maxïmo Park issued their debut 7", The Coast Is Always Changing/The Night I Lost My Head, in 2004; it caught the ears of Warp Records, which despite being a mostly electronic label signed them and released their second single, "Apply Some Pressure," early in 2005. It made the Top 20 in the U.K.s national charts. At that time, Warp also released the Apply Some Pressure EP, which featured tracks from both of the bands singles, in the U.S. Maxïmo Park also finished recording their debut album with producer Paul Epworth (who also worked with Bloc Party and Babyshambles) that winter and spent the spring touring the U.K., Japan, and the U.S., making an appearance at South by Southwest. The "Graffiti" single heralded the arrival of the bands full-length debut, A Certain Trigger, late that spring. More tours of the U.S. and U.K., including gigs at Glastonbury and Reading, kept the band busy that summer. Early in 2006, the B-sides collection Missing Songs was released; Maxïmo Park also maintained their hectic touring schedule and returned to the studio late that year, teaming with producer Gil Norton. Our Earthly Pleasures arrived in spring 2007. For 2009s Quicken the Heart, Maxïmo Park ventured to Los Angeles to record with producer Nick Launay, who gave the songs a slightly rawer yet still danceable sound. In 2010, the band took a break from its near-constant recording and touring, during which time Smith made the solo album Margins. The bands hiatus continued until 2012, when Maxïmo Park resurfaced with The National Health, a harder-hitting, politicized effort produced by Gil Norton. For 2014s more intimate, electronic-driven Too Much Information, the band recruited the Invisibles Dave Okumu and Field Musics David and Peter Brewis as collaborators. After Smith worked with the Brewis brothers on a pair of solo albums (2014s Frozen by Sight and the following years Contradictions), Maxïmo Park returned in 2017 with Risk to Exist. Recorded at Wilcos Loft studio in Chicago and featuring backing vocals from Lows Mimi Parker, the bands sixth album reflected the turbulent times in which it was recorded. Ahead of the albums April release, the albums title track was released as a single that benefitted the refugee charity Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS). | ||
 | Album: 1 of 9 Title: A Certain Trigger Released: 2005-05-16 Tracks: 20 Duration: 1:02:05 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify TrackSamples Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Signal and Sign (02:25) 2 Apply Some Pressure (03:19) 3 Graffiti (03:05) 4 Postcard of a Painting (02:14) 5 Going Missing (03:42) 6 I Want You to Stay (03:44) 7 Limassol (03:42) 8 The Coast Is Always Changing (03:19) 9 The Night I Lost My Head (01:51) 10 Once, a Glimpse (03:03) 11 Now I’m All Over the Shop (02:23) 12 Acrobat (04:42) 13 Kiss You Better (02:05) 1 Signal and Sign (02:49) 2 The Coast Is Always Changing (03:27) 3 Graffiti (03:04) 4 I Want You to Stay (03:43) 5 Limassol (03:41) 6 Once, a Glimpse (03:15) 7 Kiss You Better (02:26) |
| A Certain Trigger : Allmusic album Review : While Maxïmo Park might be relative latecomers to the post-punk/new wave revival, their debut album, A Certain Trigger, stakes out their own distinctive territory within that sound. Sonically speaking, the Newcastle bands mix of wiry guitars, sharply punctuated rhythms, and atmospheric keyboards is nothing new, even when compared to their fellow revivalists. What makes Maxïmo Park, and A Certain Trigger, special is the way the band captures the joys and frustrations of being young and cooped up in a small town -- theyre bittersweet, angry, thoughtful, and funny, often within the course of the same song. Singer/lyricist Paul Smiths witty, occasionally poignant observations, coupled with his strong (and endearing) Geordie accent, add to the bands earnest, angry-young-man appeal. Indeed, Maxïmo Park are so good at writing anthems for love-lorn underdogs that they almost feel more akin, spiritually at least, to Pulp than to some of their contemporaries. Similarly, some of Smiths more quotable lyrics, such as "Postcard of a Painting"s "I wrote my feelings down in a rush/I didnt even check the spelling," recall those other Smiths, and the songs jaunty melancholy is more than a little reminiscent of "This Charming Man." Several of A Certain Triggers best songs were already released as singles, but when the songs are this good, its hard to complain that they sound familiar. "Apply Some Pressure" is just as addictive and smart within the albums context as it was on its own; as it begins with spiky guitars and turns itself inside out with a synth-driven middle section, Smith hopes to get caught stealing and wonders if hell even be alive next year, but boils it down to whats most important by the end of the song ("I hope that I will live to see you undress"). The boldly romantic "Graffiti" is very nearly as good, while "The Coast Is Changing" is sweet and soaring -- even the slightly cringe-inducing couplet "I am young and I am lost/You react to my riposte" underscores its heartfelt, if somewhat awkward, exuberance. Most of A Certain Triggers album tracks sound like singles waiting to be discovered -- like their friends the Futureheads, a big part of Maxïmo Parks appeal is hearing them pack so many musical and lyrical ideas into songs that rarely pass the three-and-a-half-minute mark, like the wonderfully agile "Now Im All Over the Shop" and "Kiss You Better." On the other hand, "Acrobat," a bittersweet, largely spoken word ballad propelled by chilly drum machines and synths, is a standout because its so expansive and languid. Now that some of the novelty of Warp signing a post-punk-inspired band has worn off, its easier to hear why they did: A Certain Trigger is a remarkably fresh-sounding debut album, with more than enough personality to transcend its retro leanings. | ||
 | Album: 2 of 9 Title: Missing Songs Released: 2005-07-27 Tracks: 12 Duration: 33:02 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 A19 (02:19) 2 Isolation (01:14) 3 My Life in Reverse (03:20) 4 Fear of Falling (02:35) 5 I Want You to Leave (02:17) 6 A Year of Doubt (02:01) 7 Trial and Error (02:32) 8 Stray Talk (02:47) 9 Hammer Horror (03:46) 10 Apply Some Pressure (original demo version) (03:28) 11 Graffiti (original demo version) (03:11) 12 Once, a Glimpse (original demo version) (03:27) |
| Missing Songs : Allmusic album Review : Gathering all of the B-sides from the bands U.K. singles as well as some of their demos, Missing Songs presents more of Maxïmo Parks sharp, witty guitar pop. For better or worse, the compilation shows that the band knew exactly what songs to put on A Certain Trigger -- few of the songs here scale the heights of their debut album. But even if Missing Songs is slighter and less focused than Maxïmo Parks A-game material, its still pretty engaging. "A19" and "I Want You to Leave" are two of the bands quintessentially energetic, twisty rockers; "Fear of Falling," with its great backing harmonies and start-stop rhythms, shows that the band can even make a go-nowhere love affair sound exciting. "Hammer Horror," meanwhile, speeds along on a spy-theme-influenced bassline and twinkly keyboards. Maxïmo Park stretches out a bit on "A Year of Doubt," a sweet, bouncy vignette that flirts with indie pop, and on the lovely "Stray Talk," an acoustic ballad that shifts gears almost as many times as their plugged-in songs do. These are hardly experimental songs, but it is nice to hear the band try other approaches besides its more usual sound, as appealing as it is. There are a few stumbles on Missing Songs: "Trial and Error" lives up to its name by starting with a good idea and taking it nowhere, while the minute-long cover of John Lennons "Isolation" is creative but not entirely successful. A trio of demos -- including a tiny, tinny "Apply Some Pressure" -- rounds out the collection, and though theyre nothing new, the versions of "Graffiti" and "Once, a Glimpse" capture a little more of the bristling energy of Maxïmo Parks live shows than A Certain Trigger did. While Missing Songs doesnt have the power of that album, it is a lot more focused than some bands oddsnsods collections, and works well as a between-albums release for completists. | ||
 | Album: 3 of 9 Title: Found on Film Released: 2006-06-05 Tracks: 10 Duration: 31:04 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% AlbumCover | 1 The Coast Is Always Changing (03:13) 2 Now Im All Over the Shop (02:38) 3 Apply Some Pressure (03:09) 4 Kiss You Better (02:08) 5 Graffiti (02:55) 6 Surrender (03:09) 7 Going Missing (03:33) 8 Shiver (03:49) 9 I Want You to Stay (03:41) 10 Stray Talk (02:46) |
 | Album: 4 of 9 Title: Our Earthly Pleasures Released: 2007-03-31 Tracks: 14 Duration: 47:23 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Girls Who Play Guitars (03:12) 2 Our Velocity (03:20) 3 Books From Boxes (03:28) 4 Russian Literature (03:07) 5 Karaoke Plays (04:08) 6 Your Urge (03:57) 7 The Unshockable (03:16) 8 By the Monument (02:59) 9 Nosebleed (03:25) 10 A Fortnight’s Time (03:01) 11 Sandblasted and Set Free (03:58) 12 Parisian Skies (04:14) 13 Distance Makes (02:12) 14 Mary O’Brien (03:03) |
| Our Earthly Pleasures : Allmusic album Review : Maxïmo Park sounded so wound up and wiry on their debut, A Certain Trigger, it felt like the band might snap if they went any further in that direction on their next album. For Our Earthly Pleasures, the band recruited producer Gil Norton to fill out their sound; while Norton has done great things with bands like the Pixies and Foo Fighters, his heavily layered production ends up weighing down the bands formerly nimble rock. To be fair, Nortons approach does work on a few of Our Earthly Pleasures more aggressive songs. "Girls Who Play Guitars" gets the album off to a great start, with synths buzzing with anticipation, taut basslines, and jagged riffs. The single "Our Velocity" follows suit, spilling over with burbling keyboards and an urgency that helps make up for the fact that its far more conventional-sounding than anything Maxïmo Park has done before. Elsewhere, the albums bigger sound doesnt equal big impact, particularly on "By the Monument" and "The Unshockable," which miss the mark despite the bands impassioned delivery. And, while "A Fortnights Time" doesnt quite work either, its witty lyrics ("When it comes to girls Im mostly hypothetical/If I list their names its purely alphabetical") almost save it. The same goes for "Books from Boxes," a breakup vignette that sounds like a more defeated follow-up to A Certain Triggers "Postcard of a Painting" and, unfortunately, shows the difference between great lyrics and great songwriting. Our Earthly Pleasures softer, more romantic songs are the best showcases for the albums lush sound and Paul Smiths appealing vocals and lyrics: "Nosebleed" and "Sandblasted and Set Free" are mature and polished takes on unrequited love and moving on from a breakup, with rippling keyboards that make them sound downright pretty. "Your Urge" goes from delicate guitar and piano counterpoint to full-on rock fury and back again, displaying a mastery Maxïmo Park didnt have on their debut; likewise, "Parisian Skies," a striking balance of ebb and flow, idealism and heartbreak, closes the album with one of the bands finest songs yet. There are strong lyrics and memorable melodies throughout Our Earthly Pleasures, but, frustratingly, they dont come together as consistently as they did on A Certain Trigger. Despite the albums unevenness, the best songs show how Maxïmo Parks music can evolve into something as quirky and unique as their debut and as pop-minded as the approach they try here. | ||
 | Album: 5 of 9 Title: Quicken the Heart Released: 2009-05-10 Tracks: 12 Duration: 37:38 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 Wraithlike (02:29) 2 The Penultimate Clinch (02:36) 3 The Kids Are Sick Again (03:00) 4 A Cloud of Mystery (03:00) 5 Calm (03:07) 6 In Another World (You Would’ve Found Yourself by Now) (02:59) 7 Let’s Get Clinical (03:52) 8 Roller Disco Dreams (03:27) 9 Tanned (03:33) 10 Questing, Not Coasting (03:41) 11 Overland, West of Suez (02:46) 12 I Haven’t Seen Her in Ages (03:00) |
| Quicken the Heart : Allmusic album Review : Maximo Park worked with producer Nick Launay on Quicken the Heart, and he steers the band away from Our Earthly Pleasures slickness and toward a slightly rawer, guitar-based sound that recalls A Certain Trigger. Yet Quicken the Heart isnt as accessible as their debut -- not because the band is taking experimental risks, but because too often, the hooks and melodies dont jump out as they have before. "Wraithlike" is an exception, crashing in on sirens and emphatic drums, but other songs that aim for high drama fall short. "The Kids Are Sick Again" wants to be an anthem, but something -- maybe the songs surprisingly draggy tempo -- keeps it from getting there. Likewise, a lot of the fun seems to have evaporated from Maximo Parks music. While theyre just as earnest as ever on Quicken the Heart, theyve gotten increasingly mopey, and their heartbreak stories ("Calm," "In Another World [Youd Have Found Yourself by Now]") are less interesting. Paul Smiths words are also notably blah this time around: the awkwardly named "The Penultimate Clinch" isnt helped by rhymes like "peevish flinch" even though it has one of the most appealing choruses here. Like Our Earthly Pleasures, some of Quicken the Hearts best moments are shoved to the back of the album. "Roller Disco Dreams" mixes innocence and frustration over big, buzzy synths and an even bigger beat, and is one of the few songs here that feels like it has a real story to it; "Lets Get Clinical" lets the bands witty side peek out as it maps lust from a distance; and "I Havent Seen Her in Ages" closes the album by flirting with happiness. Maximo Park deserve some credit for trying to move their sound forward, but nothing here clicks like A Certain Triggers simplicity. While Quicken the Heart isnt bad, its slide into the nondescript is certainly disappointing. | ||
 | Album: 6 of 9 Title: The National Health Released: 2012-06-08 Tracks: 13 Duration: 40:27 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Wikipedia Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 When I Was Wild (01:02) 2 The National Health (02:59) 3 Hips and Lips (03:31) 4 The Undercurrents (04:00) 5 Write This Down (03:14) 6 Reluctant Love (03:17) 7 Until the Earth Would Open (03:16) 8 Banlieue (02:51) 9 This Is What Becomes of the Brokenhearted (03:54) 10 Wolf Among Men (02:55) 11 Take Me Home (02:54) 12 Unfamiliar Places (03:49) 13 Waves of Fear (02:40) |
| The National Health : Allmusic album Review : After 2009s somewhat disappointing Quicken the Heart, Maxïmo Park took a break, during which singer/songwriter Paul Smith released his more expansive solo album Margins. On The National Health, Smith and the rest of the band seem revitalized by the time off, delivering some of their catchiest and widest-ranging songs since their debut, A Certain Trigger. Interestingly, though, Maxïmo Park arent trying to resuscitate the bouncy post-punk of their early days -- instead, they try out more sounds and ideas than ever, and most of them stick. The albums title track is inspired by the economic malaise the U.K. (and indeed, much of the world) experienced in the 2010s, and it reveals that the bands rock is invigorated by outrage; the surging guitars and Smiths earnest yelp edge close to emo, although Maxïmo Park might not necessarily see that description as negative, since they were always the most earnest and heartfelt of their contemporaries. Elsewhere, the band incorporates more electronic elements into its sound -- a somewhat ironic development, given that The National Health is the first album the group has released thats not on Warp Records -- and the results are often thrilling, particularly on the Pulp-esque "Until the Earth Would Open" and "Write This Down." Smith also tries on different vocal stylings for size, adopting a lower, more nuanced delivery on "Hips and Lips" that suggests he and the rest of the band can shed any lingering remains of their post-punk revival roots if they want to. However, they certainly dont need to, as long as the songs are as good as they are here: "The Undercurrents," "Reluctant Love," and "Take Me Home" are all fine examples of the sadder-but-wiser love songs Maxïmo Park have excelled at since the beginning. While a few songs arent total successes -- "This Is What Becomes of the Brokenhearted" feels a little too slick for its own good -- on The National Health, the bands own health seems more sanguine than it has in some time. | ||
 | Album: 7 of 9 Title: Too Much Information Released: 2014-01-31 Tracks: 11 Duration: 35:39 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic Wikipedia AlbumCover | 1 Give, Get, Take (03:20) 2 Brain Cells (03:09) 3 Leave This Island (04:01) 4 Lydia, the Ink Will Never Dry (03:02) 5 My Bloody Mind (03:42) 6 Is It True? (03:47) 7 Drinking Martinis (03:31) 8 I Recognise the Light (02:16) 9 Midnight on the Hill (04:06) 10 Her Name Was Audre (02:00) 11 Where We’re Going (02:45) |
| Too Much Information : Allmusic album Review : "I wanted to try something different this time," Paul Smith sings at one point on Too Much Information, and in fact, Maxïmo Park try a few new things on their fifth album. This set of songs began as an experimental EP with Field Musics David and Peter Brewis, and the band sound as playful and relaxed as they were forceful and serious on their previous album The National Health. Its clear that they wanted to try as many approaches as possible: "My Bloody Mind" begins as a grinding rocker, then settles into something more confessional and endearing as Paul Smith wonders "Why do I long for a life/That I already have?" over a flowing piano melody; "Brain Cells," meanwhile, delivers on the electronic flirtations Maxïmo Park have shown since A Certain Trigger with spare, paranoid synth pop. This is one of the richest veins of experimentation on Too Much Information, allowing the band to adopt different perspectives, musically and lyrically. On the shadowy "Is It True?," Smith -- who is usually a hopeless romantic in his songs -- sings about how "ambivalent" he is lying next to someone in bed; similarly, he balances suspicion and trust on "Leave This Island," proving that Maxïmo Park find the politics of relationships to be just as fraught as the social issues they explored on The National Health. They also return to more familiar territory with songs like the bookish love song "Her Name Was Audre" and "Give, Get, Take," a slice of fizzy indie that recalls "Apply Some Pressure." Aptly, the more guitar-driven tracks such as "Drinking Martinis" and "Midnight on the Hill" arent just reminiscent of Maxïmos early days, theyre also about coming to terms with nostalgia. The intriguing contrast between the albums cheery indie rock and unsettled electronic pop recalls A Certain Trigger (which featured synth-driven interludes like "Acrobat" as well as sharp-edged indie), and its another example of how Maxïmo Park have followed the searching heart of their music down different paths over the years. Given its experimental beginnings, Too Much Information might not be the bands most immediate album, but it affords them more possibilities than theyve had since their debut. | ||
 | Album: 8 of 9 Title: Risk to Exist Released: 2017-04-21 Tracks: 11 Duration: 39:26 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify Allmusic AlbumCover | 1 What Did We Do to You to Deserve This? (03:25) 2 Get High (No, I Don’t) (03:30) 3 What Equals Love? (03:45) 4 Risk to Exist (03:39) 5 I’ll Be Around (03:44) 6 Work and Then Wait (03:02) 7 The Hero (03:43) 8 The Reason I Am Here (03:40) 9 Make What You Can (03:49) 10 Respond to the Feeling (03:06) 11 Alchemy (04:03) |
| Risk to Exist : Allmusic album Review : Even when it hasnt been fashionable to be political, Maximo Park have never shied away from sharing their views on albums like 2012s National Health. Half-a-decade later, the state of the world made stating their opinions on issues like the refugee crisis and wage inequality not just natural, but imperative. Though a lot of politically minded music suffers from being too literal or preachy, for the most part Maximo Park avoid both pitfalls on Risk to Exist, an album whose best moments are anthemic without being strident. These include the surprisingly joyous title track, which sounds like it couldve appeared on A Certain Trigger and was released as a single benefitting the refugee charity Migrant Offshore Aid Station (MOAS). "Alchemy," meanwhile, is a tender reminder that love is still important -- maybe even more so -- when the world resembles a dystopian novel come to life. Musically, Risk to Exist borrows from 80s new wave, subverting the sounds of the Me Decade with altruistic sentiments on songs like "What Equals Love?" while "The Hero" sets lyrics inspired by the 1960 film Rocco and His Brothers to a disco-inspired backdrop. Occasionally, Risk to Exist gets a little overbearing, but more often than not, the band makes respecting others ("Work and Then Wait," "Make What You Can") and doing the right thing ("Respond to the Feeling") sound catchy. Thanks to the sincerity and strong melodies that have been Maximo Parks mainstays since the beginning, Risk to Exist combines good intentions with good music. | ||
 | Album: 9 of 9 Title: As Long As We Keep Moving Released: 2019-03-01 Tracks: 13 Duration: 35:31 Scroll: Up Down Top Bottom 25% 50% 75% Spotify AlbumCover | 1 Get High (No, I Dont) (03:25) 2 I Want You To Stay (03:48) 3 Girls Who Play Guitars (03:19) 4 Questing, Not Coasting (03:41) 5 The National Health (03:04) 6 A19 (02:19) 7 What Equals Love? (03:51) 8 Limassol (03:46) 9 Midnight On The Hill (04:43) 10 Books From Boxes (03:35) 1 By The Monument (?) 2 The Hero (?) 3 The Undercurrents (?) |