Album: Maximo Park - Our Earthly Pleasures
Before frontman Paul Smith joined Maxïmo Park, he had never sung anywhere else but in his car and in the shower. Drummer Tom English’s girlfriend had heard him singing along to Stevie Wonder’s Superstition in a club and convinced him to talk to the band. Two years later, debut A Certain Trigger is released, which is instantly labelled as one of the best British albums of 2005. Not a bad result for a small band from Newcastle, UK that was on the verge of splitting up before Smith joined.
Second albums are always hard to do. It leaves the band with the choice to continue the way the first one was, change their style radically, or combine the two. Maxïmo Park chose the last option for Our Earthly Pleasures. The Maxïmo sound has matured. First single Our Velocity already shows a little of this new style, but is actually the song that is the most like the ‘old’ Maxïmo Park. An example of the harder work is Russian Litterature, where the band plays as fast as fellow Brits The Futureheads. Girls Who Play Guitars is very catchy, and the beautiful Your Urge is calm and relaxed. The Unshockable also has the high pace The Futureheads like to keep.
The band’s biggest influences while making this album are The Smiths and the Smashing Pumpkins. This combination ensures a varied album. Our Earthly Pleasures has the right mixture of danceable tunes and more relaxing songs, in true Maxïmo style.
Verdict: It might take a couple of times before you fully appreciate this album, don't dismiss it after just one go! Maxïmo Park has delivered a decent second album.