Jan 2007

'Our Earthly Pleasures', the second album from Maximo Park, marks a departure from their art-rock debut, and shows a progression to heavier songs and more advanced songwriting, thanks to producer Gil Norton (famous for his work with The Pixies). Featuring big radio singles, fantastically developed emotional songs, and even a soaring ballad, ‘Our Earthly Pleasure’ includes the rip roaring, rollercoaster of a return that is first single ‘Our Velocity’.

• Rolling Stone (p.62) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "The U.K. indie band's second album has beefed-up sound and increasingly brilliant, not-at-all-pretentious gems like 'Girls Who Play Guitars'..."

'Our Earthly Pleasures' is the second album from Geordie new-wavers Maximo Park, and is the follow up to their impressive debut album, 'A Certain Trigger'. A bigger, louder and more expansive record than their debut, here we find the band in a more reflective mood, with singer Paul Smith's plaintive and heartfelt lyrics being backed by a band not afraid to experiment with their sound. Includes the single 'Our Velocity'.

Maximo Park: Paul Smith (vocals); Duncan Lloyd (guitars); Lukas Wooller (keyboards); Archis Tiku (bass instrument); Tom English (drums).
Additional personnel: Laura Reid, Nell Catchpole (strings).
Like fellow British post-punk revivalists Bloc Party and the Futureheads, Maximo Park followed up its Paul Epworth-produced debut with a more expansive sound and a different man behind the boards. On 2007's OUR EARTHLY PLEASURES, the Newcastle quintet enlisted veteran producer Gil Norton (best known for his work with the Pixies) to reinforce its already solid, tightly wound approach. While Norton's presence doesn't drastically change Maximo Park's wiry, restless aesthetic, it does lend some extra heft to the fierce opener, "Girls Who Play Guitars," and the pulsing, keyboard-driven "Our Velocity," a tune that fully showcases vocalist Paul Smith's passionate croon and the group's knack for crafting memorable hooks. And although Modest Mouse may have actually scored Johnny Marr as a member, "Books from Boxes" features shimmering guitar lines that recall the former Smiths six-stringer's signature tone, resulting in one of the most affecting tunes on PLEASURES. Though the record isn't quite as consistent as A CERTAIN TRIGGER, its high points, which include all of the aforementioned tracks, are undeniably compelling, and hold great promise for Maximo Park's longevity.

Led by hyperactive frontman Paul Smith, Maximo Park emerged from the fertile indie scene of North Eastern England--alongside the Futureheads, and Field Music--with 2005's A CERTAIN TRIGGER, released on the usually dance-oriented label Warp. A confident, enjoyable mix of the more jagged strains of current and classic British pop, Maximo Park proved one of 2005's breakthrough bands on both sides of the pond, and followed up on that success in 2007 with their follow-up effort, OUR EARTHLY PLEASURES.