ALBUM: Maximo Park – Quicken The Heart

ALBUM REVIEW: Maximo Park – Quicken The Heart
words: Matt McDonald

The previous effort from this Newcastle quintet, ‘Our Earthly Pleasures’, was critically panned by all except The Guardian, which is little consolation. The consensus appeared to be that Maxïmo had lost their touch for writing the killer choruses. There was no ‘Apply Some Pressure.’ Despite this negative reaction, wade deeper into ‘Our Earthly Pleasures’ and the magic was there: ‘Parisian Skies’ being the equal of anything Maxïmo had previously attempted. It would be easy to declare Paul Smith and co a casualty of the need for instant satisfaction in 21st Century culture: if it doesn’t have an immediate impact, we move on.

In many ways, ‘Quicken The Heart’ is a compromise record. It contains all of the right ingredients: the choruses return as showcased in ‘Let’s Get Clinical’ and ‘Roller Disco Dreams’. With bankers such as these, Maxïmo Park can afford to let their abstract selves loose on other tracks: first single ‘The Kids Are Sick Again’ demonstrates the beauty of a virtually chorus-less song, while on opener ‘Wraithlike’, Paul Smith rallies against those who criticise his lyrical obscurity, seething ‘here’s a song that finally you can understand.’ Those reviewers must be quaking in their winklepickers…

The album is not without its pitfalls though; ‘Tanned’ meanders along without direction, for example. These are few and far between, and the most memorable aspects of this record are Duncan Lloyd’s punchy riffs, best exhibited on ‘Overland, West Of Suez’. Smith’s lyrics are poetic and emotive as ever, exemplified on highlight and finale ‘I Haven’t Seen Her In Ages’, where he croons ‘I would put my arms around you at the kitchen sink/I would hold on until you start to dream.’ Altogether then, a kick in the teeth to all who renounced Maxïmo Park to years ago. Apologies addressed to Paul Smith c/o Warp Records.

7.7

mp3: Maximo Park – I Haven’t Seen Her In Ages [alt]

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