Maximo Park - Our Earthly Pleasures

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A strong follow-up

For a label renowned for left field acts, Warp's decision to sign indie quintet Maximo Park was one of its boldest moves. But that belief in the Newcastle outfit was justified by a solid debut album and further vindicated by this strong follow-up.

Working with producer Gil Norton (Pixies, Foo Fighters) Maximo Park show themselves to be an even tighter band than their first album suggested and one whose ability with time changes says that they should fear no other group. Stripped of studio gloss, 'Our Earthly Pleasures' charges along with all the sweaty abandon that its title suggests.

But such speed isn't this album's most rewarding aspect - that's to be found during the moments where they're not out to see if the drummer's arms can stay on. Throughout singer Paul Smith's lyrics are excellent ("The weekend is a godsend/The nightime is a lifeline/Another useless fumble/Another drunken stumble") and by the close there's the feeling that if they further temper that desire to race for the finish line, they will prove more interesting than anyone could've imagined.

Even Warp.

Harry Guerin

Buy 'Our Earthly Pleasures' from the RTÉ eShop here.

Tracklisting: Girls Who Play Guitars - Our Velocity - Books from Bodes - Russian Literature - Karaoke Plays - Your Urge - The Unshockable - By the Monument - Nosebleed - A Fortnight's Time - Sandblasted and Set Free - Parisian Sky