Back with their fifth studio album Too Much Information, contemplative Geordie rockers Maximo Park have successfully managed to blend their well-known jerky post-punk production with a new, more mature sound, featuring melodic synths and moody electronics.
Tracks such as ‘Brain Cells’ and ‘Is it True?’ conjure up ’80s disco nostalgia, with production more akin to Wild Nothing or Chromatics than expected from a Maximo Park album. The infectious ‘Leave This Island’ also exemplifies the band’s new direction and instantly strikes you as the track you’ll be hitting repeat on first. Though the aforementioned tracks veer more towards an experimental pop sound, fans who may be longing for the old will likely find enough of that in here too. ‘My Bloody Mind’ and ‘Midnight On The Hill’ hark back to the jumpy sound prevalent in 2012’sThe National Health. As we have come to expect from Maximo Park, Paul Smith’s observational lyricism is rife throughout – sometimes witty, sometimes clichОd, but always heartfelt.
While it maintains much of the energetic indie feel and lyrics that loyal fans will appreciate, the more melancholy, disco-influenced tracks are what set this album apart from past releases and may be just what the band needs to attract a broader fan base.
3.5/5 stars
Out now on Daylighting/ [PIAS]
