Maxïmo Park - Our Earthly Pleasures
Our Earthly Pleasures is the follow up to Maxïmo Park's acclaimed debut A Certain Trigger. The lads have been grouped in the same category as many of the revivalist UK post-punk bands, and this cannot be helped when you listen to them and draw comparisons to Pulp and Blur. With this new album, the guys bravely take a chance, trying to experiment with their sound rather than settling for what previously brought them success.
It may be an engaging listen, but it lacks enthusiasm and the punch to make a listener jump and take note. Maxïmo Park seems to avoid utter disaster, while at the same time achieving some level of success. Words like 'outstanding', and 'superb' just don't fit this one. It's just going to have to settle for 'quite good' and 'satisfactory' for the time being.
There is always a melancholic side of the tracks, as each, in its own way is dominated by Smith's current state of mind, as he documents the end of a long relationship, illustrating the conflicting emotions brought about by the split. Smith manages to casually include one-liners into his lyrics, criticising his lover for the things that went wrong, "I feel the weight upon your kiss ambiguous," from Books from Boxes, and "empty words so free of connotations- all dreams come to an end" from the ballad Your Urge. The best is saved until last; on why the relationship can't work, stating, "I can't live my life feeling nervous about tomorrow."
The album begins with a great track. Girls Who Play Guitars is about the kind of girl who likes to go out and have a good time without feeling guilty. It is a power pop song with punchy guitar riffs, and a catchy chorus. After listening to this track, it seems like many of the melodies are put on repeat for the remainder of the album, especially in tracks such as Karaoke Plays and Your Urge, and the emotions are occurring once again.
The first single to be released, Our Velocity, is upbeat and packed with melodic hooks and key changes, and reached number 9 on the UK Singles Chart. Books In Boxes begins like something off the Bon Jovi Blaze of Glory album, which makes you a little excited. But the flat vocals and, to be honest, boring beat is disappointing. Russian Literature is more of a ballad, beginning with a soft soothing piano, which builds up to a climax in the chorus, "I already knew her name, " which takes a while to get in to. It gradually winds and unwinds itself before exploding at the finish. The Unshockable is one of the more interesting tracks on the album. As it begins, you would be fooled into thinking the lads are going to burst into the chorus of Footloose. Following this, By the Monument, a track that has a pretty piano sound and handclaps, but no catchy melody.
Nosebleed, opens well with drums and piano, but is a let down. Although it does have a chorus you can sing along to which is always a bonus; "did we go to far, is that why your nose is bleeding. Last night I dreamt we kissed in a bench in the evening." A Fortnight's Time is striking as it interweaves organ beeps during the verse and piano during the chorus. Unfortunately, the vocals need work, as there is no emotion present in a song with what seems like pointless lyrics "5*5 equals 25. You should know your 5 times table by now."
After listening to the first couple of tracks, the album seems half decent. The lyrics would be less confusing if so many lyrical tongue twisters didn't overshadow the songs themselves. At times it seems as though rhyming couplets are the focus of the song, and the rest of the lyrics are framed around this. There are tracks that go from extreme to extreme, from being slow one minute, and then beaming with upbeat shifting tempos the next, which is great.
As the album comes to a close and the penultimate track begins, a sign of relief sweeps over your body, a great track at last. Sandblasted and Set Free offers a new romantic line about taking chances and making choices. The mixed vocals are a great aspect, with a truly breathtaking bridge and chorus, "the Earth is solid, you can dig it up, or you can pave it over". As is the instrumental, which has sounds you wouldn't expect on an indie rock album; defiantly the best track on the album. Parisian Skies goes back to the same beats as previous tracks, but with much better vocals. The fast paced middle; "is this the trill of the chase how can I keep up the pace" is quite something.
Our Earthly Pleasures is twelve tracks that are an uncertain listen from start to finish; with an emotional roller coaster of emotions from a rather unhappy man. The album may not break any new ground, but it's not a retread. As each of the songs cannot really be prominent on their own, try listening to the album as an entire. On the whole, the album is a step forward for Maxïmo Park; they've made a lot of effort to steer away from the more marketable sound, even if the lead singer does have a Cocker-style wit surrounding him. Defiantly give it a listen; it may just perk up your day.