Apply Some Pressure - Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger

Of all of the post-Libertine's bands to come flooding out of England in the middle part of this decade, Maximo Park seemed like the forgotten middle child. They lacked the spikey ferocity and politcal savvy of Bloc Party, but weren't as monotonous as one song wonders like The Cribs or The Fratellis. But as Bloc Party has released two underwhelming follow ups that have takent he bloom off their rose (and the other two bands have released lack luster follow ups that confirmed them as one trick ponies) the Gang of Four-esque pop of these Newcastle lads seems more and more appealing by the day.

All Over The Shop - Maximo Shop - A Certain Trigger - 2005

So my company was recently acquired by a larger company. Part of the reason the company decided to purchase us was due to the fact that we have a large half empty office in lower Manhattan. So now they are starting to move in, bit by bit, into our vacant spaces. Needless to say, this has not proceeded without incident. First of all, they have put up a giant poster of Prince...no disrespect intended, but I don't want a giant Prince watching me all day. Second of all, they have blasted the new Madonna album TWICE today. Thank god I wear headphones.

Anyway, this is Maximo Park doing their poppy variation of Gang of Four. Not my favorite song on this album, but solid enough.

Acrobat - Maximo Park - A Certain Trigger - 2005

And speaking of songs that feel like fighting with your girlfriend....It's always nice when this project actually works, when one song bleeds into the next without missing a beat or changing the vibe.

This song feels like a cousin to R.E.M.'s "Belong"...with it's spoken word verses and anthemic chorus, it's hushed but ominous instrumentation. But replacing Stipe's rumination about conformity and lemmings is a story of a failing relationship told in little details (in Paul Smith's adorably thick Geordie accent). Every line is increasingly brutal, the way the chill of the house can't be fought, how he's afraid to touch her leg with his foot as they lay in bed together, the twice repeated "I don't remember losing site of your needs". Jesus, it's like getting kicked in the heart as the guitar comes in and builds to the chorus...the moment when the weight of her expectations just become overwhelming. "I am not an acrobat, I can not perform these tricks for you."

I've been in this relationship and God does it suck.
Good work, limeys.
Shame your second album is so tepid.