Album review: Maximo Park – Too Much Information (Daylight)

Since the frenetic rush of 2005’s top-20 single ‘Apply Some Pressure’, taken from debut LP ‘A Certain Trigger’, Newcastle’s Maxïmo Park haven’t strayed from their initial, winning formula of infectious indie-pop and witty, unconventional lyrics.

While this fifth album contains icier, rather Fever Ray inspired electronic soundscapes, frontman Paul Smith’s eccentric tales of nocturnal sports and deceased poets are mostly backed by the angular pop production fans of this band have come to expect.

This can prove frustrating at times, with the overproduced ‘My Bloody Mind’ sounding like an inferior repeat of past singles. However, unexpected moments of magic like the pulsing synths of ‘Leave This Island’ – with a tender, emotive delivery of “I’ll stand up for you” – make Smith’s lyrical observations all the more captivating.

7/10

Words: James Evans

– – –

Published on ClashMusic.com. Article here.