Maximo Park: 'Quicken The Heart' (Warp)
1. Wraithlike2. The Penultimate Clinch
3. The Kids Are Sick Again
4. A Cloud Of Mystery
5. Calm
6. In Another World (You'd Have Found Yourself By Now)
7. Let's Get Clinical
8. Roller Disco Dreams
9. Tanned
10. Questing, Not Coasting
11. Overland, West Of Suez
12. I Haven't Seen Her In Ages
Three albums into their career, this Geordie quintet have proven once again there is no end to their musical talent.
It's difficult to fault 'Quicken The Heart': On 'Roller Disco Dreams', Paul Smith wonders "if it's a grower, why can't we take things slower" - that's just not an option here.
From the opening riff of 'Wraithlike' through to the final bars of 'I Haven't Seen Her For Ages' we are exposed to a relentless succession of rampant riffs, ballistic basslines and ruthless rhythms; "a list of wraithlike things, that quicken the heart" if you will.
Given the overall quality, it's hard to pick out a highlight - it's all that good. However, if pressed on the subject, 'Calm' has to be my pick of the bunch, mainly due to its clever change of rhythm for the final part, contagious guitars et al.
Maximo quality.
Top track: 'Calm'
Album rating: 8/10
Last 5 NME-E reviews:
The Maccabees: 'Wall Of Arms'
So Shush: Wistful Wanders
Doves: 'Kingdom Of Rust'
The Rakes: 'Klang'
Starsailor: 'All The Plans'
Read all NME-E reviews
2 comments:
Nice compact review.
You said it all in a few lines.
Thank you.
Will be seeing the band next week at Brixton so looking forward to hearing the new material and seeing them again live after two years.
Glad to have been of assistance!
Enjoy the gig, I'm sure they won't disappoint!
Maximo respect
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