Max. Everything (Our Earthly Pleasures - Maximo Park)

Member Name: Rose Pink

Product:	Our Earthly Pleasures - Maximo Park
Date:	14/09/07 (79 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Great sound, quiry, fun, cheap

Disadvantages: Not quite as good as their previous album

Style/Influences

Maximo Park belongs to the explosive new genre entering the music scene. Sometimes called pop-punk, sometimes indie-rock Maximo Park gives a thoroughly enjoyable sound. It has a solid foundation of hard rock, quirkily combined with an element of punk that allows Maximo Punk to stand out from other bands who tend to verge mainly towards one sound. Yet Maximo Park has created a fusion of these styles as they have both been positive influences. The band only ever uses subtle vocal melodies and harmonies and always avoid the making of mere noise and although the lead singer’s accent is very prominent I think this is individual and is characteristic of the new more eccentric and rebellious sounds.

Progression

This is the second album release from Maximo Park after their debut album ‘A Certain Trigger.’ Personally I prefer the first album yet since that was absolutely fabulous don’t be discouraged from this one. The band has matured greatly since their early days. They have begun to play with different and fairly unusual chord combinations, creating a new and much edgier quality to their music. They have also veered away from pop and towards a heavier sound, and I am sure that many will actually prefer this.

Songs

1. Girls Who Play Guitars
2. Our Velocity
3. Books From Boxes
4. Russian Literature
5. Karaoke Plays
6. Your Urge
7. Unshockable
8. By The Monument
9. Nosebleed
10. Fortnight's Time
11. Sandblasted And Set Free
12. Parisian Skies
Unlike many albums where only a small amount of songs merit listening, the whole of this album is good quality. Its difficult to get bored of the sand as each song is quite different form the one before. The varying tempos, keys and other musical techniques is refreshing and prevents it sounding repetitive which Is always indicative of a special album. For me I think the best song has to be Parisian Skies. I was immediately drawn to it by the beautiful name and I wasn’t let down. The song is very mellow in some places, yet as it progresses they successfully show heightened emotion using a very pretty melody. I also love Russian Literature and Books From Boxes just because they are so unusual and they perhaps have the most meaningful lyrics. My least favourite is probably Karaoke Plays which to me seems too repetitive. However it is still listenable and not too much of a sacrifice.

Price and Stockists

The CD can be bought for the teensy price of £6.99 from the HMV website with postage and packaging included. The album is worth much more than this and I recommend it to all.

Summary: A liberated and matured album from the geniuses of 'A Certain Trigger.'