Our Earthly Pleasures - Maximo Park > Reviews > I'm Not A Man, I'm A Machine

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Groundbreaking
Lyrics	Sublime
Quality and consistency of tracks	Flawless
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money	Excellent

Advantages:	An excellent secod album with a more mature sound
Disadvantages:	None

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

After the release of 2005’s A Certain Trigger, Maximo Park have become one of my favourite current bands. Coupled with an amazing live performance and a number of B-sides that have more plays on my Ipod then some new albums and it really illustrates how much I like them. So when it was announced that the follow up, Our Earthly Pleasure was going to be released I made sure I had a copy on pre order. It was going to be a hard task to follow up A Certain Trigger let alone better it, but Maximo Park gave it a go and this is the result.

The 5 piece from Newcastle have managed to better that debut. It seemed to be a hard ask but with a more mature, louder sound they seem to have made an album that betters the first. It was obvious from the first album that lyrically Maximo Park seemed to be way ahead of all the other Indie bands around at the same time and this album seems to reinforce that. They come across as very much the thinking man’s Indie band.

One of the most obvious factors about the bands music is the lack of a distinctive influence. They seem to have created a sound of their own and it seems that they are really bringing this sound into the mainstream. From the opening riff on the album it screams of something different to the other albums and artists around at the moment. While the album itself continues with the same sort of ideal as the debut album the last 2 years have seen the band grow and this is really reflected in the music.

As a band they really seem to be evolving and while there were a couple of weaker points on the previous album they seem to have obliterated that completely. From the start of the album the guitars lead the way, giving the album a real sense of structure. The bass too seems to play a big role in the bands sound and combines well with the lead guitars. The drumbeat backing really keeps the album ticking along nicely and is blended in superbly with the keyboards. All in all the album is musically as good as anything out there, with a nice balance of up-tempo, fast paced tracks and slower, acoustic numbers.

It is lyrically and vocally a more complete album as well. In lead singer Paul Smith they do really have a very distinctive sound and his vocals seem to really give the band something different. His song writing too seems to have matured considerably since the first effort. The combination of the more mature lyrics and what seems to be a wider range of vocal ability from Smith again seem to have insured this would be a better album than the debut effort. The one thing that seemed to be missing from the debut we’re slower, acoustic songs and Smith proves on this album that he has the range and ability to pull it off.

The first single taken from this album, “Our Velocity” is a good indication to the quality of the rest of the album. From the first time I heard it I knew the new record was going to be good and I’m certain if you like it you will also like the album. It’s not my favourite on the album though as “Girls Who Play Guitars” and “Nosebleed” seem to have really appealed to me. The later is one of the slower tracks that they seem to have gone for on this album.

I found the slower intro to the track really got my attention the first few times I listened to it. The vocals come in quite soon afterwards and combined with the guitars and drums this song has a really tranquil feel to it. A lot of this new album seems to be about broken relationships and the feelings between men and women and Smith with tracks such as “Nosebleed” has really ensured that the bands appeal to a wider audience should continue and an already huge fan base will continue to increase. As for weaker tracks I really cant find any, there are a couple that took a little longer to get into than others but unlike A Certain Trigger and “Acrobat” there are no songs on this album I’d even consider skipping.

Overall this is quite an accomplishment from the Newcastle band. The first album was good and really showed what they were all about but this follow up seems to really cement their place in the music industry. The single really gives a taste of the album for anyone who isn’t already a fan of the band and it’s an album that if you like the single you will love. The more mature Maximo Park will be around for a long time to come and I for one can’t wait to hear what they come up with next.

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