Hot on the heels of the success of their fifth album, Maximo Park returned to their place of genesis to deliver three in store events in Newcastle promoting their sixth offering, Too Much Information. Starting at 3pm in Reflex, 4pm in RPM and 5pm in the flailing high street giant, HMV, the North East five piece played an intimate seven track set to the assembled crowds.
The room seemed a little thin on the ground at first – lucky then that they were a good twenty minutes late to take to the stage – but filled up to the back of the DVDs by the time the band took to the stage. Bassist Archis was notable by his absence, as he is currently standing down from touring duties. Picking up the bass reins was a tired-looking (yet very handsome) Paul Rafferty from Hot Club de Paris.
Taking to the stage with a hot chocolate in hand, Paul Smith wore his trademark suit and hat and prefaced their initial track with his usual self-effacing, mildly gauche yet thoroughly charming banter. Starting with ‘Brain Cells’ from new release, Too Much Information, the band produced a darker more brooding sound than I’ve heard before. Undercut with a dancier beat, the track was belted out despite the small venue and intimate feel of the group. Introducing second track from the new album, ‘Leave This Island’, Smith invited us to make up stories ourselves with clues from the words. And this is one of the things that Maximo Park do best: they produce intelligent, poetically written lyrics that complement perfectly their developing and increasingly experimental sound. It’s great to experience them in such an informal setting as you can sense the song’s message through the body language and facial expressions of the band – a sight you’re not usually privy to in bigger venues where you’re separated by a crowd barrier.
Third song, ‘Lydia the Ink Will Never Dry’ showcased a variety of vocals and went down well with the otherwise pretty subdued crowd, even getting a few whoops. Up next, debut album opener, ‘Signal and Sign’ was delivered with usual aggression and stage acrobatics. It sounded a little less mature lyrically than the most recent tracks, but proved that a stomping drum beat and catchy riff can never age. The pace slowed for ‘Midnight on the Hill’, (which is apparently in the same key as ‘Going Missing’, fact fans) a song about getting hot under the collar and a bit down and dirty in the car. Fingers crossed it was written in a slightly more glamorous place than Lobley Hill, but who can say.
After a brief break for Paul to finish off his hot chocolate, the band launched into the last song from Too Much Information, ‘Where We’re Going’, an upbeat, wistful track about the future of relationships. Rounding off the day was north-east crowd favourite, ‘By the Monument’; a number which finally got the crowd jigging around. The band’s popularity was clear to see by the number who stayed behind and got their CD signed (myself included). It’s not hard to see why: the new album is a heady mix of recognisable Maximo Park quirks, complemented by exploration into new genres, new musical motifs and lyrical themes. It’s a fantastic follow up to The National Health and shows a band who are maturing as they grow and producing some of their finest work.
Words: Jennifer Westmoreland
Picture: Daniel Robson
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