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Maximo Park, Albert Hall, Manchester

  • Published in Live

For many, the fact that Newcastle’s Maximo Park are still massively active more than ten years since their inception is crazy. While so many bands of their era have either stagnated in to obscurity, or reached the dizzying heights of worldwide renown, theirs is a career of celebrated consistently, of which the 2000 people in attendance this evening are a testament.

Any argument against the band’s current relevancy however, prove unfounded when their most recent album Risk to Exist is brought in to the mix. Far more politicised than their previous records, it’s this material that forms the backbone of tonight’s set, though despite the overt politics of said material being both timely and heartfelt, its sincerity does little to dampen the convivial atmosphere felt inside Manchester’s Albert Hall.

Opening with a double team of new material in the form of ‘What Did We Do To Deserve This?’ and the eponymous ‘Risk To Exist’, it’s clear from the outset that the new material speaks volumes to the band’s fans, as if it’s been a staple of their sets for years and not, in fact, a matter of months.

Of course, while the politics are both welcome and necessary, the inherent romanticism of Maximo Park is what earns them fans, and indeed keeps them coming back. Tonight, it’s present in spades. From long-time favourites like ‘Books From Boxes’ to more recent offerings like ‘Leave This Island’ the band’s ability in extracting beauty from desolation, and in making the mundane appear poetic is second to none.

As they tear through a 20 strong set-list, complete with expected acrobatics and countless “thank yous” from the band’s affable frontman Paul Smith, it’s clear that despite the vastly varied crowd, Maximo Park are a band that bring people together. And though each song might well mean something different to each person present tonight, their importance is impossible to ignore.

As they exit the stage following an energetic airing of ‘Girls Who Play Guitars’ those on the Albert Halls wooden balcony begin to stamp their feet in unison, shaking the fixtures and adding to an atmosphere already amplified by the deafening roar that only gets louder as the band return to the stage for a deserved encore.

An impassioned outing for ‘By the Monument kicks things off, followed in quick succession by ‘Apply Some Pressure’ and new track ‘Get High, (No, I Don’t)’, but really, it doesn’t matter what they play. Maximo Park gigs are bigger than the sum of their parts, and the band themselves far bigger than their none-existent ego. And though the new album provides an insight in to their leftist politics, they were a band of the people long before any serious politics entered the equation. And long my they continue to be so. 

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Maxïmo Park - Risk To Exist

  • Published in Albums

We were at uni in Newcastle when Maxïmo Park broke into the mainstream with their energetic, anthemic indie tunes.  Their music was - and still is - distinguishable from other bands in the same genre largely because of Paul Smith’s distinctive tones; now, over ten years on from the release of their debut A Certain Trigger, do they still stand out?

Risk To Exist is the band’s sixth studio album, and Smith’s admitted that this album has “more socially-minded lyrics”, and is a little “groovier” than its predecessors.  Certainly, having accidentally left the music on shuffle, we couldn’t necessarily distinguish the new tracks from early Maxïmo Park, but there is definitely a progression of sorts.  

The album does have a political slant to it; album opener ‘What Did We Do To Deserve This’ appears to be an anti-Brexit ode, with lines like "this is not the good days", "Let’s all pretend to tell the truth", and "what did we do you to deserve this?" almost being spat out.  Equally, ‘Work And Then Wait’ shares some of the vitriol from the off; “The Old Boys club has been throwing its weight around/It’s been around so long and I’m sick of the sound”. “I won’t be put in my place,” Smith continues; “The hand that giveth is set to taketh away/They strip you of your dignity/They make you work and then wait”.  He goes on to comment on “right-wing views” - just in case the message was unclear.  

The Hero' is quite a funky number, with driving chords and a bit of a disco beat.  However, listen more acutely and the message is far from fun: “They say money doesn’t change a thing/but you can bet that they’re not suffering/ when you’re on the lowest rung/ you’re going to get stung.” The music seems at odds with the lyrics; such an upbeat soundtrack grates a little with the discontented wording.

The two songs most in line with previous Maxïmo Park releases are probably ‘The Reason I Am Here’ and the title track, which has been released as the lead single.  Each track showcases the anthemic chorus the band is known for and both seem to have the energy of old. 'Risk To Exist' in particular wouldn’t be amiss next to 'Apply Some Pressure' or 'Velocity', with its gun-fire-like drums and catchy refrain.  

Other tracks include 'Get High (No, I Don’t)', a catchy but somewhat wishy-washy contribution, and 'I’ll Be Around' - both definite album tracks. Paul Smith’s questioning continues in 'What Equals Love', though his attentions turn to love rather than government here.  

Ultimately, there are two main themes running across Risk To Exist: empathy and solidarity.  They crop up in almost every song, and it’s clear that Smith has a lot he wants to get off his chest with regard to both, whether that’s politically or romantically.  Musically, there’s a touch of soul injected into each track; as Smith mentioned, things are a little funkier - although everything still has that undeniable Maxïmo Park sound.

When there’s a band that reminds you of a certain period of your life, it can be hard to move on with them as they progress musically as you cling on to the nostalgia. Ten years ago we were pogoing along to 'Graffiti' in the basement of the student union with a belly full of cider and a heart full of hope.  We’ve all got older, wiser and a little more cynical - but Maxïmo Park are still belting out the tunes we used to know and love in the beginning.  Risk To Exist is a bit different, but it’s not different enough to alienate existing fans, unless you disagree with Smith’s politics - but then you probably wouldn’t be listening to this anyway.

Risk To Exist is available from amazon & iTunes.   

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