OUR EARTHLY PLEASURES - MAXIMO PARK
Rather than full-on push the envelope for its sophomore effort “Our Earthly Pleasures,” U.K. rock act Maximo Park seems more content on simply pumping it up a little, adding a guitar layer here, a synth slide there and at times even smoothing out the jangly, edgy guitar found scattered all over its 2005 debut, “A Certain Trigger.” This not-too-over-the-top approach, augmented by Pixies producer Gil Norton, finds success particularly on the first two songs, “Girls Who Play Guitar” and “Our Velocity,” both of which pack an extra-heavy, guitar-driven punch, as well as with the frenetic piano buildup on “Russian Literature.” Even the polished sheen of songs such as “Karaoke Plays” and the subtle string arrangement on “Sandblasted and Set Free” are a pleasing departure, allowing Maximo Park to safely explore new territory without being too obvious.(Warp Records) Billboard
