Maxïmo Park – Stream Of Life (2024)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 40:01 minutes | 871 MB | Genre: Indie Pop
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Lower Third
Twenty years into their indie mission, Maximo Park find the ‘Stream of Life’ is always changing on their eighth album.
In November 2004, Paul Smith and co launched ‘The Coast Is Always Changing’, the debut single which spearheaded their “so-called career” (by his own admission). Guitarist Duncan Lloyd admits it’s “unusual” for a band like theirs to reach eight albums, but it’s not that surprising: they’ve been ever-presents, in their own way. This is their first outing since 2021’s ‘Nature Always Wins’, which propelled them to #2 in the album charts, matching ‘Our Earthly Pleasures’ in 2007.
Maximo worked remotely with producer Ben Allen for obvious reasons in the pandemic, but this time worked in person in Atlanta, Georgia, turning band demos into forceful ideas.
From the opening guitars of ‘Your Own Worst Enemy’, you’re in comfortable territory, as long as you’re aware of the band. The single is strong, not “that horrible feeling” Paul sings about in the chorus. It develops the musings on fatherhood as the little girl from 2021’s ‘Baby, Sleep’ grows up, sounding a little like ‘Green’-era R.E.M.
Recording in GA allowed the band a chance to make a pilgrimage to Athens, the home of those aforementioned alt icons and countless others. The band honour their heroes in their sound.
Tracklist:
1-1. Maxïmo Park – Your Own Worst Enemy (03:24)
1-2. Maxïmo Park – Favourite Songs (03:36)
1-3. Maxïmo Park – Dormant ‘Til Explosion (Feat. Vanessa Briscoe Hay) (03:49)
1-4. Maxïmo Park – The End Can Be As Good As The Start (03:28)
1-5. Maxïmo Park – Armchair View (03:37)
1-6. Maxïmo Park – Quiz Show Clue (04:48)
1-7. Maxïmo Park – Stream Of Life (03:19)
1-8. Maxïmo Park – Doppelgänger Eyes (03:02)
1-9. Maxïmo Park – I Knew That You’d Say That (03:11)
1-10. Maxïmo Park – The Path I Chose (03:39)
1-11. Maxïmo Park – No Such Thing As A Society (04:04)
