Dork
  • Music News
    • Latest News
    • Album Release Schedule
  • Features
    • Features & Interviews
    • Artist Guides
    • In Photos
  • New Music
    • Hype
    • Hype News
    • Hype Features & Interviews
    • Hype Reviews
  • Playlists
    • Playlists
    • Dork Playlist
    • The Cut
    • Hype
      • Cover Story
      • Hype Playlist
  • Reviews
    • Album & EP Reviews
    • Live Reviews
  • Radio
    • Home
    • Shows
      • Down With Boring
    • Playlist
    • Listen Again
    • Podcast
      • Apple Podcasts
      • Spotify
      • Google Podcasts
      • Stitcher
      • aCast
      • TuneIn
  • Magazine
    • Latest Issue
    • Back Issues
    • Print Subscriptions
    • Print + Digital Subscriptions
  • Shop
  • Supporters
    • Support Dork
    • Supporter Only Content
    • Digital Library
HTML5 RADIO PLAYER PLUGIN WITH REAL VISUALIZER powered by Sodah Webdesign Dexheim
Dork
  • Music News
    • Latest News
    • Album Release Schedule
  • Features
    • Features & Interviews
    • Artist Guides
    • In Photos
  • New Music
    • Hype
    • Hype News
    • Hype Features & Interviews
    • Hype Reviews
  • Playlists
    • Playlists
    • Dork Playlist
    • The Cut
    • Hype
      • Cover Story
      • Hype Playlist
  • Reviews
    • Album & EP Reviews
    • Live Reviews
  • Radio
    • Home
    • Shows
      • Down With Boring
    • Playlist
    • Listen Again
    • Podcast
      • Apple Podcasts
      • Spotify
      • Google Podcasts
      • Stitcher
      • aCast
      • TuneIn
  • Magazine
    • Latest Issue
    • Back Issues
    • Print Subscriptions
    • Print + Digital Subscriptions
  • Shop
  • Supporters
    • Support Dork
    • Supporter Only Content
    • Digital Library
  • Album & EP Reviews

Maxïmo Park – Nature Always Wins

  • Ciaran Steward
  • February 24, 2021

Label: Prolifica Inc 
Released: 26th February 2021


From five down to three, there’s no mistaking that Maxïmo Park have changed considerably since breaking through with ‘A Certain Trigger’ way, way back in 2005 – yet their seventh LP ‘Nature Always Wins’ remains packed with the quality that has seen them become such a mainstay in the indie world.

The first release without original keyboardist Lukas Wooller, there’s a distinct increased reliance on Duncan Lloyd’s guitar for riffs with the synths generally setting the mood. Keyboard duties are expertly covered by touring member Jemma Freese, whose backing vocals also add a welcome depth throughout, while drummer Tom English’s pounding rhythms provide perhaps more impetus than ever before.

‘Baby Sleep’ may just be the best song the band have released for a decade – complete with signature angular guitars, Paul Smith’s distinctive lyrics and a chorus that’s destined for mumbled repetition as the kettle boils. 

As is commonplace, Smith’s words feel ripped from the pages of literature, and yet this feels like the closest these motifs are to his own emotions, fears and insecurities – issues of guilt, privilege and anxiety are all high on the agenda. Familiar political frustrations sit alongside intensely personal anecdotes while the lyrical content matures as the trio settle into life as veterans of the scene.

Opening track ‘Partly Of My Making’ sounds produced for The Enemy’s ‘Music For The People’, but ‘Versions Of You’ is straight out of the traditional Maxïmo Park playbook and from here on through to the sprawling closer ‘Children Of The Flatlands’ it’s pretty clear these songs couldn’t have been made by anyone else.

This is exactly what die-hard fans will have hoped for, stacked with catchy art-pop singles and far too close to home dystopian visions. Who knew indie landfill could last this long?

Ciaran Steward
3.0 rating
3/5
Total Score
Related Topics
  • Maximo Park
You May Also Like
View Post
  • In Photos

Lovejoy triumphed at London’s Electric Brixton, and it looked like this

  • March 29, 2023
View Post
  • Music News

Thomas Headon is taking a new perspective on his latest single, ‘i loved a boy’

  • March 29, 2023
View Post
  • Music News

Tyler, The Creator is dropping an expanded edition of ‘Call Me If You Get Lost’ on Friday

  • March 28, 2023
Latest issue
Latest
    • Music News
    Cosmo Sheldrake has announced a new EP, ‘Wild Wet World’
    • Music News
    Mahalia is dropping a new single, ‘Terms and Conditions’, very soon
    • Music News
    bb sway has shared a new single, ‘Everything You’ve Always Wanted’
    • Music News
    Cat Burns has debuted her “very positive” new single, ‘live more & love more’
    • Music News
    Ezra Williams has announced their debut album, ‘Supernumeraries’

Subscribe to our newsletter

Get pop nonsense to your inbox.

Dork
  • Contact
  • Jobs
  • Privacy
© 2016-2021 The Bunker Publishing Ltd

Input your search keywords and press Enter.