Maximo Park
Risk To Exist
(Cooking Vinyl)
Risk To Exist is the band’s sixth studio album and eagerly anticipated follow up to their excellent 2014 album, Too Much Information. It’s great to see that a 2 year lull between recordings has been so well spent and the band have re-emerged stronger and perhaps more pertinent now than ever.
There are songs here that echo cries of isolation and a distaste for government elitism, as well as showing support for the voiceless and some well publicised controversies. Although the band’s sound dosen’t stray too far from their tried and tested formula, there’s a certain added spark here that ignites Paul Smith’s vocals, elevating the subject matter further than before. Songs like, ‘Work and then wait’ and ‘The reason I am here’ reaffirm how great the band are at writing those explosive and anthemic tunes, while ‘Respond to the feeling’ hammers the nail further with its cool and infectious electronic feel.
What Risk To Exist achieves so effectively is an ability to convey political messages, without being self-righteous or endangering the melodious spirit of the band. This is indie rock at its finest and there’s no doubt that Maximo Park will continue to keep us singing, long after the rest are gone.
