'Our Earthly Pleasures' by Maximo Park

How does one deliver an objectively critical review of perfection? The new Maximo's album is, quite simply, magnificent. It's full of driving energy, the music pushing forward and lyrics challenging pop conventions, with Paul singing in Geordie. They're in a league of their own.

She goes out/She gets drunk/She gets off/She goes home

It opens with 'Girls Who Play Guitars', a great opener, with girls living the lads life and enjoying themselves without a thought for tomorrow and why should they? As the sonng concludes, 'It's her life, And a life worth living'. Give up your prejudice and puritanical views and accept equality in all things. Why not? It's the same kind of feel to 'Karaoke Plays' a few songs later with personal freedom as a priority rather than convention.

In a way, this is a symbol for the album. It's more grown up than the first album, more 'adult'. The first album was a glory of songs about growing up, falling in love and leaving home. Since then, the Maximo's have travelld the world, felt the adoration of thousands at a time and seen and done things they probably couldn't even dream of when they wrote the first album. This record is more mature and powerful as a result of the last couple of years.

Have we become the Unshockable or the Saddened?

It's nice to see the Maximo's being self-aware of what's happening to them - are they becoming cynical of the world they see in front of them, which is, after all, quite a controlled world? 'The Unshockable' is a driving track, fast and menacing with clever lyrics in a sort of question and answer format to challenge the listener and move them forward like the motif of late-night transport.

You don't have to deny your urge / It doesn't make you bad

The opening lines to 'Your Urge' say it all really. Be who you are and don't be scared, accept you might be wasting your time but 'another useless fumble/another useless stumble' might still be worth it. On the other hand, you need to be sensible. 'Nosebleed' comments that 'He changed his look for you/You changed your life for him' and questions whether it was worth it. 'Did we go too far/ Is that why your nose is bleeding?'

Love is a lie, which means I've been lied to...

I'm pleased that, on this record, the song-writing credits are clear, with Paul credited to all songs, presumably for the lyrics. Co-writers are usually Duncan (guitars) and Lukas (keyboards), with one co-credited to Archis (bass), although Paul is credited with writing 'By The Monument' himself. Without being divisive it helps to show where interests lie.

You spent the evening unpacking books from boxes...

Literature and books in general are a constant theme in Maximo songs - I don't know much about the background to any of the band members but does this suggets that Paul was an English student at some point? With songs like, 'Books from Boxes' and 'Russian Literature', it makes you wonder. There's a short quote from 'Tender Is The Night' (F. Scott Fitzgerald) on the inside cover of the CD booklet. He obviously likes words, the texture of words on the tongue and the play with meanings by putting words together.

Actually, y'know, I don't care. It's a magnificent album and I love it. It's fast, it's punky, it's intelligent and it's by the Maximos. I'm seeing me Geordie lads twice in May and I want to hear these songs live. They're playing a 'secret' gig at the 100 Club tonight and I wish them well. Practice the songs, lads, so you're perfect for when I see you in May. I have no doubts you will be!

'When you tend to travel at such speed/It's wor velocity!'