Customer Reviews

Missing Songs

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A year of impressive live performances and hot singles such as Apply Some Pressure and Graffiti have made Maximo Park's debut album A Certain Trigger a favourite for fans of the revitalised British rock movement. Frontman Paul Smith's stage presence is equal parts Ian Curtis and Ian McKellen, orating like a Shakespearean actor from a book of lyrics one minute before erupting in an angular dance aptly aping the Maximo Park sound.
With the advent of Dual Disc, tour editions and repackaged albums it seems that music fans are being suckered into buying numerous versions of their favourite albums to ensure they don't miss out on the bonus rarities. Unlike closely aligned UK group Bloc Party - who have managed to release four separate fan-screwing versions of their debut Silent Alarm this year - Maximo Park take a positive stance by offering Missing Songs as both a stand-alone disc and as a special package coupled with the staggering A Certain Trigger.
Clocking in at a little over a half hour, Missing Songs kicks off with the excellent A19 and the brief John Lennon cover Isolation, previously available as part of a Q magazine promotion. As well as the dead Beatle, XTC are also offered a tribute of sorts with the track Trial And Error, which comes close to approximating Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding's art rock sound. The acoustic Stray Talk and the Kaiser Chiefs-with-added-xylophone feel of Hammer Horror are highlights, with the gloriously tinny demos of Apply Some Pressure and Graffiti an intriguing commodity compared to the versions polished up by in-demand Brit producer Paul Epworth.
Comprising unreleased commodities and non-LP tunes from the Newcastle group, Missing Songs emerges as a worthier and more revealing album than many legitimate releases from 2005 upstarts such as Art Brut, Babyshambles and The Subways. The double-headed power of A Certain Trigger and Missing Songs prove that bringing back the comb-over is the least of Paul Smith's 2005 achievements.

EP's and b-side albums so frequently suck that I stressed about blowing hard earned cash for this, even if it was only $9. A Certain Trigger was maybe my top album of '05 so I was prepared for disappointment. While not matching the highs of ACT, there is nothing here of decidedly lower quality (save the demos, which are worthless). The production is a bit less dense and there is less of a "wall of sound" effect than on ACT which does make this sound a bit "cheaper" but this occasionally becomes a revelation like on "Stray Talk". Worth every penny.

This is one of the those b-side collections that make you think, "They really picked the right tracks for the album." Not that these songs are terrible-- they're just lacking the extra spark of the songs that did make "A Certain Trigger." Most notable are "Fear of Falling," which sounds the closest to something that could've found a place on the album, and a fascinatingly lo-fi demo version of "Apply Some Pressure."

This album is a collection of nine tracks(B Sides and non-LP) plus three original demo versions,comprising a real patchwork quilt compilation from Maximo Park.The opening track"A19"is raw and intense, and the rest of the album is very 60s and 70s influenced. These songs from Britain's most exciting new band(some would say that was open to debate) were the blueprint for greater things.
Most of us will have heard "A Certain Trigger"by now,which many would hail as Maximo's masterpiece.This album preceeds it musically but still contains the same charm,anger,intense lyrics and musical style,without as much theatricality and drama as "Trigger" contained. Still as listenable as "Trigger" however,and with so many good tunes that it's hard to choose between them all. This album carries a raw energy,powerful hooks and that urgency which is so unique and central to Maximo's music. My favourites include "A19", the dry,humourous "Year Of Doubt" and the beautiful,acoustic,somewhat sad "Stray Talk."
If you like this band,you may already have this album in your collection. If you haven't got into their music yet,try and give this a listen. It will get your attention, and hopefully keep it. As for frontman Paul Smith,with his unique hairstyle, well-I'm a total fan! I haven't seen Maximo play live yet,but will have the pleasure later in 2006. I'm sure I won't be disappointed.