Maximo Park - Wraithlike

has Maximo Park stamped all over it; thick, clean guitars, precise drums, hints of synth and of course, Paul Smith’s intellectual, yet intriguing lyrics. It feels like a rather lacklustre attempt at an album taster – Paul doesn’t sing with his usual conviction that is so evident on the two previous albums, and the track fails to reach a peak; the instrumental builds up, but is disappointingly followed by yet another verse (there are many) rather than the bolshy, memorable chorus which is typical of the Maximo Park style. It’s not all bad news though; lyrically, the band are on top form and there is interesting use of an air-raid siren which lingers in the background, turning the pace up a notch and almost seems to be planted there to announce the band’s return. Maximo Park describe ‘Quicken The Heart’ as a ‘pulsating listen’, however ‘Wraithlike’ has seemingly flat-lined.