Maxïmo Park
Missing Songs

THE REVIEW

Maxïmo Park return to the music scene, a year after their successful debut "A Certain Trigger", with this "Missing Songs".

The album is not a work composed of unreleased tracks, but rather a collection of b-sides that were included in the singles released from the first album. Previously launched in Japan with a different track list, "Missing Songs" is intended almost exclusively for fans of the British group eager to own everything, absolutely everything, from the still slender discography of Smith and company.

On a stylistic-musical level, in fact, no new developments or surprises are found in the (still good) compositions of the British band. It should be noted, however, that the quality level, considering it's primarily material not included in "main" studio releases, is more than decent.

Already the first song, "A-19", opens with decisive and present guitars, exactly reflecting the typical Maxïmo Park composition style, even in the lyrics that, as always, betray the love of leader Paul Smith for literature (particularly Russian literature, according to him).

A beautiful and brief cover of John Lennon, "Isolation", originally included in the solo work of the ex-beatle "John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band", stands out from the group, as does "Fear Of Falling", probably the best song left out from the two albums released so far. The verse and the melodic turn of the piece are beautiful, truly a waste not to have included it in an album of unreleased tracks.

"My Life In Reverse", placed between the two aforementioned numbers, seems to move away from the characteristic "nervous" style of Smith and company's compositions to reach more "linear" and reassuring shores (à la Snow Patrol, if you will). It continues with more rhythmic pieces in line with Smith's thoughts ("I Want You To Leave", "A Year Of Doubt") and more thoughtful and polished things ("Trial And Error") or even acoustic ("Stray Talk").

After "Hammer Horror", which anticipates the less immediate sounds contained in the recent "Our Earthly Pleasures", we find at the end three demo versions of "Apply Some Pressure", "Graffiti", and "Once, A Glimpse".

Published by the legendary Warp and produced by the talented Paul Epworth, "Missing Songs" is a valid and interesting work, recommended (as already mentioned) especially to those who closely follow the musical ventures of the British group.

Well done, Maxïmo Park.