They'll be building statues to this lot in Newcastle city
centre before the year's out. After all, not since the
coming of Byker Grove has there been so thrilling, so proud
and so accurate a portrayal of what it's like growing up in
the north east. Moreover, unlike other artists who disguise
themselves for what they consider commercial or aesthetic
reasons ? something that 'Signal And Sign' manages to allude
to ? there's no mistaking Paul Kelly's accent, and 'The
Coast Is Always Changing' actually boasts the line "London's
so far away when you're there". The Wedding Present might be
from further north than you, but Maximo Park are from
further north than them.
However, if this was simply an exercise in parochialism it'd
never have made it past the Yorkshire borders, never mind
been snapped up by a Kentish Town-based label. Instead,
though, it seems poised for bona fide hugeness in the
current climate, and, while there may already be one of two
chancers benefiting from indie's revived fortunes, this
fivesome feel like a thoroughly deserving proposition, for
at least three glorious reasons. Firstly, like the
aforementioned Gedge gang, they deal very much in universal
themes and, more specifically, being pretty rubbish at
relationships. 'I Want You To Stay' could scarcely be more
explicit, but it's also clear that Kelly's eye is on someone
unavailable in affable closer 'Kiss You Better', and 'Going
Missing' is a cracking take on frustration, opening with the
comment "I sleep with my hands across my chest and I dream
of you with someone else". Which brings us nicely to the
second point: lyrically, 'A Certain Trigger' is a fantastic
record. It throbs with idiosyncratic titles like 'Now I'm
All Over The Shop', while the exceptionally
Housemartins-like 'Postcard Of A Painting' features, among
other terrific epithets, "I wrote my feelings down in a rush
/ I didn't even check the spelling", and 'Apply Some
Pressure' manages to touch on both Dexy's Midnight Runners
and Jane's Addiction. Mmm... 'Apply Some Pressure'...
Yes, that's proved to be one of the year's most
mouthwatering singles, and it's a good indication of the
third factor in this album's greatness. Quite simply, there
are thirteen absolutely cracking tunes here. Often very
short ones, admittedly ? 'The Night I Lost My Head', for
instance, clocks in noticeably under the two-minute mark.
Most feature wonderfully swarming Stranglers keyboards,
ballsy jangling, a choppiness that recalls near-neighbours
the Futureheads (as was very much the case with
'...Pressure', and occurs to devastating effect on the
nerve-shredding 'Limassol' and the hyperkinetic 'Once, A
Glimpse'), and an overall sense of wondrous excitement and
utter memorability. And that's all before we've even
mentioned the piece de resistance, 'Acrobat', which is
mostly spoken-word, properly weepworthy for all the best
reasons, and even damn near turns into 'Are "Friends"
Electric?' in the background while tragic, muted chaos
ensues. Frankly, no-one's come this near to repeating the
majesty of Tindersticks' 'Marbles' in the last twelve years,
and, as a respite from the breathlessness of the majority of
their oeuvre, it bodes spectacularly well.
'A Certain Trigger' shoots for the stars, and, essentially
it's an act of heroism on the part of the Park. And far from
a misplaced one at that...
Iain Moffat
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