POSTS TAGGED : Maxïmo Park

Paul Smith – ‘Around and Around’

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Maxïmo Park’s Paul Smith released his latest solo record called Diagrams on Friday last (October 26) and with that, he has shared ‘Around and Around’.

‘Around and Around’ is the second single lifted from the forthcoming record, following the grunge-tinged ‘Silver Rabbit’, and it wanders a softer path. On the surface ‘Around and Around’ is a seemingly breezy peppy pop song but amid the soft bounce, melodic strum and inviting earworm tones there is a feeling of unease, as he details the futile merry-go-round of political spin with touches on Brexit. Lyrically, it is pulls you in with its simplistic but expert storytelling abilities. A wonderfully catchy and utterly lovable wee tune.

Listen to ‘Around and Around’ below and Diagrams is out now via Billingham Records.

Duncan Lloyd – ‘Heart in Delay’

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Probably best known as the guitarist with Maximo Park, Duncan Lloyd is always one to keep his fingers in many pies; busying himself with a variety of side-projects including Decade In Exile, Nano Kino and solo work under his own name.

It is the latter which draws our attention as the other week, Lloyd released new album, I O U O M E. The follow up to 2008’s Seeing Double, warm, scuzzy and cathcy, it is a hooky, fuzz-laden barrel of indie joy. Demonstrating all those attributes (and more) in three-and-a-half-minutes is latest single ‘Heart in Delay’. It is a frenetic and urgent burst of scuzzy, fuzzy guitar pop with grunge-meets-shoegaze tones, with catchy hooks slicing though the sludgy distortion. As always with Lloyd, this is all tempered with an immediate warmth from his hushed vocal which is also permeated with a sense of intimacy, melancholy and understated optimism. Another fine example of what Lloyd is capable of and marvellous intro to the new record, if you have yet to acquaint yourself with it.

You can give ‘Heart in Delay’ the once over below and I O U O M E is out now, and you can listen to it here.

 

Duncan Lloyd Announces New Album; Shares ‘Heads Of The Bastille’

Duncan Lloyd 1 (Photo Freya Frenesi)

Duncan Lloyd is probably best known as the guitarist with Maximo Park but away from the day job, he’s kept himself busy with various side-projects including Decade In Exile, Nano Kino and solo work under his own name.

It is the latter which demands our attention, with the release of new album, I O U O M E, and follow up to 2008’s Seeing Double. The first single from the new record is ‘Heads of The Bastille’, and it’s a beaut! Lloyd’s hushed vocal has a tactile warmth and echoes through the melody and shimmering guitar, tempered with a mild coat of fuzz. Bristling with an nocturnal moodiness, it is permeated with a sense of intimacy, melancholy and understated optimism. A tantalising taste of what Lloyd is capable of and marvellous intro to the new record.

I O U O M E is set to release on 26th May, but before then whet your appetite with ‘Heads of the Bastille’.

Duncan Lloyd – ‘FReak FAcade’

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Duncan Lloyd is probably best known as the guitarist in Maximo Park, but away from the day job, he’s kept himself busy with various side-projects including Decade In Exile, Nano Kino and solo work under his own name.

It is the latter which requires our attention today with Lloyd planning to release a new EP, FReak FAcade very soon. Ahead of which, he’s afforded us a glimpse of the title track and ‘FReak FAcade’ is a doozy. It is four-and-a-half-minutes of beautiful, wistful meanderings treated with lo-fi fuzz. Bristling with an unobtrusive moodiness, it is permeated with a sense of melancholy and understated optimism. Lloyd’s hushed vocal echoes through the shimmering guitar, which twinkle like stars in the night sky. A tantalising reminder of what Lloyd is capable of on his own; marvellous.

There is no date as yet for the forthcoming EP (watch this space I guess) but you can listen to ‘FReak FAcade’ below. Is is also available to download as a ‘pay what you like’ from Bandcamp.

Introducing: Nano Kino

Nano Kino 2014

There’s a rather meagre amount of information available on Nano Kino, except say that they are a band, apparently based in London and yet another side-project involving Maxïmo Park guitarist Duncan Lloyd.

Nano Kino’s first offering is a beauty, a self-titled two track release that falls somewhere between pensive, yet self assured dream pop and droning reverb laced pysch-rock. Nano Kino slip seamlessly from being immersed in heavy blankets of reverb and fuzz, to gentle whirlpools of shimmering psychedelic dream-pop. Centred around an as yet unknown female vocalist, who’s powerful and evocative voice is the centre piece from which everything else is built. ‘Bike Ride’ sees subtle and refined percussion met by a driving guitar line and all soaked in a fuzzy lo-fi veneer, the perfect backdrop for her vocals (the sweet harmonies in particular) to shine. ‘L Song’, the pick of the two, sees her dreamy pitch ushered toward the slightly more experimental, spaced-out zones of hazy psych-pop. It just washes over you with such an ease, shimmering on it’s merry way, it fashions a perfect balance between pop and the psychedelic. Rather inspired stuff, of which, hopefully there’s more to come, and soon.

You can listen to both ‘Bike Ride’ & ‘L Song’ below & if they tickle your fancy, they can be yours, just ‘name your price’ here.

Maxïmo Park – ‘The National Health’ + Album News

Maxïmo Park are preparing to release their fourth studio album, The National Health, this summer.

It is the follow-up to 2009’s Quicken The Heart, which was no where near the mighty standards set by their previous two albums. The new record aims to redress the balance too as frontman Paul Smith explains “We’re in a global recession and everyone is being bombarded with bouncy, happy music,” adding “The nation is out of control and the record is about taking back control, and being a force for change in your own life.

The first taster from the album is first single, ‘The National Health’, a frantic and ferocious high energy track. It certainly sounds as though the brief hiatus has helped them recapture their groove. This is Maxïmo Park at their rousing best. 

The National Health is released June 11th and you can check out the album’s title track below.

 Maxïmo Park – ‘The National Health’