Nature Always Wins

After a string of politically minded albums calling for reform, Maximo Park wonder if its even possible for people to change on Nature Always Wins. As the title of their seventh album suggests, the band ponders the nature versus nurture debate with philosophical guitar pop thats as full of melodies and reflections as it was on A Certain Trigger nearly two decades prior. Indeed, several of the brightest highlights here could have appeared on their debut; Ardor, I Dont Know What Im Doing and The Acid Remark are all cut from that albums spiky, keenly observed cloth. Maximo Park have been around long enough to look back on their former selves and imagine future ones, and the passing of time is a major theme on Nature Always Wins. Frontman Paul Smith muses on fatherhood and other lifelong relationships on songs like Feelings Im Supposed to Feel, Baby Sleep, and Versions of You, where he takes a small moment -- in this case, watching videos together -- and makes a world out of it. As on his 2018 solo album Diagrams, his thoughtful lyrics capture the fine points of Nature Always Wins grander concept; I can only speak for myself/But Id like to understand your feelings as well from All of Me is a classic Smith line. As much as Maximo Park play to their inherent strengths on Nature Always Wins, they also seek out change. For their first album as a trio, they collaborated with producer Ben Allen, whos worked with Animal Collective and Deerhunter -- not exactly the kind of indie music theyre known for (although their full-lengths are often more experimental than their singles would suggest). Branching out a bit results in some of the albums most striking songs. The beguiling electro-pop of Meeting Up creates a shimmering liminal space between reality and dreams of the one who got away, while the finale Child of the Flatlands combines the personal and the political in a way that breaks moody, ambitious new ground for the band. Even with these changes, Maximo Park remain unabashedly heartfelt, and by staying true to this on Nature Always Wins, they deliver some of their finest songs in a while. ~ Heather Phares

トリオ編成となってからは初となる通算7枚目のアルバム。もういつも通りのマキシモ・パーク節なのだが、プロデュースにベン・アレン(アニマル・コレクティヴ、ディアハンター)を迎えたことにより、彼が得意とするブライトで広がりのあるサウンドに変貌しており、新味を感じさせる。各人の演奏も熟練と勢いを兼ね備えた素晴らしいもので、ニューウェイヴ・バンドとしてのプライドを感じさせる一枚だ。
bounce (C)赤瀧洋二