Album Review: Maximo Park - Risk To Exist

For those uninitiated in the ways of Maximo Park, imagine if The Wombats were less immediate but also less disposable.

Manic energy, wit and dynamism has defined the band's sound since they first blasted onto our dancefloors in 2005. With this record they've evolved to add a reflective gloss. What Equals Love?, a stabby yet sombre banger, is probably the high point; a moment of restraint that shines bright as its maniacal predecessors. The album's title track is an exquisite piece of power pop. "Throw your arms around me!" it demands. Couched in these terms, and surrounded by these songs, who could refuse?