Indie-rock has never been a big money-maker that assures a long, stable life, not even in the days before streaming & mp3s. Yet it has managed to produce many reliable, long-lived acts who, even if they might not be your favourite, you do like, you are glad that they’re still around, and you are glad that they’re still making great records. Like Maxïmo Park with their latest, Stream of Life.
While there is a distinct ‘looking back on all of life’ aspect to Stream, it is decidedly a Maxïmo album. There’s the wry emotionalism that balances very well on songs such as the opener “Your Own Worst Enemy” and “Quiz Show Clue”, as well as their angular nature that never pitches over into too angular. The best is when they push, like on “Quiz” and “Favourite Songs”, not to mention the band’s indie-jangle with “I Knew That You’d Say That”. But there are also some change-ups, such as the soft “Armchair View”.
In these uncertain times, we need certain indie-rock acts that have been with us for a while, and will continue to be. Be glad that Maxïmo Park is still in the Stream of Life.
