Tag Archives: a certain trigger

#955: Maxïmo Park – Now I’m All Over the Shop

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I don’t have a deep connection to this one as I do to the others on A Certain Trigger, I gotta say. The other tracks I’ve talked about that are also from that album I came to know through seeing their music videos multiple on the television. ‘Now I’m All Over the Shop’ I had to come to grips with straight from audio, and it was maybe that second or third listen of it that it got that hold on me that songs can usually do for a lotta people. It comes near the end of the record, and when you come to that point in any album you start to think that the energy might give out a little or the song’s might start to decline in quality. But it isn’t this case, with this track proving the point. It’s a short, sharp burst of energy.

To be ‘all over the shop’ is a British way of saying ‘confused’, ‘disorganised, or ‘in a state of disarray’ if you want to get fancy with it. Lyricist and singer Paul Smith, or at least the narrator within this track, is left in this state it seems after the end of a relationship where nothing seemed to be going right anyway. He tried to be polite and tolerate the other person’s ways through gritted teeth, but ultimately realises that this way of dealing with things isn’t fooling anyone, especially not himself. In fact, judging by the lyrics throughout, he’s quite disgusted with the whole situation.

What really gets the gears going is the instrumentation throughout. It begins with this really tinny-sounding guitar line, then joined in by Smith on vocals and these strange out of key runs on a piano. It’s deceiving at first, but then the pre-chorus starts with a proper explosion of guitars and cymbals. From then on it’s an energetic and bustling composition. Instruments drop out and in again alongside emphatic strikes on the drums, scales climb and descend, drum rolls occur all over this thing. It’s one of those tracks to pogo to and not do much dancing to. Mainly thrashing around and flailing your arms in random directions. Again, it may not be considered to be one of the noteworthy tracks on here. I’ve got no evidence to support that statement. That’s just me assuming. But it’s a favourite of mine, so really that’s all that matters.

My iPod #468: Maxïmo Park – Graffiti

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Even though the video for “Going Missing” showed that Paul Smith is quite the passionate lead singer, it wasn’t until I saw the video for “Graffiti” where he truly exhibits his performance behind the microphone. The guy pulls off some impressive leaps into the air, does the splits, and executes some jerky arm movements all whilst looking quite mad and frustrated at the camera as he and the other band members thrown around the room.

From the band’s debut album A Certain Trigger, “Grafitti” gets off to a roaring start courtesy of Duncan Lloyd on the guitar and Tom English on the drums before emphatic keyboards and bass enter the frame. The hectic playing by the group is maintained throughout the three minutes this song lasts for and Paul Smith on the vocals, singing about being fed up of everyday life and wishing to find something that can excite him, makes it all the more thrilling to listen to. Never thought about its meaning that much, I’ve liked it too much to really think about it. Another good Maxïmo Park single, wouldn’t expect anything less.

My iPod #446: Maxïmo Park – Going Missing

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“Going Missing” is the fifth track on Maxïmo Park’s 2005 debut album A Certain Trigger. It was then released as a single in July of that year, getting to the time when my mum had organised a family holiday to Belgium. (I’m still not sure why she wanted to go there so much.) But I remember when I was there that I would spontaneously begin to sing it for no particular reason, other than that I thought I could relate to the title somehow. I mean, I was kinda missing from England, that’s where all my friends were. I was missing ’em. The link was probably weaker than I wanted it to be.

Knowing it pretty much since it first came out, I’ve never cared about what the track’s subject matter is or what could have happened to Paul Smith that made him want to the lyric. But someone on songmeanings.net gave an idea that it’s about a man who was in a casual relationship with a woman who wanted more. She left him. But then he starts to like her when she goes. He realises what he’s missed out on. He’s gone on his own to try and work things out for himself. Seems plausible to me.

Straight up, this is my favourite Maxïmo Park song. Known every single word to it for close to ten years now. Though it took me a while to finally get to listen to it. Every time I saw that first panning shot of lead singer Paul Smith looking miserable as anything on that brown sofa when the video showed up on MTV2, I always changed the channel. Why did he look so mad? The ten year old me didn’t want to see such an unhappy face at the start of a music video. Despite this, the video was aired every freaking day so there was no avoiding it anymore. Might as well watch it to get over it, you know? So I did. And I was captivated. It’s very intense. Smith angrily chucks things at walls, flings cutlery off tables and angrily jumps about in slow motion and further maddeningly mouths the words to the song wide-eyed into the camera as if he’s going out of his mind. It’s one of those videos where the images within it pop into your head even when you’re listening to it when you’re out or something. It’s just perfect. Ah, man.

My iPod #196: Maxïmo Park – The Coast Is Always Changing

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“The Coast Is Always Changing” is a track from Maxïmo Park’s first album “A Certain Trigger” which was released in 2005. The eighth track on that album if I remember correctly.

It was a single too. Their very very very first single. Like even before “Apply Some Pressure“. I didn’t know this song existed until the video played on MTV2, and that was way after the album had been released anyway.

One thing that irks me about this song, and others on “Trigger”, is that it sounds a lot different from “Apply Some Pressure”, “Graffiti” and “Going Missing”. Has anyone else noticed this apart from me? In terms of production this song, “I Want You to Stay” and “Signal and Sign” for example sound really rough. A bit like demo recordings. Whereas the former three sound really polished. I don’t know if that’s just me. Maybe it is.

I do like this song though, however different it sounds to the other singles.

My iPod #48: Maxïmo Park – Apply Some Pressure

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 Version 1
Version 2

In my opinion, Version 1 is the better video. The whole circus concept didn’t really work for me.

Hi everyone.

Apparently I got 158 views on the blog today which is great! I think it’s a bug though, so I won’t get too emotional about it.

I’m quite late too, so I do apologise.

Today’s song comes from Newcastle’s finest, Maxïmo Park. The song’s name? Well, you can see it in the title of the blog.

Maxïmo Park rose in popularity during the mid-noughties when the surge in post-punk revival and indie acts occurred. Bands such as Bloc Party, Editors, The Kooks, Arctic Monkeys, you name it, most of them released their debuts during that golden era of 2004-2006.

Maxïmo released their debut, ‘A Certain Trigger’, in 2005. This song was released once as its second single, and then re-released in 2006, hence the two different music videos.

‘Apply Some Pressure’ is one of the band’s most popular songs. You could probably say it’s their signature song. It appeared on the soundtrack of Burnout Revenge, and possibly on another EA game that I haven’t played. Burnout Revenge was the shit though. If you want a Burnout game, just get Revenge for PS2. Or Legends for PSP.

Personally, ‘Apply Some Pressure’ isn’t my favourite Maxïmo song. That goes to another song that I will post in due time. Don’t get me wrong, the song’s fantastic. I think it’s that when I’m listening to it, I don’t feel anything as much as I do when I’m watching the music video for it. The band are known for their energy, especially from lead singer Paul Smith and keyboard player Lukas Wooller.

Those music videos are almost ten years old. They’re very rarely played on MTV ‘Rocks’. Particularly the first version.

Still, it’s a brilliant song from a brilliant album, and it deserves its place on my iPod.

Until next time.

Jamie.