The National Health

by Maxïmo Park

Maxïmo Park’s The National Health is an album that kicks off with incredible energy and intention. The opening tracks, like the title track and “Hips and Lips,” burst with the urgency and sharpness we know and love from the band. They manage to channel a sense of chaos and commentary on the modern world while still keeping things irresistibly catchy. It’s the kind of start that makes you think, “This is why I keep coming back to Maxïmo Park.”

However, as the album progresses, it loses some of that spark. The later tracks, while still solid, don’t quite reach the heights of the first half. In a way, it feels like a metaphor for the band’s… More