Let’s start positively, eh? Listening to this does serve to remind you of the ferocity and frankly enormous tunes found on Maximo Park’s first two albums. Unfortunately, other than aiding nostalgia, there’s not much else nice to say about ‘The National Health’. The drums still dash, the guitars are still artfully angular and the lyrics still leave a lot to be desired. The grim irony of hearing Paul Smith dourly intoning “human nature is on a loop, spare me a moment to regroup”, on an album in need of a new idea is truly depressing. Save yourself the money and just return to their first two.
4/10
Words by GARETH JAMES
