December is upon us! This month will be all about my favourite albums of 2024. Each day, I will highlight one of this year’s releases that made an impact on me, starting off with the one that did the least on #31 up until my #1 Album of the Year on December 31st. Today, we’re starting at the bottom of the list: Maxïmo Park – ‘Stream Of Life‘.

Landfill Indie in 2024 sounds exactly the same as it did in 2006. Except for the fact that it’s now pretty dated and probably only relevant for an audience ranging between the ages of 27 and 40. I’ve always dubbed Maxïmo Park ‘The Kings of Landfill Indie’ (‘Our Earthly Pleasures’ is a fantastic album and probably in my Top 25 albums of all time) but whether that’s still a title you would want to uphold in 2024, I’m not so sure. Either way, the Newcastle band released a new album this year: ‘Stream Of Life’, their eighth. 

On this album, I can clearly hear some old school Maxïmo Park influences sneakily incorporated in some songs but if anything, that just tells me this band is desperately trying to whip up something relevant and catchy again, like they did so well in 2007. Yes, 2007. That’s 17 years ago. ‘Stream Of Life’ is a very fine album with the odd moment that’ll make you reminisce back to the late indie 00s. ‘Quiz Show Clue’ is probably the prime example of what is essentially a pretty bland album that will only really be a fun listen for the Maxïmo Park fans.