UK post-punks Maximo Park returned shared Too Much Information last year, but now frontman Paul Smith is taking a step away from the band to release another solo record.
He made his solo debut in 2010 with Margins, but now he's back with Contradictions, which is due out on August 21 through Billingham Records.
For the new album, Smith enlisted the help of new backing band the Imitations, featuring Andrew Hodson (Warm Digits) on drums and Claire Adams on bass. The writing process began four years ago, and was completed during solo stints on the road. Contradictions also features guest spots from Prefab Sprout's Wendy Smith, Silver Fox's Rachel Lancaster and Field Music's Peter Brewis.
The album's title reflects the conflicting inspirations behind the new songs, which draw from both the charm of his home in northeast England and the grittier feel of Brooklyn landmark Coney Island.
"Coney Island is a terribly romantic place", explained Smith in a press release. Referring to an essay by Maxim Gorky about the location, Smith continued: "Gorky was quite sceptical about the place. The idea of glamour and squalor sitting alongside each other appealed to me and I tried to create something equally uplifting and wistful."
Although most obviously referring to lead single "Coney Island (4th of July)," that idea of juxtaposition carries on throughout the record, emphasizing the idea that "no matter where you're heading or where you've been, life itself can be a bit of a paradox."
The cover artwork is pictured above, and you can see the full tracklisting below. Smith has also shared the video for the aforementioned single "Coney Island (4th of July)" and you can scroll past the tracklisting to check it out.
Contradictions:
1. The Deep End
2. Break Me Down
3. Re-Introducing The Red Kite
4. Before The Perspiration Falls
5. All The Things You'd like To Be
6. I Should Never Know
7. The Golden Glint
8. Fill In The Blanks
9. People On Sunday
10. Coney Island (4th Of July)
11. The Mezzanine Floor
12. Quick
13. Fluid Identity
He made his solo debut in 2010 with Margins, but now he's back with Contradictions, which is due out on August 21 through Billingham Records.
For the new album, Smith enlisted the help of new backing band the Imitations, featuring Andrew Hodson (Warm Digits) on drums and Claire Adams on bass. The writing process began four years ago, and was completed during solo stints on the road. Contradictions also features guest spots from Prefab Sprout's Wendy Smith, Silver Fox's Rachel Lancaster and Field Music's Peter Brewis.
The album's title reflects the conflicting inspirations behind the new songs, which draw from both the charm of his home in northeast England and the grittier feel of Brooklyn landmark Coney Island.
"Coney Island is a terribly romantic place", explained Smith in a press release. Referring to an essay by Maxim Gorky about the location, Smith continued: "Gorky was quite sceptical about the place. The idea of glamour and squalor sitting alongside each other appealed to me and I tried to create something equally uplifting and wistful."
Although most obviously referring to lead single "Coney Island (4th of July)," that idea of juxtaposition carries on throughout the record, emphasizing the idea that "no matter where you're heading or where you've been, life itself can be a bit of a paradox."
The cover artwork is pictured above, and you can see the full tracklisting below. Smith has also shared the video for the aforementioned single "Coney Island (4th of July)" and you can scroll past the tracklisting to check it out.
Contradictions:
1. The Deep End
2. Break Me Down
3. Re-Introducing The Red Kite
4. Before The Perspiration Falls
5. All The Things You'd like To Be
6. I Should Never Know
7. The Golden Glint
8. Fill In The Blanks
9. People On Sunday
10. Coney Island (4th Of July)
11. The Mezzanine Floor
12. Quick
13. Fluid Identity
