MAXIMO PARK

Maximo Park's Mercury prize nominated debut album A Certain Trigger, combined the proto-Brit-pop of Pulp with working class aspirations. Formed in 2001 by guitarist Duncan Lloyd, bassist (and qualified doctor) Archis Tiku, keyboardist Lukas Wooler and drummer Tom English, the earliest incarnation of the band played eight minute, unfocused avant-garde rock tunes. But when they drafted in singer Paul Smith, things began to take a turn for the better. Singing in his native Geordie accent seemed to mesh perfectly with the band's breathless, keyboard-drenched art pop. As we await a follow-up to A Certain Trigger, one thing's for sure, the Maximos should see more success in 2006 than the Newcastle United footie team.