Maximo Park formed in 2000 when guitarist Duncan Lloyd, bassist and vocalist Archis Tiku, keyboardist Lukas Wooller and drummer Tom English began playing gigs in and around Newcastle, in England’s north.

Things finally fell into place when English’s girlfriend met vocalist Paul Smith while singing karaoke. Smith soon joined the band and it was only then that the band started to go places, as his energetic stage presence complemented the band’s hooky blend of indie-pop and new wave. Soon signing to Warp Records, the band released several singles, including Graffiti, The Coast is Always Changing and Apply Some Pressure, from debut album A Certain Trigger, which came out the following year.

After touring A Certain Trigger relentlessly, the band headed back into the studio to record the follow-up, Our Earthly Pleasures, which was released in April 2007. Preceded by the single Our Velocity, Our Earthly Pleasures showed a more mature and polished side to Maximo Park, as demonstrated on second single Books From Boxes.