Album: Maxïmo Park, The National Health (V2/Coop)

The National Health marks a return of sorts to what Maxïmo Park do best.

The fourth album from Paul Smith & co harnesses and hones the same measured bitterness as the first two – its headlong sound encapsulated by the line "I think we're heading for a catastrophe", and its overall spirit by the title "This is What Becomes of the Brokenhearted". Few bands do that thing – spitting the venom of the dumped, but somehow staying romantic despite it all – better.