A Certain Trigger
by Maxïmo Park
  • Record Label: Warp
  • Release Date: May 31, 2005
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 37 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 35 out of 37
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 37
  3. Negative: 0 out of 37

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  1. DavidT
    Oct 2, 2005
    10
    Never gets dull, always surprises and is just a brilliant album.
  2. captainwhats-his-name
    Aug 2, 2005
    10
    Excellent album, can be forgiven for moody tripe in its gorgeous guitars, Farfisa and wit. Fantastic debut.
  3. rossg
    Aug 26, 2005
    10
    A raw performance worthy of dancing like a rock star on any occasion
  4. Annie
    Jul 19, 2005
    10
    I absolutely LOVED this album, stumbled upon them by accident and fell in love completely. This is defo my album of 2005 and im so glad i found it-listen and make up your own minds but as a hot young(22) woman in a crappy town i feel they soaked up everything that relates to me so so so so well :-) 10 out of 10, they make it their own :-) Well Done lads cant wait for a tour xx
  5. Heyhoe
    Jul 31, 2005
    10
    Great Album, I especially like Once a glimpse and Limmassol.
  6. thommyk
    Dec 13, 2005
    10
    wow !
  7. Nurax
    Sep 14, 2022
    10
    Maximo Park's "A Certain Trigger" is definitely one of the best indie rock albums of the 2000s.
  8. JOSES
    Jun 1, 2005
    9
    Great album,great band !
  9. solt
    Oct 7, 2006
    9
    great album, nice original rocky sound, great live performance saw them last night at brixton wow.
  10. BenS
    Jun 9, 2005
    9
    Damn near perfect.
  11. GabrielP
    Jul 30, 2005
    9
    First time I listened "A Certain Trigger" I thought 'Yeah, this sounds like The Smiths'. Second time: 'Yeah, this guy sings like Jarvis Cocker'. Third time: 'But the whole album sounds like The Jam'. The pleasure of listen three of my favorite bands (Pulp, The Smiths, The Jam) in only one can be explained easily. Creative lyrics, that makes me remember First time I listened "A Certain Trigger" I thought 'Yeah, this sounds like The Smiths'. Second time: 'Yeah, this guy sings like Jarvis Cocker'. Third time: 'But the whole album sounds like The Jam'. The pleasure of listen three of my favorite bands (Pulp, The Smiths, The Jam) in only one can be explained easily. Creative lyrics, that makes me remember Pulp's "Different Class" topics on songs like 'Apply Some Pressure' and 'The Night I Lost My Head', make the whole album a different (new) option on the world of (post) post punk. Bloc Party's five minutes of fame has gone. The time is now for Maxïmo Park.… Expand
  12. DuncanB
    Dec 8, 2005
    9
    fantastic album (apart from acrobat) and one of the best I've heard this year
  13. [Anonymous]
    Jul 26, 2005
    9
    A great album, all of the songs are catchy. Definitely one of my favorite albums of the year.
  14. MehulS
    Sep 2, 2006
    9
    The tunes keep coming, compassion and energy in equal measure.
  15. mribeirete
    Feb 26, 2011
    9
    Great lyrics, great rhythm and great spirit. A Certain Trigger is one of those energetic albums you listen to and just gets amazed. And just like GabrielP said there below... there's certainly Pulp and Smiths in it.
  16. zzirGrif
    Sep 1, 2013
    9
    I just don't agree with the reviews of some publications, this album is fun, witty and energetic. The whole aesthetic is spot on and the tone is perfect. Maximo keep up the pace and intrigue throughout.
  17. AnthonyR
    Jun 2, 2005
    8
    A fine Britpop record which fits snugly between Bloc Party and the Futureheads.
  18. JerryL
    Jul 8, 2005
    8
    Not quite as relentless as the Futureheads debut, but a fine album nonetheless. My only gripe is with the production, which could be a bit more polished - the frayed edges and clipped vocals help propel the majority of tracks here, but detract from others. Still, a great debut album which shows great promise of what lies ahead.
  19. mattj
    Aug 25, 2006
    8
    some very high highs combined with bits that dont quite come off, full of charm and energy.
  20. MarkB
    Jul 15, 2005
    8
    Great band, they throw out classic tunes and its all wrapped up nicely!
  21. ShawnG
    Jul 11, 2005
    8
    A quality album (IMHO) that people will either like or hate for the same reason. That reason being there are lots of clever single ideas. People will like it if they find an album of clever ideas good listening regardless as to whether they make a coherent 'album.' Some will hate it because it doesn't sound like a coherent 'album,' and it probably isn't. A quality album (IMHO) that people will either like or hate for the same reason. That reason being there are lots of clever single ideas. People will like it if they find an album of clever ideas good listening regardless as to whether they make a coherent 'album.' Some will hate it because it doesn't sound like a coherent 'album,' and it probably isn't. Personally, I think the qualities of their concepts and songwriting overcomes any problems of cohesion for the whole. A quality band and a good buy.… Expand
  22. Gazcomsat
    Jul 26, 2005
    7
    I wish I'd discovered this album before buying the Futureheads & Kaiser Chiefs CD's because I just can't help feeling a little tired of that 'North-East of England' sound. The album in it's own right is mostly very good with the stand out tracks being the singles 'Going Missing', 'Graffiti' & 'Apply Some Pressure'. My only real I wish I'd discovered this album before buying the Futureheads & Kaiser Chiefs CD's because I just can't help feeling a little tired of that 'North-East of England' sound. The album in it's own right is mostly very good with the stand out tracks being the singles 'Going Missing', 'Graffiti' & 'Apply Some Pressure'. My only real criticism is the sound quality of the album which at times is a bit muffled and distorted. A good album all the same.… Expand
  23. Ricko
    Sep 28, 2015
    7
    Nice debut record from Northern UK Indie rockers. Lyrically the frontman fancies himself as a bit of an Oscar Wilde and for the most part it works well. It gives the record a loftier feel that your average indie record and certainly set it apart from their contemporaries efforts at the time. There are an incredible amount of catchy hooks present throughout "A Certain Trigger". No doubtNice debut record from Northern UK Indie rockers. Lyrically the frontman fancies himself as a bit of an Oscar Wilde and for the most part it works well. It gives the record a loftier feel that your average indie record and certainly set it apart from their contemporaries efforts at the time. There are an incredible amount of catchy hooks present throughout "A Certain Trigger". No doubt there are some really great tracks on here, especially the singles that came off it. Outside of the singles there are a few other gems as well - the non single track "Acrobat" is one of my favourite tracks from the album - a spoken vocal over a looped drum sample. This debut album showed immense promise but Maximo Park seemed to die a death afterward. They had a style that is quite likable to begin with but I guess it's a difficult one to expand out from and develop on.… Expand

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
75

Generally favorable reviews - based on 19 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 19
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 19
  3. Negative: 0 out of 19
  1. AllMusic
    90
    Most of A Certain Trigger's album tracks sound like singles waiting to be discovered.
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  2. Drowned In Sound
    90
    A magnificent album where every verse fills you with excitement for the next chorus, where wide-scoping fields of sound work in unison to stage the perfect pop-rock riot and where every meticulously crafted melody comes back to haunt you when you least expect it.
    Read full review
  3. Lost At Sea
    80
    A Certain Trigger is a strong release from its opener on, though it has noticeable shifts in momentum, with a second, rousing tour de force in its closing tracks.
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