Tanned by Maxïmo Park

Album: Quicken The Heart (2009)

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Vocalist Paul Smith told Drowned In Sound that this song is "about taking some clothes off (and leaving some on) in a summer romance." He added: "This is one of our most surprising songs. When Tom (English, drummer) came up with the beat I was mystified but very happy. I think it sounds like a Fall song as the verse lurches along, but there's a little breakdown inspired by The Go-Betweens."
This is the only song on the Quicken the Heart album with the sole writing credit to vocalist Paul Smith.

How Paul Smith became the frontman: neither (bass) Archis Tiku nor (guitar) Duncan Lloyd wanted to be the frontman, despite having assumed the roles of lead vocals. The band was on the verge of splitting up when drummer Tom English's girlfriend discovered Smith singing in a pub. What was Smith singing? Stevie Wonder's "Superstition!"
The album was produced by Nick Launay, who also produced the Talking Heads and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.
Like any good 21st-century alternative band, Maximo Park has a Twitter account, from which they're quite chatty. An example July 19th, 2010 tweet: "Meteorological madness. Manager Col's plane was hit by lightning plus we had to come offstage mid-show due to dangerous stage."

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