Obscurer with Paul Smith*

Paul Smith has heard a lot of music. He’s listened to more records than you’ve had hot meals, even if you’re obese. We decided to harness his encyclopaedic powers in a new series, where the Maximo Park singer tells us about some of his favourite music.

#1 - ‘El Es Gay’ by Yo La Tengo

“This is an amazing track, full of spiky guitars and thrashy drum-sounds. It’s an instrumental, but if it had lyrics they’d probably be brilliant. The angularity of sound in this record is fierce; I once cut an inch-long gash on my left hand using the middle eight. I like it when Maximo Park uses these kind of harsh, sharp sounds in songs. To be honest we’re a punk band. The way this song undulates and loops says a lot to me about the reality of being in a band, and also about the conveyer-belt nature of the human race’s myopic 21st century condition. I also like how the title looks like the Spanish for ‘HE IS GAY‘; that one always raises a smile.”

Thanks, Paul!

You’ll be able to read more about Paul Smith’s favourite records soon.

*not in any way associated with Paul Smith or Maximo Park