The spirit of Jeff Porcaro is upon us! Well maybe not all of us, but he sure inspired the New Castle five-piece Maxïmo Park for its upcoming third record, Quicken The Heart. Looking for a fresh start following 2007′s commercially successful, yet critically sub par Our Earthly Pleasures, the English rockers picked up Yeah Yeah Yeah’s producer Nick Launey and locked themselves in the residence of deceased Steely Dan drummer. Months later, Maxïmo Park returned with what frontman Paul Smith described as a “new phase” in the band’s career, an 11-track effort dabbling in such topics as “broken hearts, leaving home, and fighting your demons” amidst a “more danceable groove.” Sound like your kind of thing?

Well, come May 12th, this creative ball of Jeff Porcaro-inspired joy can be yours via Warp Records. Of course, like all things these days, fans can already get a taste of things to come thanks to the early release of Quicken The Heart‘s first track, “Wraithlike” currently available on the band’s MySpace.

The album will also be packaged in a deluxe edition, which will feature a tour DVD from the band’s 2007 homecoming show at Newcastle Arena. Speaking of shows, Maxïmo Park has a full slate of them ahead. Needless to say, now would be a good time to save up.

Quicken the Heart Tracklist:
01. Wraithlike
02. The Penultimate Clinch
03. The Kids Are Sick Again
04. A Cloud of Mystery
05. Calm
06. In Another World (You Would’ve Found Yourself by Now)
07. Let’s Get Clinical
08. Roller Disco Dreams
09. Tanned
10. Questing, Not Coasting
11. Overland, West Of Suez
12. I Haven’t Seen Her in Ages

Maxïmo Park 2009 Tour Dates:
03/27 – Zurich, CH @ M4 Festival
04/01 – Antwerp, BE @ Trix
04/02 – Den Haag, NL @ Paard van Troje
04/03 – Utrecht, NL @ Tivoli
04/06 – Dublin, IE @ The Academy
04/07 – Belfast, IE @ Mandela Hall
05/01 – Murcia, ES @ SOS Festival
05/13 – Newcastle, UK @ Academy
05/14 – Newcastle, UK @ Academy
05/15 – Glasgow, UK @ Academy
05/16 – Liverpool, UK @ University
05/18 – Southampton, UK @ Guildhall
05/19 – Birmingham, UK @ Academy
05/20 – Nottingham, UK @ Rock City
05/22 – Leeds, UK @ Academy
05/23 – Manchester, UK @ University
05/24 – Norwich, UK @ UEA
05/26 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy
05/27 – London, UK @ Brixton Academy
05/28 – Bristol, UK @ Academy
05/29 – Clemont-Ferrand, FR @ Europavox Festival
05/31 – Saint-Brieuc, FR @ Art Rock Festival
06/13 – Seaclose Park, UK @ Isle of Wight Festival
07/10 – Kinross, IE @ T in the Park
07/19 – Joensuu, FI @ Ilosaarirock Festival
08/07 – Rothenburg, DE @ Taubertal Festival
08/08 – Eschwege, DE @ Open Flair Festival
08/21 – Erfurt, DE @ Highfield Festival