“ENGLAND is ill and it is not alone,” wails Maximo Park frontman Paul Smith as the Newcastle-based group’s fourth album gets into turbo-charged gear with the title track – a comment on the state of our recession-riddled nation.

Don’t mistake The National Health as leading the Park in a new political direction, however. Visions of love and floundering relationships still dominate.

After the disappointment of Quicken The Heart three years ago, a return to the basics has resulted in the group’s best record since debut A Certain Trigger. That was built on the surge and aggression of Apply Some Pressure and the Park have repeated the trick again, Hips And Lips starting quietly before accelerating into a frenzied combination of synth and guitars. Write This Down and This Is What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted continue the theme with producer Gil Norton’s influence liberally, and successfully, spread throughout.

Softer moments come in the shape of opener When I Was Wild and Reluctant Love but, when Maximo Park pick up the pace, there are few bands that can rival their energy. Overall, a wonderful return.