Unwound is the latest solo album by Maximo Park lynchpin Duncan Lloyd recorded in Ireland and Newcastle with Jemma Freese, Tom English, Joe Boyer and Andrew Mills. Recorded and Mixed by Duncan with help from Julie McLarnon.
The album opens with Gothic Pill that has a dark heavy intro, to a laid-back guitar reverie, slowly getting heavier, more cymbals crash in, before the soft focus vocals sounding like they are floating on a soft pillow, through the choppy musical waters.
I'm On It is a slow statement of intent, follow through and make sure you do what you promised to do, the backing vocals keep telling us I'm On It, with the psychedelic guitars and layers of sound gently making sure you get the message.
One Step Closer To The Dam almost feels like your being chased towards the dam, at some point it will burst and wash you away with it, the rockabilly guitar flourishes, with a steady beat allow Duncan to express the feelings, at the core of why they might want to keep away from the dam, they are trying with all their powers to keep a lid on things, but they are careening dangerously out of control, they hope to find some friendly faces and loving environment.
Swim slowly moves upstream with pitter patter drumming and fluid bassline, Duncan urges us to swim beyond the breakers and outrun the tide, whatever you do don't give up, keep on working towards your goals, let the ambience wash over you.
Bright Field is hushed thoughts on a desperate situation, making clear that no matter what you may think, you still have time, another solution should always be possible, don't allow your life to stagger from one tinderbox situation to another, it's probably also best to stay off tinder in your current state. You can find a way through or out of your troubles, if you just take a bit of time.
Radio Silent go on shut down the wi-fi, turn off your phone, cut yourself off from technology, go dark and then repair yourself, slow thoughts unfurl against episodes of rage and soft clear moments, eventually you'll be ready to break that Radio Silence, or maybe this time it's done for good, you'll move into another sphere of influence, against the autumnal guitar storms frazzling your mind.
Laugh So Loud your ready to get going to that insistent riff, stretching and moving forwards, until finally your ready to Laugh Out Loud at everything that went down, you got your head out of the clouds and you can now ask each other where you stand.
Together, So To Speak one last reunion of slow acoustic guitar strums for late night thoughts, lead to utter despair and tragic consequences, he could have found a Samaritan, but got blind drunk instead to indie pop classics, a scene you never wanted to witness.
Lightning Bottle that old blues feeling, the need for distraction from that car alarm messing up this song, it builds until the big crash, you've been totally struck down, deep to the bottom, can you find your way back up to the surface, follow that Lightning Bottle back on up while guitars fire off.
Rituals will be your way out of the malaise, find common everyday Rituals to help heal you from all the pain and distress you feel, this is laid back, slightly groggy feeling, dark pop. Thin Place is a short interlude leading into the closing A World Away Now an acoustic strum, making clear that you can still be the light, returning to your original dreams, still capable of steering the ship back on course, no matter how far from the path you've strayed.
Find out more at https://linktr.ee/DuncanLloyd https://duncanlloyd.bandcamp.com/album/unwound-2025 https://www.facebook.com/duncanlloydmusic
