More keyboards, fewer memorable songs. That pretty much sums up Maximo Park [ tickets ]'s second record, "Our Earthly Pleasures."

The Newcastle quintet's debut, "A Certain Trigger," sounded fresh and inventive upon its release two years ago, even as it dipped into retro territory with its spiky, punk-era guitars and new-wave keys. While vocalist Paul Smith's Geordie accent was Maximo Park's most distinctive element, the band's concise attack and tough hooks promised a bright future.

"Our Earthly Pleasures" starts off well with "Girls Who Play Guitars," a tight number with the kind of engaging riff and clever lyrics that distinguished "Trigger." The next few songs roll out in familiar-but-comforting fashion, but returns then diminish. "Russian Literature" highlights one of the band's weaknesses: a wordiness that can make Smith's lyrics as awkward to listen to as they must be to sing. It worked on "Apply Some Pressure" but it's not a style to base a career on. "Your Urge," possibly the dullest song the band has released, includes such clumsy mouthfuls as "prepare your vocabulary." There's nothing wrong with showing off your intelligence, but this is rock and roll. It's hard to sing words like "dialectical" and make it sound good.

While Smith is trying not to trip over his own tongue, guitarist Duncan Lloyd is relegated to the background, although he contributes a memorable riff to "The Unshockable" that sounds like "Secret Agent Man" meets Gang of Four. Otherwise, the rest of "Our Earthly Pleasures" is pleasant-to-middling, not bad enough to turn off, but not hard to pass up for something better.

It could be that "A Certain Trigger" was just a brilliant one shot, or that Maximo Park is a singles band. The next album may tell the story, but file "Our Earthly Pleasures" under sophomore slump.