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Album Details

• Artist: The Delgados
• Album: Universal Audio
• Label: Chemikal Underground
• Year of Release: 2004
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2005-01-26

The Delgados have followed up their last Beggars Banquet affiliated record with Universal Audio, back on their own label Chemikal Underground, doing things the way that they see fit. Even though their last two albums, Hate and The Great Eastern, where critically acclaimed, they failed to sell quite like Beggars imagined they would have. So what does a band, under-recognized in their class, end up doing? Well, create the poppiest slab of material that they have ever done. Universal Audio is quite an album and really showcases both Pollock and Woodward's vocals as well as the rest of the band's musicianship. It's not dark at all like some of their previous work. Instead we are presented with an Apples In Stereo style sunny psychedelic pop sound. I don't think that Universal Audio will earn The Delgados as much praise as their brethren Belle and Sebastian, it should appeal to somewhat the same crowd. It's not as cutesy or 'twee'. Think more along the lines of something Kristin Hersh would do. "I Fought The Angels" is the opening track and does remind me a lot of the Throwing Muses. But as soon as "Is This All That I Came For" comes you can hear a lot more of the British influences at play. I do think that this album really outshines Hate, their last effort. I think that The Delgados is a band that will be around for a lot longer. This is good pop that would appeal to the masses if given half a chance. Once you have heard Universal Audio more than three times, songs will be ingrained in your head and you will crave more.

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