Music Review: The Delgados (with audio samples)
Before I start, let me just set my music reviews into context. I’m a rock noob, but a music veteran (I really dig classical and jazz), if that makes sense. But I think that gives me a slightly different perspective. I tend to look at bands more for their originality and musicality than their popularity. I can’t always discern rock influences. But if you’ve ever put on the headphones, closed your eyes and let the music wash over you and carry you into a different world, then you and I will get along.
On to The Delgados. I’m not going to show you their stuff chronologically. Instead, I’m going to introduce their music in the order I discovered it. I’ve done a lot of reading on this band’s history and doings since their disbandment in 2005, but I think I’ll bypass that in favor of a strict musical focus.
The Delgados are one of these bands who have such a diverse range of expression it’s hard to pin them down. They are definitely not your mainstream twee-pop, which is probably one of the reasons they never made it big. This is mature music – not in the adult sense, but in the emotional sense. It’s an acquired taste, folks. The themes are serious. The melodies are unconventional. Some of the retro and contemporary influences are obvious, and yet, their sound is totally their own. My only request is that you give this stuff a chance to grow on you, because when it takes hold, I think you’ll like it. Hopefull a lot. Honestly, I’d really really like it if someone would take me seriously and give these guys a listen so I could geek out with someone about them.
I have to admit my first exposure to this band was through Japanese anime. *Cough… yep. “The Light Before We Land” is used as the opening theme to Gunslinger Girl, a psychological drama involving gun-toting juvenile cyborg females. But more on that later. Or not.
“The Light Before We Land” is an epic symphonic rock feast with one of the most incredible hooks I’ve ever heard. In fact, this has probably become my favorite song of all time. Starting with strings and angelic sounding choirs, the song is immediately hijacked by intense grunge rock drums and sinister orchestral overtones. And holy crap, it’s cool! The feeling changes rather quickly, though, as the drums pull back and Emma Pollock’s smooth vocals begin to tell a mournful tale about a relationship on the verge of collapse, searching for something to hold onto so they can “land” while there is still hope. This quieter, melodic approach is really unexpected, because the intensity of the hook leads you to believe you’re going to get a harder rock experience. What you get is something totally different – a rolling, sad, sing-able melody that liltingly deceives you into closing your eyes, then rocks you with the force of its emotion. As each verse concludes, the choirs begin to climb in intensity, until they are once again consumed by the drums and orchestra. The effect really is chilling.
Hear it for yourself (NOTE: If the tracks don’t play on the first click, click them again. It seems that the first click activates the GrooveShark widget and the next click plays the song.):
I figured that song was cool enough that I should really look into this band. So I downloaded the album “Universal Audio” off of iTunes. This was their final album, released under their own label (Chemikal Underground). I was surprised to find that this album had a totally different sound. It was still dark and mature, but a lot more simple.
The first track, “I Fought The Angels,” is ingenious in that it doesn’t have a chorus. It’s a circular guitar progression that builds on itself until it abruptly ends. Check it out:
“Sink or Swim” is probably one of the most singer-songwriter sounding tunes in the entire Delgados repertoire. It’s one of my favorites. Really, someone in The Delgados was a brilliant lyricist. From what I have read, both Alun and Emma were the songwriters, and both have now set out on solo careers. Emma’s stuff is great (Her new album, “The Law of Large Numbers,” comes out TODAY! WOOHOO!), but I digress.
Lastly, a song that has probably become my second or third favorite from this group, “Girls of Valour.”
This is where I started to hear the retro influence in The Delgados’ music, which I later learned was substantial in every album except Universal Audio. The reference to the Beach Boys in this song is unmistakable. Alun is the upward thrust in this song, sending the music soaring with freewheeling falsetto harmonies, provided by bassist Stewart Henderson, I believe. Emma’s call-and-answer vocals remind me of the popular trend in gothic rock (i.e. Evanescence and other similar groups) to employ this tactic, but I have never heard it done with a retro pop style before. It works nicely.
So by this point, I thought I had The Delgados figured out. Then I heard this song:
Holy Awesome. A direct answer to “All You Need Is Love” by The Beatles. A much more rockin’ version, with punchy strings just in the right spot. This song is what really made me love Alun’s voice. I was already in love with Emma Pollock’s voice, but Alun’s tonally relaxed style had to grow on me. The weird thing about this song, though, is it’s so catchy, I can’t help singing along. And when I start singing “Hate is everywhere, c’mon people, feel it like you just don’t care!” there’s this little moment where I ask myself, “Self, did you hear what you just said?”
“Hate Is All You Need” and “The Light Before We Land” are both part of the album “Hate,” The Delgados’ fourth album, which is very dark and cynical, but unquestioningly artistic and beautiful. The album as a whole has an experimental feel to it. It’s raw – not over-mixed like today’s pop albums. But its purpose as a commentary on hypocrisy and suffering is obvious, and it may deter some listeners who prefer to listen to songs about love and bubbles. Admittedly, it does take a few listens for it to really sink in, but fortunately the poignant and sometimes unpleasant message is delivered by means of an amazing listening experience.
At this point, we’ve really just gotten a feel for the later Delgados flavors. Their earlier works were something else altogether. “The Great Eastern” was the third album the group released, and arguably my favorite. While Hate really explores an ominous, melody-and-strings heavy sound and “Universal Audio” is their so-called “pop” album, “The Great Eastern” seems to be inspired by folk and 60’s rock. Again, there is a lot of strings usage here, but the album as a whole is a little more peppy and rhythm-driven. And it’s full of great songs.
“Accused of Stealing” is one of the best tracks on the album. There are some tactics here that really make The Delgados shine – namely, the shifting time signatures and dynamic mixing of Emma’s voice at various musical cues. Once again, a little reminiscent of The Beatles, but unmistakably autonomous. This song is indie folk-rock at its best, and usually the first song I show people when introducing The Delgados.
“Witness” is another track that, in this reviewer’s humble opinion, rocks. The Delgados were masters at creating unconventional melodies that worked. What I mean is, many of their songs aren’t easy to sing along to because the melody is not formulaic. Witness is one of these. And yet, I play it over and over, if only to hear the moment in the second verse where the drums and guitar jump in unexpectedly halfway through and carry the song into it’s rocking conclusion.
While these two may be my favorite, the other tracks on this album are hardly worth writing off. They’re excellent. Among my other favorites are “Thirteen Gliding Principles,” probably one of the harder songs in their repertoire; “Knowing When to Run (which contains an ingenious sound byte from Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade;” and “American Trilogy,” so named after the Elvis song. Here’s a sampling:
Finally, we have “Peloton.” This is the second album, and I think you’ll agree that of all their albums, this one has the most familiar sound. Meaning, it’s probably closer to the rock music you have in your collection than any other of the albums we’ve heard so far. But still…so different.
Here are two songs for you. The first, “Everything Goes Around The Water,” is the first track on the album. The alternative influence here is really thrown for a whirl by the inclusion of flute and guitars. Somehow, this works a lot better than you’d think. The other song, “Pull The Wires From The Wall,” held the John Peel Festive 50 first spot for a while.
Because I love this music, here are two more songs. The first, “Coalman,” is classic Delgados. Lure in the listener with punchy hooks, catchy rhythms and soothing vocals, and when they close their eyes, sting them. Dang good song.
Mr. Blue Sky is one of the few songs that breaks these Scots’ penchant for melancholy. Almost. A cover of the ELO song, it would almost be sunny and happy if Emma weren’t singing it. Her gorgeous vocals lend themselves well to this song, which takes a more standard pop approach than the whimsical ELO original, but leave Mr Blue Sky sounding more like be Mr Partly Cloudy Sky. Man I love her voice.
And that’s it folks. I’ve run out of wind. I don’t know what else to say. It’s obvious that not all of us have the same musical tastes. The Delgados aren’t everyone’s cup of cynicism. But they certainly are mine. And I have a feeling if you plug them in next time you take a road trip, you’ll end up realizing what I did: that here is the best kept secret in indie rock.
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