Universal Audio - The Delgados
Universal Audio Image
  • Summary: The fifth and final album from The Delgados (released on the band's own Chemikal Underground label) was co-produced with Tony Doogan. It ditches the strings of its orchestral predecessor, 'Hate,' to take a much poppier approach.
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 17
  2. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. It all sounds nice enough to start with, but as you hear it more and more you love it more and more, the simple charms showing themselves to be more and more complicated but no less delightful.
  2. 90
    Like a cookie full of arsenic, Universal Audio's indie sweetness conceals a dark, deathly heart. [Nov 2004, p.114]
  3. Melodies are practically nonexistent, leaving the music almost completely ignorable.

See all 17 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. RyanH
    10
    I didn't think they could top Hate, but they may have done it. The Delgados are the masters of dark, melodic music. While this album is less dark than Hate, it still retains a that bleak, almost spooky feeling that sets the Delgados apart from other top notch pop artists. The two exceptions to this, Everybody Come Down and Girls of Valour, are so catchy and well-written that their unremarkable style is easily forgivable. Despite being a relatively straight up pop record (the strings that lent Hate such sweeping grandeur are mostly missing) repeated listens richly reward. This band is severely underrated. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  2. angelag
    10
    UNIVERSAL AUDIO an album of true understated beauty. GENIUS
    • 0 of 0 users said yes
  3. AliC
    9
    Predicatably, The Delgados, one of Britains most consistently brilliant (and consistently underrated) bands strike gold once again. The Great Eastern remains my favourite record by a British group, but this comes damn close. What's so great about the Delgados is the way each new album strikes off in a new direction, whilst retaining they're amazing song writing abilities and superb arrangements. They've even got a killer guitar solo (well, almost) on 'Everyone Come Down' my favourite summer song of 2004. Best track, though, is 'Sink or Swim'. If they're ever in your town, see them live: Emma Pollock, for such a wee lass, belts them out, and they are incredibly tight. Expand
    • 0 of 0 users said yes

See all 7 User Reviews

  1. Siamese Dream [Deluxe Edition] - Smashing Pumpkins
    Metascore: 96
  2. The SMiLE Sessions - The Beach Boys
    Metascore: 96
  3. Metascore: 95
  4. Metascore: 93
  5. Some Girls [Deluxe Edition] - The Rolling Stones
    Metascore: 93
  6. Metascore: 92
  7. Unto the Locust - Machine Head
    Metascore: 91
  8. Metascore: 90
  9. Rio [Live] - Keith Jarrett
    Metascore: 90
  10. Metascore: 90
  11. Bitch Magnet - Bitch Magnet
    Metascore: 90
  12. Metascore: 89
  13. Metascore: 89
  14. Young Man In America - Anais Mitchell
    Metascore: 88
  15. Bad as Me - Tom Waits
    Metascore: 88
  16. The Singles - Goldfrapp
    Metascore: 88
  17. Undun - The Roots
    Metascore: 88