Universal Audio - The Delgados
Universal Audio Image
Metascore
82 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 17 Critics What's this?

User Score
9.3 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 8 Ratings

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  • 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.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Stylus Magazine
    90
    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. All Music Guide
    80
    Like all Delgados records, it takes repeated drives along the city outskirts to sink in, but when it does there's no going back, and the listener is rewarded once again with something rich, happily overcast, and strangely intangible.
  3. Junkmedia
    80
    If you like your indie rock sweet and sophisticated with undertones of despair, you'll want to cuddle up with Universal Audio.
  4. Tiny Mix Tapes
    60
    Melodies are practically nonexistent, leaving the music almost completely ignorable.

See all 17 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 7
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 7
  3. Negative: 0 out of 7
  1. angelag
    10
    UNIVERSAL AUDIO an album of true understated beauty. GENIUS
  2. 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
  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
  4. DavidG
    8
    The Delgados make excellent pop records. This, their fifth if memory serves me correctly, is a breath of fresh air after their recent string-laden epic releases. Although not immediately obvious the songs collected together here have wonderfully subtle arrangements which grow with time - especially the beautiful second half of the album. Like your pop with a dash of intelligence, a whole heap of tune and lyrics so bleak it makes Morrissey sound like a kids party entertainer? Yes? Well this album is highly recommended.… Expand

See all 7 User Reviews

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