Universal Audio - The Delgados
User Score
9.3 out of 10

Universal acclaim- based on 8 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 8
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 8
  3. Negative: 0 out of 8

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  1. [Anonymous]
    Oct 2, 2004
    9
    A substantial departure from The Great Eastern and Hate, but undoubtedly a fantastic album. The Delgados have acheived the elegant and pulsing orchestrations from their previous two albums but with the more raw instrumentation from Peloton. If this album has a downside, it's that it comes off as poppy and unmemorable upon first listen, while subsequent listenings reveal its depth.
  2. angelag
    Feb 19, 2005
    10
    UNIVERSAL AUDIO an album of true understated beauty. GENIUS
  3. RyanH
    Mar 3, 2005
    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
  4. DanB.
    May 5, 2005
    9
    I've listened to it six times in a row now and it's getting better each time.
  5. DanielP
    Sep 29, 2004
    9
    A departure from their last two albums. It may seem like a simple pop album, but it's far from that. There is amazing depth here. The Delgados are a tremendously underated group, who with this album have shown how talented they really are. A very good record that will hold up quite nicely.
  6. AliC
    Jul 14, 2005
    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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82 out of 100

Universal acclaim - based on 17 Critics

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Under The Radar
    70
    A surprisingly adept three-minute pop formula record. [#7]
  2. cokemachineglow
    75
    Universal Audio is a triumph in pop standard, simultaneously reminiscent of all the clichés, soundtrack archetypes, and euphonic exigencies of pure melody inherent in the mainstream pop of the last two decades. Yet it’s still a fully realized, consistently rewarding, original work.
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  3. Splendid
    90
    They've truly hit their stride on Universal Audio.
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