*1/2 The Delgados
THE GREAT EASTERN
(Mantra/Beggars Banquet)
Scottish
bands like Bis and Belle & Sebastian make a virtue of their youth; the
likes of Hefner, Magoo, Mogwai, and the underground moguls (behind the Chemikal
Underground label) in the Delgados form an undistinguished swamp of
twentysomethings unable (or unwilling) to make anything out of their crushed
optimism or indie virtues or whatever impels them to wander across a
full-length. In short, they can be plain old irritating.
Album number three from the Delgados finds tag-team vocalists Alun Woodward and
Emma Pollock at least acknowledging that hell is other people, even though a
line like "No one, I mean, no one can depress me more than I can" reflects the
worst in self-absorption. But the lack of narrative detail bespeaks a general
disinterest in engaging the world outside their own confused heads. A tree
falls in their woods and they don't much care whether anyone's around to hear
it. And despite several pretty moments, a rhythm section that knew the joy of
cooking as well as Belle & Sebastian would suit the Delgados much better
than the tortuous phrasing and prog-like shifts and stunted tempos that show up
on The Great Eastern.
-- Kevin John
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