Universal Audio (album)
Universal Audio | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 20 September 2004 | |||
Studio | Chem19, Hamilton, Scotland | |||
Genre | Indie rock, pop | |||
Length | 40:42 | |||
Label | Chemikal Underground | |||
Producer | Tony Doogan, the Delgados | |||
The Delgados chronology | ||||
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Singles from Hate | ||||
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Universal Audio is the fifth and final studio album by Scottish
Universal Audio received universal acclaim from
Background and recording
The Delgados released their fourth studio album,
The Delgados went on a three-week UK tour at end of 2002 supporting Doves, and then a headlining stint of their own in January and February 2003.[4][5] They followed it up with a trek to the United States in April 2003, and another UK tour the following month, leading up to the benefit event Concern Concert for Africa.[6] Universal Audio was recorded at Chem19 Studios in Hamilton, Scotland, with Tony Doogan and the band acting as producers; Doogan also handled recording and mixing.[7]
Composition and lyrics
Universal Audio is an
"Come Down" consists of Pollock's vocals, a piano part, and cello from Alan Barr.
Release
On 30 July 2004, Universal Audio was announced for release in less than two months' time.
Following this, the Delgados toured across the United States until November 2004.[24] During the trek, the band held four in-store performances at record stores.[25] To close out the year, the Delgados embarked on a European tour in December 2004.[26] In February 2005, the band played shows across Scotland as part of the Tune Up tour, an initiative by the Scottish Arts Council.[27] "Girls of Valour" was released as the album's second single on 14 March 2005, with covers of "Ballad of Accounting" (originally by Ewan MacColl) and "Last Rose of Summer" (originally by the Symbols) as B-sides.[18] After bassist Stewart Henderson left earlier in the year, the Delgados decided to split up on 8 April 2005.[28]
Reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 82/100[29] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [11] |
Cokemachineglow | 75%[12] |
Entertainment Weekly | B−[30] |
The Guardian | [31] |
Now | 4/5[13] |
Pitchfork | 7.6/10[32] |
RTÉ.ie | [33] |
Spin | B[34] |
Stylus | A[35] |
This Is Fake DIY | [36] |
Universal Audio was met with universal acclaim from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 82, based on 17 reviews.[29]
AllMusic reviewer James Christopher Monger said the album was "not a success upon first listen", though with subsequent airings the "listener is rewarded once again with something rich, happily overcast, and strangely intangible".[11] Cokemachineglow editor Dom Sinacola found that despite the album's stripped-down direction, it was "just as intricate and meticulously constructed as its sweetly headfucking predecessors". He added the band managed to "chisel out a surprising marble slab of pop love".[12] Timothy Gunatilaka of Entertainment Weekly said that though it seems that the band swapped their "lush campfire symphonies for a generic indie groove [...], halfway through, the harmonious majesty of previous records like The Great Eastern returns on Universal Audio".[30]
The Guardian's David Peschek saw the album as a representation of "four people playing together in a band," lacing the "lavish orchestrations and over-production that occasionally overpowered the songs on Hate".[31] Now writer Dylan Young suggest that fans that liked the previous two releases would find Universal Audio "hard to swallow" as the "stripped-down treatment of the songs" gave the band their "most nuanced effort to date".[13] Ray Donoghue of RTÉ.ie concurred, adding that it was an album which "champions simplicity, seeming almost skeletal in comparison to previous releases".[33] The staff at Spin liked its "more restrained" sound, swapping the orchestra for "basic sun-dappled guitar pop".[34]
Pitchfork contributor Chris Dahlen wrote that Pollock "all but steals the show", coming across as "powerfully bare and introspective", while Woodward's vocal appearances were "bold and unflappable, and as such, his approach seems at odds with Pollock's".[32] PopMatters' Jason MacNail stated that the "dichotomy of having two lead singers just as comfortable in front as they are supporting the other is one of the band's greatest assets".[17] Stylus editor William B. Swygart felt that the album comes across as a "little unnerving and it sounds as though they’re trying to unlearn their now somewhat ingrained habits".[35] Stephen Ackroyd of This Is Fake DIY said that the band's biggest strength was their "ability to take mainstream sensibilities, and graft them onto songs that no other band could pull of[f]".[36]
Universal Audio peaked at number 49 in Scotland, and number 105 in the UK.[37][38] "Everybody Come Down" charted at number 56 in Scotland, and number 67 in the UK.[39][2] "Girls of Valour" charted at number 98 in the UK.[2]
Track listing
All tracks written by the Delgados.[7]
- "I Fought the Angels" – 3:20
- "Is This All That I Came For?" – 3:16
- "Everybody Come Down" – 3:14
- "Come Undone" – 3:31
- "Get Action!" – 4:19
- "Sink or Swim" – 2:57
- "Bits of Bone" – 2:45
- "The City Consumes Us" – 4:14
- "Girls of Valour" – 3:56
- "Keep on Breathing" – 4:06
- "Now and Forever" – 5:04
Personnel
Personnel per booklet.[7]
The Delgados
Additional musicians
|
Production and design
|
Charts
Chart (2004) | Peak position |
---|---|
Scottish Albums (OCC)[37] | 49 |
UK Albums (OCC)[38] | 105 |
UK Independent Albums (OCC)[40] | 14 |
References
Citations
- ^ Carruthers, Sean. "Hate – The Delgados | Release Info". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 15 September 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ a b c "Delgados | full Official Chart History". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on 17 July 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ Lippens, Nate (28 October 2004). "Universal Heartbeat". Portland Mercury. Archived from the original on 12 September 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "Live Arena of 'Hate'". NME. 25 October 2002. Archived from the original on 15 September 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "'Hate' Fuelled Tour". NME. 25 November 2002. Archived from the original on 15 September 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "Delgados Continue 'Hate'-Fuelled Agenda!". NME. 4 March 2003. Archived from the original on 15 September 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g Universal Audio (booklet). The Delgados. Chemikal Underground. 2004. CHEM075CD.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Ankeny, Jason. "The Delgados Biography, Songs, & Albums". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 15 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ a b Parker, Chris (4 November 2004). "The Delgados". Phoenix New Times. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ Leach 2005, p. 115
- ^ a b c d e Monger, James Christopher. "Universal Audio – The Delgados". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f Sinacola, Dom (6 October 2004). "The Delgados: Universal Audio". Cokemachineglow. Archived from the original on 15 September 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ a b c Young, Dylan (7 October 2004). "Universal Audio". Now. Archived from the original on 12 October 2004. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ Terich, Jeff (4 October 2004). "Delgados : Universal Audio". Treble. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ a b c d Brown, Cory; Pattyn, Jay. "Delgados". Trouser Press. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Moss, Alexandra H. (20 August 2004). "The Delgados: 'Everybody Come Down' [Track Review]". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 8 March 2008. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ a b c MacNeil, Jason (1 October 2004). "The Delgados: Universal Audio". PopMatters. Archived from the original on 13 October 2004. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ a b Kramble, Darren (19 April 2005). "Single Review: The Delgados – Girls of Valour / Releases". Drowned in Sound. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ a b "Audio Heaven!". NME. 30 July 2004. Archived from the original on 15 September 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ The Complete BBC Peel Sessions (booklet). The Delgados. Chemikal Underground. 2006. Chem088CD.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Everybody Come Down – The Delgados | Release Info". AllMusic. Archived from the original on 15 September 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "Everybody Come Down" (sleeve). The Delgados. Chemikal Underground. 2004. CHEM073CD.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Delgados UK tour". Chemikal Underground. Archived from the original on 8 August 2004. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "Delgados US Tour – new dates added". Chemikal Underground. Archived from the original on 8 August 2004. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "The Delgados U.S instores". Chemikal Underground. Archived from the original on 22 October 2004. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "The Delgados European tour". Chemikal Underground. Archived from the original on 6 December 2004. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "Delgados Tune Up Tour – February 2005". Chemikal Underground. Archived from the original on 6 December 2004. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "Delgados Amicable Break Up". NME. 8 April 2005. Archived from the original on 15 September 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ a b "Critic Reviews for Universal Audio". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 9 September 2020. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ a b Gunatilaka, Timothy (1 October 2004). "Universal Audio". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ a b Peschek, David (17 September 2004). "The Delgados, Universal Audio | Music". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ a b Dahlen, Chris (28 September 2004). "Delgados: Universal Audio". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 10 March 2008. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ a b Donoghue, Ray (22 November 2004). "The Delgados – Universal Audio". RTÉ.ie. Archived from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ a b Spin 2004, p. 118
- ^ a b Swygart, William B. (20 September 2004). "The Delgados – Universal Audio – Review". Stylus. Archived from the original on 2 March 2008. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ a b Ackroyd, Stephen. "The Delgados – Universal Audio". This Is Fake DIY. Archived from the original on 28 November 2005. Retrieved 14 September 2021.
- ^ a b "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ a b "Chart Log UK 1994–2010: Asher D – Dyverse". zobbel.de. Archived from the original on 28 August 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. 12 September 2004. Archived from the original on 16 April 2015. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
- ^ "Official Independent Albums Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
Sources
- Leach, Ryan (January–February 2005). "Music". Punk Planet (65).
- "Breakdown". Spin. 20 (11). November 2004. from the original on 14 September 2021. Retrieved 17 September 2021.
External links
- Universal Audio at YouTube (streamed copy where licensed)