Sitting down to write this, I think of the Maxϊmo Park lyric “Write a review, well how objective can I be?” a question that often crosses the mind of a reviewer. This thought is even more pressing when tasked with reviewing a band I’ve been a fan of for more than half a decade.
Preamble aside, tonight ‘s set is the coming together of old and new. A gathering of some of my favourite people are here tonight and the band dust off some old favourites as well as previewing songs from the forthcoming album Star Tiger, Star Ariel
They open with indie-dancefloor friendly ‘Lost in a Melody’ which leads into an incredibly loud rendition of ‘Friends are False’, with a nice thick slice of bass!
Of the newer songs, ‘Unsung’ seems to be the most obvious single, and it’s the one that remains in my head longest at the end of the night. Their transition from the ‘schroomadelica’ tag of their debut album to the more beefed up, electronic direction hasn’t always been a comfortable one commercially. Their sound is a little too pop for the indie nation but not processed enough for the pop fans, and not always easy to bag and tag. However, songs like ‘Brilliant Sunshine’ and ‘Lost Estate’ suggest they may just have married the wistful melody of old with the dancier output of the last album.
Hearing everyone singing along to ‘Nearer Than Heaven’ and ‘Long Time Coming’ – I’m amazed by how anthemic they can still sound, even in a pub venue ( the singing continues crowdside for some time after the band wind it down). It’s one of the main things I like about Delays; they don’t take their fans for granted, they deliver whether they are playing Shepherd’s Bush Empire or a sticky-floor venue, which is fortunate as everyone is packed in like sardines and if they don’t do the business they know there will be trouble!
The overriding feeling is celebratory, the boys have been away for a while and they have been missed. People are even making way for some crowd surfers, and fans are singing along to yet-to-be released songs. It’s a triumphant night for Delays; I hope it’s a mood that continues.
Star Tiger, Star Ariel is released on 21st June 2010 on Lookout Mountain records.