Track-by-Track: Delays - Star Tiger, Star Ariel

As far as I'm concerned, Delays don't need to do anything to prove themselves. Releasing an album as brilliant and perfect as 2006's You See Colours qualifies them automatically for hall-of-fame status. Seriously, it's been almost half a decade and I'm still not over that one. Their other albums are great, too. Unfortunately, their new release doesn't quite follow suit. There are highlights, sure, but as a whole it's a bit of a muddled affair.

1. Find A Home (New Forest Shaker) - A subdued beginning to the album, this nocturnal chant of a song builds into something quite special towards the end. It lulls you into listening. 8/10

2. The Lost Estate - The album kicks into gear here, with the kind of uptempo anthem we're used to from Delays. It's one of the highlights, for sure. Even so, it doesn't come close to their very best material. 9/10

3. Shanghaied - A rockier, guitar-led track with some very odd, jerky verses. The chorus is definitely the best part, with limited use of synths and an aggressive vocal turn. 8/10

4. Rhapsody - A classic Delays midtempo, full with dreamy vocals and a peaceful, laid-back melody. The bridge is by far the best part. The chorus is, unfortunately, a little repetitive. 8/10

5. May '45 - Another uptempo, rockier track. All it lacks is a strong chorus/hook. The verses are great, as is the production. 8/10

6. Hold Fire - Begins with a minute-long, unnecessary intro, which segues into one of the album's slowest tracks. Unlike the opener, the melody here just doesn't compel me to keep listening. At five minutes, it kills the energy. Would be a great b-side, though. 7/10

7. Unsung - The obvious single, and the closest the album gets to the amazingness of the last three albums. It's still not one of their better singles, but it stands out here with its enormous chorus, bright synths and gorgeous vocals. 10/10

8. In Brilliant Sunshine - No offense to Aaron, who's got a perfectly fine indie-rock voice, but when you're a band fronted by a guy like Greg, why have anyone else sing the songs? Seriously, it bugs me to no end, and was my biggest problem with the last release. It's like when Queen would give a song to any non-Freddie band member. With Greg's choirboy vocals this might have been amazing. As it stands, it's a forgettable wall-of-sound uptempo number. 7/10

9. Moment Gone - Coasts along at the same tempo as Hold Fire, but the melody's much better. In fact, as far as Delays ballads are concerned, it's one of my favorites. The melody in the chorus is gorgeous. 9/10

10. Lakes Can Be Lethal - The turning point, where the album starts sounding less and less like what you'd expect from Delays. In a way, this is a transitional song. There's nothing particularly memorable. It's pleasant enough, but as the album's longest track, it's the weakest link for me. 6/10

11. Star Tiger, Star Ariel - Ups the tempo a bit (and definitely the guitars). This is much more of a classic rock sound for the band, and while it's not the direction I'd like them to take, it's a lot stronger than the last song. 7/10

Album Grade: 7.9/10

Delays - Unsung

"We're on a mission for your smile"

Delays have a new album coming out next week and, having heard clips, I'm really on the fence about it. I've come around to the fact that the band will never top 2006's You See Colours (one of the best pop albums ever), and that's not entirely a bad thing. I mean, being responsible for an album that perfect is a feat unto itself. Luckily for us, their new single Unsung could have fit on YSC quite nicely. From what I've heard, the new material is a lot darker than previous stuff, though I haven't heard the album in its entirety so I don't want to make any blanket statements. This single, though, stands out as a bright, uptempo pop track that deserves much more recognition that it seems to be getting at the moment. It's out today worldwide (yes, you can actually buy the mp3 in America!), so be sure to pick it up on itunes or amazon. I'll have a track-by-track review of the album when I hear it, and tomorrow... Scissor Sisters' new one!

Delays - Unsung by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Preorder the album here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.

Delays - Find A Home

"We're a light in heaven"

Hello from London! This is my last day in the city before taking off for Stockholm. Then it's back to the UK for another week with friends. Weather's been alright, and I got to see Billy Elliot, which was without question the best show I've ever seen. Still aglow from the afterbuzz. As far as music goes, it's a sad state of affairs compared to when I lived here in 2007. Not that I didn't already know about all the closures, but it's hard to believe that there's no Virgin and only one Fopp in the city. The HMV at Oxford Circus is quite nice, but that's about it. Nobody's buying cds anymore, it seems. Honestly, though, my real music quest starts when I get to Sweden. But enough about that for now. It's all about the UK, so I've got one of my favorite British bands for you today. Delays are releasing their new album Star Tiger, Star Ariel in June (on yet another record label), and have offered up the opening track as a teaser. It hearkens back to their first album. Very gentle, very pretty. I'm hoping that their harder edge will shine through as well, but this is a nice album cut to tide me over until the full release. Hope you enjoy.

Delays - Find A Home by alienhits

(Music posted for evaluation purposes only. If you like what you hear, support the artists. Download the single for free here. Follow me on twitter and facebook.