The Delgados: A Seriously Underrated Band You Need to Listen To

The Delgados were a Scottish indie/pop band that came onto the scene in 1994. The band consisted of Alun Woodward (vocals, guitar), Pete Savage (drums), and Stewart Henderson (bass), and was fronted by Emma Pollock, who also played guitar.

In the six years they were together, they managed to release a total of five major albums including, 'Domestiques,' 'Peloton,' 'The Great Eastern,' 'Hate,' and 'Universal Audio.' Four of these were released under the label Chemikal Underground (which The Delgados founded), and one under Mantra.

They performed alongside, and, in part, helped launch the careers of Scottish post-rock band Mogwai and Arab Strap.

Sound-wise The Delgados are often reminiscent of bands like The Cranberries and Sixpence None the Richer. They are, however, more diverse, with their music spanning from sunny pop to intricate, orchestral rock.

Their lyrics are deceptively simple, but never feel forced.

Pollock's voice has an impressive range and is like pure honey when paired with Henderson, Savage, and Woodward's instrumentals.

Their songs, "The Light Before We Land," and "Accused of Stealing," (off their albums 'Hate,' and 'The Great Eastern,' respectively) never fail to give me shivers, with their haunting melodies and Pollock's achingly beautiful vocals.

What I admired most about the band was the fact that they maintained a healthy skepticism regarding the music industry throughout their career; they always kept their focus on the music and never tried to be anything they weren't despite the pressure they sometime received to conform to more a mainstream image. Unfortunately, The Delgados never received much success in the U.S..

They were, however, occasionally recognized in the U.K. with singles like, "Pull the Wires From the Wall," which topped the Singles Chart in 1998.

Fed up with the constraints and contradictions of the music business and their lack of commercial success, the band split back in 2005. They continue to run their label, Chemikal Underground.

Pollock went on to release a solo album titled, 'Watch the Fireworks,' in 2007. As of yet, there is no sign that The Delgados will be getting back together anytime soon.

You can get a taste of the Delgados by visiting their myspace page: https://myspace.com/getaction2
All of their albums are available on iTunes as well: https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/the-delgados/id3026615