And so it looks like this is it for the Delgados**. Having recently announced their break-up, it appears the 7” or download only ‘Girls of Valour’ is their farewell to the world. It’s “Come on, fight on, now is not the end”_ lyric seems a little disingenuous in light of the break up in the face of more disinterest than this fantastic band ever deserved. Ten years of frustration at being a critical darling but popular nobody must slowly destroy the soul. It is undoubtedly small consolation that many of the greatest of bands sat in the same seats as the Delgados.
Regardless, ‘Girls of Valour’ is a great tune, all driving indie pop and Beach Boys harmonies, the sort of song that if it had been sung by McFly would have been number one for five weeks. The B-Sides, Peel Session cover versions of ‘Ballad of Accounting’ (Ewan McColl) and ‘Last Rose of Summer_’, (the Symbols) both have a wonky trad folk feel that stand as wonderful counterpoints to the classic pop of the A-Side.
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8Darren Kramble's Score