The Delays - Weds 7th May, Thekla

Blissfully sun-drenched indie-pop sugary enough to rot your teeth a bit on-board the Thekla tonight for the return of the Delays; a band once declared as most likely heirs to the Stone Roses throne. 

The Southampton quartet are back in Bristol to open a tour to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the release of debut album ‘Faded Seaside Glamour’ which still remains their most celebrated and accomplished piece of work to date. It could be said that the Delays are both ahead of and behind their time. With a heavy nod to The La’s but hitting upon elements of what would become nu-rave (Klaxons etc) and the more recent art-rock scene (Foals et al) they shot to prominence delivering anthemic semi-psychedelic power-pop packing enough punch to worry the Top 30 album chart three times and so nearly with it prolonged mainstream success. With a 5th album on the way after a lengthy break there’s a fair bit of ground to make up but tonight we’re looking back at a time when the Delays had the ears of all with a notebook and pen. Don’t get me wrong, I do totally get why some people don’t like this band -the style can often be formulaic opening tracks with overly cheerful synths and Greg Gilbert’s inimitable falsetto. And with kid brother Aaron on keyboards chipping in with those high-pitched harmonies we get something reminiscent of The Hollies amid jangly Byrds guitar and some often bizarre early Depeche Mode electro-noodling. By that reckoning you’ll either love it or hate it - judging from the vociferous turnout who are hollering back at the band with hands clapping aloft here tonight, it’s looking like absence has made the heart grow still fonder.

Running in the order on their debut we get a vibrant opener with ‘Wanderlust’ its tropical ice-cream van keys giving way to Greg Gilbert’s dizzying vocals backed by the splashing of drums.  As the gig develops its hard to remember a band that look like they’re enjoying themselves so much.  Blonde-mopped Gilbert flips from choirboy to wannabe rock god throughout ‘Nearer Than Heaven’, probably the group’s best known hit which has a real timelessness. ‘Long Time Coming’ completes a triumphant trio that has so far seen the crowd singing, dancing and the odd good-natured though rather witless heckle.  It’s not to say they can’t rock out (‘Stay Where You Are’) or even hit on some nu-rave (‘On’ and ‘Lost In A Melody’) but they sound at their most convincing on tracks like ‘Hideaway’ and ‘Satellites Lost’ where gimmicky effects are sidelined by a trademark arrangement of twinkling guitars and luscious harmonies that no other group is brave enough to do in these hipster-led times.

Encore ‘You And Me’ is pacy and string-laden evoking front-of-stage jerking and those unusually smooth turning to strained vocals.  It’s not going to be blaring out of any boy-racer windows anytime soon but the Delays have never been ashamed of writing heartfelt indie-pop, they’re fearlessly chasing top spot unattached from a scene and clearly rejuvenated.  


Best Track: Click on link below
The Delays - 'Long Time Coming'

Kindly published by Bristol 24-7
http://www.bristol247.com/2014/05/15/review-delays-thekla-bristol-16331/