Universal Audio
It says something about the melodic powers of the Delgados when coming from the same geographic region asBelle & SebastianandTeenage Fanclub, they can still melt hearts with their chiming guitars and bright choruses. After two albums of lavish orchestrations made with Flaming Lips producer David Fridmann, the Scottish group takes a more primal approach with its fifth--stripping back the strings and reinforcing the choruses. It takes a while to get under your skin, but with songs like "Everybody Come Down" and "Girls of Valour" channeling both thePixiesandXTCat once, it's an investment that ultimately pays off.--Aidin Vaziri