*1/2 The Delgados

THE GREAT EASTERN

(Mantra/Beggars Banquet)

Scottish bands like Bis and Belle & Sebastian make a virtue of their youth; the likes of Hefner, Magoo, Mogwai, and the underground moguls (behind the Chemikal Underground label) in the Delgados form an undistinguished swamp of twentysomethings unable (or unwilling) to make anything out of their crushed optimism or indie virtues or whatever impels them to wander across a full-length. In short, they can be plain old irritating.

Album number three from the Delgados finds tag-team vocalists Alun Woodward and Emma Pollock at least acknowledging that hell is other people, even though a line like "No one, I mean, no one can depress me more than I can" reflects the worst in self-absorption. But the lack of narrative detail bespeaks a general disinterest in engaging the world outside their own confused heads. A tree falls in their woods and they don't much care whether anyone's around to hear it. And despite several pretty moments, a rhythm section that knew the joy of cooking as well as Belle & Sebastian would suit the Delgados much better than the tortuous phrasing and prog-like shifts and stunted tempos that show up on The Great Eastern.

-- Kevin John