Emma Pollock – Watch the Fireworks
Hmm, I may raise eyebrows, even howls of disbelief amongst my friends (here & here) for saying this but here goes: as much as I like this album, I find myself rather inexplicably not loving it. Maybe its because I loved Peloton and The Great Eastern so much I am secretly pining for these splendid records. Maybe I’m just a pillock.
Since the collapse of The Delgados I have seen Miss Pollock only the once – a gorgeous performance at a Versacoustic gig at the Bongo Club in Edinburgh – and missed something like three more full band performances, so I really had very little knowledge with which to approach this record.  This is no bad thing of course, as it made unwrapping it a genuine treat and that first listen a long list of very pleasant surprises.
That’s the thing. I listen to this record and pretty much every single song is an absolute gem. To use Tim’s phrase from one of those reviews I mentioned earlier, if it’s melodic indie-pop you want, then this is a minor masterpiece: tunes, drama, sweeping but not grandiose emotional trajectories. It soars, but somehow it does it in a modest and not in any sense an excessive way. The Scots have a peculiar way with drama and humility, and it is very neatly embodied in the emotional pitch of this record. Big enough themes and swelling sounds that return to the spare and beautiful and the humble often enough that you never get the impression of anything more than wee Emma Pollock writing songs.  There is nothing more than that – bombast, in Scotland, is verboten.
So why don’t I love this album as much as I so very nearly do? Well I think it is to do with the slightly soft edges. It is more piano-driven, as indeed were later Delgados records, and there is considerably less guitar. It does make an appearance often enough, of course, but less in a tense and choppy way, more to add depth and drive to the rising melodies. This is generally not how I like my guitar, so I’m guessing this is the only thing missing for me personally.
Other than that, this is brilliant. Catchy, engaging and really rather touching. If, as I said earlier, melodic indie-pop is your thing then I really can’t recommend it highly enough.
Emma Pollock – Paper & Glue
Emma Pollock – The Optimist
I rather agree.
A big fan of the Delgados I was apprehensive about this record BUT I really like it. It’s not anything groundbreaking but it sits confidently in this growing genre.
We’ve played 4 of her tracks on the show thus far & expect to play more in the coming months.
Christ, Toad; these similarities are getting creepy.
DC
Maybe we were separated at birth. It’s the ‘Drunk’ bit that gives it away.
Try reading The Daily Growl. I’ve yet to read anything on Tim’s site I didn’t agree with, yet last.fm reckons we have low musical compatibility. Fucking algorithms.
Adrenaline is my favourite song this year, but I too would be interested to see her rock out a little more, and still think The Great Eastern is the best thing she has been involved with, but I still love this album (I would say that though, wouldn’t I!!) Anyway, she was lovely to interview and my King creosote interview will be up soon.
Keep the good work coming Matthew!
Adrenaline is indeed gorgeous, absolutely no quibbles there at all.
Thanks for posting these – I saw Emma supporting the mighty King Cresote last night and wondered about looking up some more of her stuff. You’ve saved me the job, Mr Toad. Ta.
On yes – I read Growl already already & whereas some things I can’t say I’m too enamoured with (iLIKETRAINS just grate the bejesus out of me for some reason, to point a recent bloggage as example) I agree with your agreement.
Fuck me, we’ll be trading cock photos next.
Catch you in about a week РWashington DC, my birthday & a whole lotta Ros̩ beckons.
DC
If you’re away then you’ll miss my own TRAiNS review this week, which will almost certainly be full of compliments!
I think I’m on the same wavelength on the LP. Listened to it a few times so I could write a bit about it, liked all the songs and yet have probably only listened to it once in the last week to 10 days. I don’t know if it’s because that, by and large, the instrumentation is similar throughout. But then so was The Great Eastern and I love that one.
I’ve listened to a few Delgados tracks but I’ve never heard a whole record by them, so I come to this music without many preconceptions. Judging by these two tracks, it’s gorgeous. Langourous.
Definitely $10 well spent, C&B. But definitely buy The Great Eastern as well.
Done…and done. Both are on emusic!
delgados (when not turning the guitars all the way to seven) really were the musical equivalent of pale brown. and as a hamiltonian i suppose this is indie blasphemy.
this however is much more pleasant. a nice ecru. and no whiny indie boy vocals.
Hey! Some of us like whiny indie boy vocals!
And I’ll agree to an extent: that The Delgados did get a little bland towards the end. I’d refute that on early albums though.
and some people like coprophilia
feel i should fling some praise your way for amusing me this evening. good work!
Cheers, Cows. Entirely welcome.
Having posted what I posted above, which album has got stuck on the internal jukebox over the last few days? And different songs at that. Which is a recommendation.