Ugly Chord

Delphic – Acolyte. Who knew that the first review would be of a band I’d never heard of? So everyone seems to be raving about this band because they sound like New Order. Either people are complaining that they sound too much like New Order, or people are praising them for sounding so much like New Order. Just a simple point: Delphic do not sound like New Order. Period. End of story.

I am a huge New Order fan and was actually quite excited to hear this band–they sound nothing like New Order or Joy Division. A lot of reviewers seem to be comparing the drumming on this album to Stephen Morris, which is absolutely insane. Look, nothing is bad about this band, but the drummer lacks the presence of Morris and the overall sound is really an attempt to combine dance and rock. It is not a combination of the two as New Order was. Nor is it full of hooks and choruses like New Order, nor are Delphic’s song structures as interesting or programming as layered.

That’s fine. Lets’ talk about Delphic themselves.

The highlight on this album is “Counterpoint,” a song which captures the band at their best. It’s full of a good mix of drums and programming, synths, and good vocal delivery. The rest of the songs take this basic formula and vary it w.r.t. tempo, structure or layering. Overall, I am pleased with this album, but I don’t see it as the sort of album that I would come back to frequently. I like what Delphic is trying to do, but the sound is too bland in my opinion. Many of the songs sound like brit-pop dressed up w/ some electronic elements…not bad, but somehow they manage to capture the worst of both world in bringing them together. James Cook sounds at his worst when the music gets most brit-poppish, and unfortunately most of the songs seem to have this brit-pop element to it that is less pronounced on “Counterpoint.” Like I said–not bad and I would encourage people to check it out…but after you’re done, go ahead and put on “Transmission” or “Shellshock” and enjoy.

Late at night, I’ll run through the streets and empty corridors.
I’ll find my counterpoint, inside a red room locked behind a door.

I keep holding my head up, holding it up.
Holding my head up, holding it up.
And you just don’t come back, around.
It seems to me that we will never be.

And tell me nothing’s wrong, nothing’s wrong, nothing’s wrong today.
Just tell me nothing’s wrong, nothing’s wrong, nothing’s wrong today.

Late at night, I’ll run through the streets and empty corridors.
I’ll find my counterpoint, inside a red room locked behind a door. Behind a door.

Overall estimation: not worth a purchase–listen to this at a club or in your friend’s convertible because she shelled out the money to buy it.