The Delays - Hooray

There was a brief blip, around two years ago, when The Delays were the Next Big Thing. Their jangly indie pop was a favourite of die-hard fans, but the Southampton lads never looked close to bothering the spotlight for more than a few seconds with their Embrace retreads. Now they’re back, bigger and better than ever before – and they’ve brought the very material of their souls for you to see! ‘Hooray’ is a bright, big tune, swamped with orchestral arrangements and positive reinforcements. It swells from the off, building like the inspirational theme song of yet another teen movie, but despite its grandiose appearance, ‘Hooray’ is a little, well, hollow. Poor Delays. It’s nice that they’re back, but the truth is, their brief hiatus went unnoticed by many, as will this tune. Kirstie McCrum

Issue #52 - Very Bro-some

Featuring Panama Kings, ASIWYFA, an investigation into DIY touring, details of what over 25 of the finest NI bands are up to in 2009 and much more.