Delays

Although they're quintessentially English, Southampton's Delays aren't your quintessential Brit-pop band. The darling foursome can avoid being hailed as saviors of pop music by NME simply because they lack swagger. But before the dual pair of brothers -- Greg (vocals/guitar) and Aaron Gilbert (keyboards), and Rowley (drums) and Colin Fox (bass) -- kicked against the decadent scene that ranked Oasis and Blur as supreme during the 1990s, they too were sucked in. They formed Corky and the band's acoustic pop was briefly popular in and around their local Southampton neighborhoods. By 2001, Corky had gone by the wayside and the brotherly bunch formed The Delays. Sun-soaked, '60s-tailored rock melodies developed over a few years' time. Rough Trade's Geoff Travis caught on to this while catching one of the band's private shows in 2003 and offered the band a deal. In July, The Delays' saccharine rock edge of "Hey Girl" went Top 40 in the U.K. Shows with The Thrills, Tim Burgess, and The Sleepy Jackson followed shortly thereafter, giving The Delays a sweet spot among the indie press. "Long Time Coming," the band's second single, charged the Top 20 with a number 16 chart debut in January 2004. As the band hit radio, they also readied for the release of their studio full-length debut. In spring 2004 came the release of Faded Seaside Glamour, which sounded rather like The Hollies meeting The La's for a rainy Sunday drive while picking up The Cocteau Twins' Elizabeth Fraser for tea. ~ MacKenzie Wilson, All Music Guide