Emma Pollock - Watch the Fireworks (4AD)
3/5
Apparently 1991 was the year punk broke, but being old enough then only to recall my father's affection for Mark Knopfler solos, 1998 was the moment the penny finally dropped. More than bored with the mawkish lad mag failings of Britpop, The Delgados' Chemikal Underground opened up an acerbic, angry and sometimes even fragile alternative universe. Alongside the appeal of the fearsome sloganeering of Mogwai and self-pitying erudition of Arab Strap to an inquisitive adolescent, it was label owners The Delgados' 'Peloton' that staged residency in my stereo all year long. Inventive, ambitious and steeped in melody, it was a grand statement that belied its meagre status. Though they went on to achieve comparatively wider critical claim (alas not wide enough) before their rather hushed split in 2005, that album still stands as my most cherished memory of the band. Some two years after that split, Emma Pollock has re-emerged with a debut solo album accompanied with typically understated fanfare.
Latter period Delgados often appeared bereft of the same magic that coursed so elegantly through earlier material, perhaps afflicted by the little-room-to-bigger-studio transgression that often befalls many cult bands. That considered, it's hardly surprising that this record is not being greeted with the same expectancy from fans it would've likely received at the band's creative apotheosis. And just as commercial success proved undeservedly elusive for The Delgados, it would be equally shameful if these songs were relegated to the sidelines.
The constant referencing of her previous band is not unfair either, as these songs are very much of the same muse. And how could they not be. Pollock's casual but seductive tones belong inextricably to that band, this time though left only to harmonise with herself. While not so heavily orchestrated, there's still the same perverse fairground waltz appeal that recalls that Scottish-American musical link deeply mined by Chemikal Underground. It's this common ground that suggests the title of opening track "New Land" as a misnomer, situating Pollock in very familiar territory and centred around a memorable minor chord change. But it's the following couplet of "Acid Test" and "Paper and Glue" that set the bar for the album. Impeccably arranged, Pollock wraps herself around the addictive melodies to rather compulsive effect. These are full blown pop hits, only one episode of Smallville away from being the chart hits Pollock would secretly enjoy.
Well-structured as these pop songs are, they only tell half the story of the album, off-set by a number of understated piano ballads that are slightly lacking in comparison. And the piano features very heavily throughout, lending 'Watch the Fireworks' a sophisticated sheen that if a little coffee-table at times, is never anything less than classy. Forgive the endorsement, but it has 'Mercury Music Prize nomination' inscribed into its metaphorical grooves.
The creative transition from The Delgados to solo songstress may be a slight one, but it's telling that Pollock has been the first from the band to make the move. There's a keen artistic impulse on show here that shouldn't be underestimated. Let's hope this time round it gets the recognition it deserves. As Pollock herself sings on album closer 'The Optimist', "Teach me to stay down, and never succeed, when everyone's watching it's hard to admit the movement of shadows that lead me to quit", she too knows it's long overdue.
Listen to four tracks from 'Watch The Fireworks' HERE.
Artists in this article: Emma Pollock
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