A blast from the past. UK Delta article from 1996!!!

Interview with James Roberts

James Roberts Everything You Know is Right (Dell'Orso)

James Roberts Everything You Know is Right (Dell'Orso) This outstanding album from the former Sea Urchins and Delta singer has everything Richard Ashcroft's lacks. Strings make their presence felt, but here they turn the screw on the listener instead of seeking to distract. Roberts has been a victim of label shenanigans and personnel problems, while making some of the best Britpop of the past 20 years. This stunning 10-tracker was recorded in just three days: house, soul, prog and acoustica jostle with more straightforward rock shapes, over which one of the loveliest voices in pop lends new and dusted-down songs such as Meet On The Peek, I KNew and Sun Somehow an unbearable poignancy. Buy It. You won't regret it. (4/5) (February 2005)

Kapital Ink Magazine

Delta Singularity (Elephant Stone) Yesterday started tomorrow with this brilliant opus, which crinkles its way thru a prairie full of smoky tunes crisper than anything Neil Young has done since Crazy Horse were sent to the glue factory… a smoldering masterpiece of tumbleweed-scattering proportions that ranks with the best late sixties drugstore cowboy rock, from the bluesy Little Feat warble of "Fall Apart" to the Blind Faith exorcism of "Cowboy Raga" (the name says it all) to the later-Airplane (think Bark) haze of "Tonight" to the tremor-filled Tim Buckley quaver o' Take Away My Pain." At times they twinkle like Spirit or heave like Free, or stumble around stoned like the Pure Prairie League, but in almost every case Delta transcends their influences. Positively great guitar all over this album, be it of the chiming country-rock or sprawling Neil wah-wah/reverb variety. Great production too, as deep and mercury-filled as the denser San Fran groups (the ones who got signed to Capitol anyway… Steve Miller, Quicksilver, Mad River etc.) Actually this is the best alb of it's type since Beachwood Sparks' Once We Were Trees. Let's hope they get as much credit as the usual vultures hovering around Gram Parson's grave (just look at any issue of Harp magazine to find out who they are). —Joe S. Harrington (July 2005)

Delta Singularity (Elephant Stone) Res immortali come Sea Urchins per aver inaugurato con Pristine Christine il catalogo Sarah, nella loro rinascita immediata del '93, come Delta i fratelli James e Patrick Roberts hanno incontrato più difficoltà ad entrare nelle grazie dell’audience indie. “Singularity” ripercorre i loro primi passi col nuovo moniker, mettendo insieme singoli ed Ep dal 10” per Chè ‘Sugared Up’ sino a Make It Right per Dishy del ’95. Poche similitudini con i più tardi “Slippin’ Out” e l’assai apprezzato “Hard Light”, con la formazione di Birmingham decisamente meno pop oriented e con i sedimenti dei tempi dei Sea Urchins che già qui appaiono piuttosto labile, se si eccettua Butterfly, peralto un demo, con un suono che si svela acutamente psichedelico e dale maculature blues con frequenze captate inequivocabilmente dai sixties discendenti e da albori ’70 ma con altra genuinità rispetto a quella di revivalisti ben pitù fortunate come Gomez. (7/10) —Paolo Bertoni (April 2004)

Delta Singularity (Elephant Stone) About 15 years ago I went to a gig by The Sea Urchins. My main recollections are that they were (a) short of stature, with one or two members wearing medallions, (b) very drunk, and (c) given to fisticuffs, initially amongst themselves, and, as the gig progressed, with various members of the audience standing at the edge of the stage. Of course, I was immensely thrilled. Bellicose, drunken short people wearing medallions and playing janglepop—yes, these are the waters from which I sup. Many years after the fall of their label, Sarah Records, the prime movers of the Urchins are still making music as Delta. They've dropped the pop thing of yore, replacing it with a bluesy swagger that makes me think of Primal Scream and The Charlatans. Although the sleeve photo reveals no medallions, they do look short and drunk and, quite possibly, in the mood for a fight. I find that somehow comforting. —Terry Banks (November 2004)

Delta Singularity (Elephant Stone) Where you’re likely to hear this CD At the record store featured in the film High Fidelity where the clerks have discriminating music tastes and attempt to turn customers onto good music that they have never heard before. Song you should pick to play on the jukebox "Sugared Up", "Cowboy Raga" Drinking Partners Ride, Led Zeppelin, Gomez, The Byrds, Neil Young The Morning After This collection of singles and b-sides from British band Delta – whose roots can be traced back to the Sea Urchins, a jangly, psychedelic cult-like band the Roberts brothers (James and Patrick) founded back in the early ‘90s – is a wonderful introduction to a band that many Anglophiles may have missed throughout the years. Through a series of misfortunes over the years – a refusal to tour, being dropped a week before their major label debut was to be released – Delta has become more of a footnote in British rock history than cover boys for the latest issue of NME and that’s a shame. Throughout the band’s 10-year recording career (it’s not readily apparent whether or not they are still together), Delta has maintained a general laid-back, dusky sound though the listener should be able to pick out different influences that surfaced at various points throughout the band’s history. From the jammish Gomez-like groove of 1993’s “Sugared Up” to the moody Houses of the Holy-era Led Zeppelin-like dirge of 1994’s “Tonight” and 1995’s “Cowboy Raga” to the lonesome cowboy-on-the-plains Buffalo Springfield-like warmness of 1995’s “Make it Right”, this album presents a full and varied snapshot of what Delta is all about. Delta may never challenge Coldplay or Snow Patrol or Muse for the affection of younger American audiences – their sound isn’t formatted for popular radio – but are certainly worth some deeper investigation for those who enjoy well-crafted music that takes some time to burrow in your ears. Here’s hoping that Singularity is just an introduction rather than a final piece of work for this band. —Chip Midnight (October 2004)

Delta Singularity (Elephant Stone) From the ashes of The Sea Urchins' early Nineties burn-up there arose the phoenix of Delta, a band who pieced together all kinds of early Seventies influences that were deeply unfashionable at the time, but that in hindsight sound really rather fine. This collection of early singles and EPs shows that Delta must have been scouring the secondhand stores and digging the likes of Bronco Bullfrog, Twin Engine, Rockin' Horse and Badfinger years before Mojo or Uncut were fuelling the salvage operations of the reissue industry. And maybe it's my age, but these tunes delight me now in a way they never could before. —Alistair Fitchett (September 2004)

Delta Singularity (Elephant Stone) This British band sniffed the rarified air of major labeldom back in the ‘80s. The best comparison for Delta, I suppose, would be Gomez, in that Delta was also a band with firm blues rock roots, and was trying to do something fresh with them. That sometimes meant using the blues as a foundation for atmospheric tracks that floated along with solid guitar picking, such as "Dealt Out". However, the music on this compilation that goes out towards the margins is less compelling than the tracks that are evocative of a modern version of Free or Traffic, and, on a couple songs, the Allman Brothers Band. Songs like the slinky "Sugared-Up" and the majestic "Cowboy Raga", full of excellent dual guitar work, conjure up the ghosts of free form FM playlists past, with more brevity than their predecessors. The other thing that is striking about Delta's music to my new-to-Delta ears is how they avoid cliched blues rock trappings without undermining their faithfulness to the spirit and the sound of the music. No need to throw in grit for the sake of grit, or even worse, sounding like a modern Chicago blues band, while they succeeded with lead vocals that may not be authentic, but fit well with the tunes. For example, I'm listening to "All My Life", and while this is merely a variation, rather than a reinvention, of the ol' wheel, damned if it isn't heartfelt and pointed, with gospel inflected backing vocals and more of those killer guitars. I've listened to this over a dozen times and I'm more impressed with each spin. —Mike Bennett (August 2004)

Delta Singularity (Elephant Stone) Ci sono raccolte che celebrano, ed altre che si limitano a recuperare. A noi tocca quasi sempre fare i conti con queste ultime, con carriere piene di rimpianti e occasioni mancate. Il caso dei Delta poi è particolarmente delicato: negli anni 80 - e con un altro nome - erano una band favolosa e misconosciuta a casa Sarah, e anche se lo ricordano in pochissimi la cosa non ha importanza, perché sono altrettanto bravi e misconosciuti oggi, e solo una dedizione fuori luogo dell'etichetta Elephant Stone può giustificare l'apparizione di questo "Singularity". Raccolta singolare di nome e di fatto, anche perché si tratta del primo disco dei Delta a ricevere una pubblicazione Americana, il che ne diminuisce ulteriormente la logica. Chi fosse interessato sappia che troverà qui inclusi l'EP "Sugared-Up" uscito per Ché, altri prodotti analoghi ("Gun" e "All My Life" su Dishy) e persino qualche inedito, ma se avesse ancora in mente i Sea Urchins, o anche solo i Delta degli ultimi (nonché posteriori) due album, si prepari ad una grossa sorpresa. Il processo di negazione Sarah dei fratelli Roberts era evidentemente al suo massimo ai tempi fotografati da "Singularity": lunghe e libere jam sessions, blues e psichedelia che strisciano sotto la voce tremolante di P. Roberts. Quasi una versione progressive degli Urchins, il cui effetto sperimentale è arricchito dalla presenza di numerose B-sides. Si possono cogliere echi dei Delta che saranno in pillole, piccoli brandelli di musica e voce che si fanno strada tra il suono chiuso di "Dealt Out", fondamentalmente una jam blues sperimentale, e il rock and roll di "Make it right", che paga pegno ai Crazy Horse e a Neil Young (qualcuno ha mai notato la somiglianza delle voci?). Pure il recente "Hardlight" mostrava tracce di questo eclettismo, ma sin troppo scafate: qui sono pure ed incoscienti, ed episodicamente meravigliose, per come le note pop si insinuano in un tessuto che idealmente le rifiuta. Succede in "Cowboy Raga" il cui mantra brlla per spigliatezza melodica, nei tanti ammiccamenti agli anni 70, che oltre a Young fanno pensare a un Todd Rundgren ("Tonight") senza lo studio a disposizione, nel tessuto sonoro alla Husker Du di "Low Flying", nell'improbabile funky-rock di "she's the one". Però, e qui sta la cosa interessante, dovete pensare a tutto quanto scritto sopra visto attraverso una lente rosa, la stessa usata per fotografare il gruppo nel booklet del CD: non blues del Delta ma blues Deltico, il rock'n'roll trasfigurato da quella malinconia tutta inglese che nonostante gli ampi sforzi i Delta non riescono a scrollarsi di dosso. E man mano che il recupero si avvicina ai nostri giorni il cielo si oscura e le nuvole si addensano: vedere il folk notturno di "Fall Apart" e "Take Away My Pain" (ancora, e più che mai, Neil Young), il pop indicibilmente allungato e camuffato di "Here I am", l'impietosa sincerità di "All My Life", un fiume lento che già alla nona traccia riporta tutto a casa con un sorriso triste. E' la cosa che i Delta fano meglio: canzoni dolci e disilluse, allungate pigramente sul suono cristallino e distante delle chitarrine, di quelle che ti basta ascoltarle per sapere che fuori sta sicuramente piovendo. Da questo punto in poi (siamo alla traccia x) l'album si rilassa, i Delta smettono con le negazioni e si dedicano a costruire quell'atmosfera che solo loro conoscono, riappropriandosi della migliore essenza del loro suono. "Singularity" fotografa una band sull'orlo di un cambiamento del quale non ha ancora deciso la direzione, e che si ammorbidirà in un ibrido convincente delle diverse pulsioni (non ultima quella pop) che animano da sempre i Delta. E' un percorso pieno di contraddizioni e di ripensamenti, un'opera prescindibe per molti e essenziale per quei pochi completisti che ancora la notte sognano "Please Rain Fall". Io ho letto qualche recensione in giro, e nessuno parlando dei Delta cita quella canzone, nemmeno NME che pure garantisce loro un voto altissimo (speriamo serva). Non sempre essere pischelli è una buona cosa. —Salvatore (July 2004)

Delta Singularity (Elephant Stone) Delta are a band who have spent the better part of their careers being messed around by the music industry. They’ve released a wealth of singles and two albums, all of which received critical acclaim in their native UK (including ending up on a few year-end lists), yet their multiple label shenanigans and other setbacks have stopped them from being a musical force to be reckoned with. Delta formed in 1993 by James and Patrick Roberts who had previously flirted with fame as jangly indie pop band the Sea Urchins. And anyone who remembers the glory days of their former band won’t really be terribly surprised by Singularity, but they will get wonderfully warm and fuzzy feeling inside because there’s absolutely no denying that the Roberts brothers still have that elusive “it.” They sound like a mix of that other great sibling-dominated band Shack, and the Verve with a healthy dose of Buffalo Springfield and the Byrds thrown in. Despite the fact that these 16 songs are from almost a decade ago, they still sound remarkably fresh. The majority are taken from singles released between 1993 and 1995, but there are also some unreleased tracks to help offer value for money. They are at their best when their songs are given enough time to stretch their legs (like the wonderful “All My Life”) although the shorter tunes simply hint at what is just around the corner. Singularity is enough of a triumph that it should simply be a matter of time before Delta’s complete discography is available on this side of the Atlantic. —Michael Edwards (July 2004)

Delta Singularity (Elephant Stone) Those who have found their way to Delta will need no encouragement to buy this marvelous collection of their early recordings. Formed from the remnants of the Sea Urchins, their classic line-up (featured here) were - to be serious for a moment- quite simply one of the finest bands to emerge in the U.K in the 90s. Even if geography and a notorious truculent streak weren't enough to blight their path (the band doggedly refused to leave their Mosely enclave to find fame), they were also hampered by a bad luck streak to match the best of them, which culminated in being dropped weeks before the release of their major label debut 'Hard Light'. Yet, hearing these recordings again, few could ever doubt Delta were capable of a magic which will endure years after their so-called peers have long been forgotten. Parallels with Nick Drake are hard to avoid when James Roberts launches into the heartbreaking 'Take Away My Pain', while when Robert Cooksey launches the guitar overload of 'Make it Right' you wonder how- with such wild mercury in their arsenal, and in a climate where Cast and Ocean Colour Scene prospered- stadiums didn't fall at their feet. Maybe some things just aren't meant to be. Heartbreaking. (9/10) —Paul Moody (July 2004)

Delta Singularity (Elephant Stone) A while back I reviewed some issues of Vendetta, whose editor Ben was a huge fan of Delta. These days he is running the Elephant Stone label and has released the first ever Delta recording to be widely available in the USA (you should still be able to get it over here too, one of the record shops in Birmingham had it). This is a compilation of all the tracks from Delta's singles on Ché and Dishy, plus two demo tracks which have never before been available. It's an excellent introduction to early Delta for those who are new to the band or who only know the later releases (the early band, with guitarist Robert Cooksey, had a very different sound to the lineup that released the Slippin' Out and Hardlight albums). And even if you have the singles already, it is still well worth getting for the demos, and also to hear the previously vinyl-only Sugared-Up EP in CD quality. I'm particularly excited about the two previously unreleased demos, She's The One and Butterfly. I remember these from the band's gigs years ago, and it's really great to know that they have finally seen the light of day. Both tracks are so strong that it's astonishing that it's taken them 13 years or thereabouts to release them. There is a track called Dealt Out on here - whilst the title is unfamiliar, it is in fact a previously released track, the formerly untitled instrumental/spoken word track from the Sugared-Up EP. For those unfamiliar with early Delta, they played a strongly late 60s/early 70s kind of music, which despite being able to pinpoint the era they were inspired by, it's not so easy to pick out specific bands. Some reviewers have tried to, but have been pretty far off the mark. If you ask me, they just sounded like Delta. They were essentially a rock band but encompassing a variety of sounds/moods, ranging from the 8 minutes plus psych-rock of Gun to the stripped-down, melancholic Take Away My Pain. The two albums by the later lineup are excellent, but are by what is effectively a completely different band to this one. If you got into Delta late, you may be in for a shock with this. The later albums contain a number of songs which are closer to pop than anything the early band did, and have a sophisticated atmosphere with the additional orchestral instruments. The early band had a raw, dirty sound which I appreciate isn't to everyone's taste, but it was music I could really identify with as a teenager and I still get a buzz from listening to it now. As great as the new songs are, the version of Delta represented by this CD will always be the version of the band that is most important to me. Robert Cooksey is a vastly underrated guitarist and it is a great shame that he is no longer making music for public consumption. But at least there is this material available. This band was the most important band to me during my teenage years (or at least of joint importance with their previous band The Sea Urchins) and I heartily recommend you listen and find out why. —Kim Harten (June 2004)

Delta Singularity (Elephant Stone) So named because it collects various singles and tracks from the band's early nineties existence, Singularity shows that shadowy UK cult band Delta had their own particular ramalama classic rock-garagey-psych vibe in place from the start. Which is where the collection begins, with two tracks from the group's debut EP on Che - both "Sugared-Up" (which also concludes the collection in a demo version) and "Dealt Out" could have been released somewhere in the late sixties or among plenty of retro-crazed acts of the new millennium or many different points between, all handclaps and rave-up/strung-out solos and murky atmosphere and just droney enough singing. From there Singularity makes its easy way, indulging in everything from post-Byrds country/psych ("Cowboy Raga" is almost perfectly titled) and anthemic enough rockers like "Low Flying" to calmer ballads - "Take Away My Pain" strips everything down to vocals and acoustic guitar for its short length, achieving a striking beauty. Though often accomplished, and clearly a case of the band getting better as it goes - "Here I Am" has a great nervous rush to its arrangement and delivery in particular - Singularity often feel a touch hidebound, perhaps reflective of it covering the group's first years of existence. It's not a question of whether the songs are modern or not, more that efforts like the Neil Young-tinged "Make It Right" or the various nods to the Stones or Love or various freakbeat figures do little to expand on a previously established palette, often enjoyable but rarely thrilling. Other bands have done worse at the job, though, and anyone with a fondness in particular for groups like the Beechwood Sparks or the Summer Hits might well find something to love here - though later albums like Slippin' Out and Hard Light could be a better place to start. —Ned Raggett (May 2004)

Delta Singularity (Elephant Stone) I had totally forgotten about this band until I got this cd. I instantly went to my 7” cabinet to see if it was the same British band that I had lots of singles from. And well yes it is. This cd is a collection of many of their lost/forgotten singles/releases from 1993-1995. Delta contains bits of country, blues, folk, and even shoegaze giving you a wide mix in sound. At times they liven up the party with foot stomping tunes, then mellow you out with soft soulful ballads. It's nice to see that some records are not forgotten. Maybe my rare 7”s will be worth some beans someday. —Lio (April 2004)

Delta Singularity (Elephant Stone) Wow, Ben from Elephant Stone Records scored with this! This UK based band has released three fantastic full-lengths (well, I have two of them so I can tell you they are awesome but I have only heard their 2002 record Hard Light is killer). This band consists of James and Patrick Roberts (of Sarah Records' The Sea Urchins). This is the band's first US release and it's older material as this culls songs from an old 10" (that was released on Ché) and a few of the bands 7"s for the UK-based Dishy label. This is anthemic psych-rock with strong hooks and slurred/cool vocals. Fans of Brian Jonestown Massacre would probably dig this. Now I gotta dig up Hard Light. —Tim Hinely (April 2004)

Delta Hard Light (Dell'Orso) Like so many lower-league Britpop outfits, Birmingham's Delta have been buffeted over the years by the vagaries of public taste and record-company vacillations. Yet they've struggled on to record, with this third album, their definitive statement - 10 tracks that may comprise the last great Britpop release. The album leaves both Heathen Chemistry and A Rush of Blood To The Head floundering in its wake - not least in the subtlety and aptness of the Beatles influence behind a song like "Funny Looking Angels", whose harmonies have the congenial melodic quality of the Fabs' best work. The opening song, "Nothing Happened", could well be autobiographical, with its plaintive book "Revelations turning round/nothing happened, nothing happened" reflecting Delta's unsteady progress on the roundabout of fame. But it's more notable for the way in which keyboardist Louis Jay Clark's orchestral arrangements here and throughout the album add a piquant depth akin to Love's Forever Changes. Scott Walker is another obvious touchstone on tracks such as the brooding "Wheel of Light" and the grandiose ballad "Happy Birthday Nik Nak", where the strings dash up and down the scale like dervishes. Though at times they slip into more turgid territory, as in the stompy "Head On" and "Survive", overall Hard Light is as engaging a mainstream Brit-band album as you'll hear all year. (4 stars out of 5) —Andy Gill (September 2002)

Delta Hard Light (Dell'Orso) Over the last 11 years, Delta have produced a debut stop-gap of demos, followed by the overlooked follow-up Slippin' Out. Over the same period they have clashed with label execs and, drunkenly, each other. However, it has all led to this: an album lit by a triumphant eclectic spark. The influence of The Byrds, The Beatles and Buffalo Springfield is still paraded by brothers James and Patrick Roberts (vocals and guitar respectively), but there's also mariachi-laced punk pop (Pump Action), widescreen orchestral sadness (Happy Birthday Nik Nak) and some smouldering, heroic West Brum soul (Wheel Of Light). All the years of underachievement may yet bear fruit: on this, Delta are finally revealed as folk-soul world beaters. (4 stars out of 5) —Martin Aston (June 2002)

Delta Hard Light (Dell'Orso) Delta have suffered 10 years of bad record deals and messy management, infighting and departing personnel. But they have retained their love of gorgeous melodies and turned unending frustration into surprising optimism. Their strength lies in combining simple guitar rhythms and fragile vocals with sweeping strings and big ideas. The title track soars from dreamy lethargy to ragged passion and reveals the depth of Delta's emotional pull. Could You wrestles with insecurity, and Pump You is all strangled vocals and burning fury. But it is when Delta have a little fun that they charm most. Head On, is a stomp with a warm, early 1970s Top of the Pops feel. "Haven't got no money, we're always sick, always think its funny," sings James Roberts, with an almost carefree chuckle in his voice. (4 stars out of 5) —BC (September 2002)

Delta Slippin' Out (Dishy) "...songs of aching wonder that owe a stylistic nod to groups like Buffalo Springfield and The Byrds. It is a work of some beauty. An album for fans of guitars, drums and organ. And sad songs. And happy songs. Sung with feeling. From Birmingham. Buy." (9 out of 10) —Ted Kessler (September 2000)

Delta Slippin' Out (Dishy) "...it succeeds where countless callow British rock groups are currently failing. In James' downright beautiful ballad "I Want You", one can discern the school of ambitious English balladry that peaked in about 1968: The Casuals, Love Affair, Barry Ryan. The impression of accomplished old-schoolery is only furthered by the dizzying string arrangements penned by one Louis J. Clark, son and namesake of the one-time orchestral chief of Electric Light Orchestra." —John Harris (2000)

Delta Laughing Mostly (Dishy) If long-term memory is nothing more than selective editing, and only pop's most weighty, visceral works are built to last, then it's quite possible that in 50 years the Britpop era will be best recollected for the two bands it ostracized. Earlier this year, we met Liverpool's Shack and thought their tragic story of fire, drugs, mercurial brilliance and corporate incompetence indicated the biggest music biz oversight of the 90s. We were wrong, because we hadn't met Birmingham's Delta yet. Laughing Mostly is richer and more engrossing than anything by Shack. It's the last great album of the millennium - until you peruse the sleevenotes and find out it was written in the mid-90s, and recorded at various points over the last three years, as Delta (formerly late-80s janglers The Sea Urchins) battled to untether themselves from an agreement with Acid Jazz that left them in an infuriating state of dormancy, unable to release an album, but still under contract. But don't let that put you off. Laughing Mostly is one of those illusory mixed-bags that, despite pulling its material from different climates, succeeds in being more coherent than most concept LPs. It's clear that life was just as bad when Delta's sibling songwriters James and Patrick Roberts recorded Low Flying in 1994 as when they recorded Mean Time in March 1998. The date might change, but the obsessions - lack of dosh, fickle females, turn-of-the-70s West Coast pop - don't. Strutting and sulking between the psychedelic peaks of Spirit's Farther Along, Neil Young's eponymous debut album and Moby Grape's Wow, this is music which accepts that its ingredients are second-hand, but realises that a good record collection is often the best way to express a new emotion. You can hear Delta's collective imagination working overtime, imagining that it's Jimi Hendrix jamming with Spacemen 3 or The Byrds fronted by Randy California, but, finally, the result is always a song that, in its unique way, tells the listener that convincing yourself you feel bad is the best way to feeling good again. Delta's playing is so in tune with their moods, it's as if they have special settings on their guitars that say "Desperation", "Difficult Girlfriend" and "Valour". The track sequencing is brilliant, with its tendency to offset a piece of crippling emotional honesty with an avalanche of psychedelic wig-out. Laughing Mostly reaches its peak with the devastating Silly World, where the moan of "silly world" (changed on the fade-out to "silly girl") is so swallowed by loss that it says more in two words than most singers could in 50. Normally, this would be the point where I'd start asking large record companies to give Delta all their money. But not this time. Cruel as it may seem, the best thing for Delta right now would be to stay locked away in the Midlands, fed on small change and cheese crackers through the letterbox, and intermittently led-on by loose women. It might be a silly world, full of silly girls, but sometimes it's just got to stay that way for the good of male pop music. —Tom Cox (November 1999)