It's only February, and the little unknown Scottish band the Delgados have already delivered a record that I guarantee will be high among the best albums of 2003. If you';re not familiar with the Delgados this is their third and most ambitious record to date. Vocals are shared between Stewart Henderson and Emma Pollack--first bringing to mind The Beautiful South. However upon repeated listens this comparison soon pales, and it becomes undeniable that the only other band that deserves to be mentioned in the same breath with the Delgados are Flaming Lips

The sound on this new record is friggin HUGE! Take Flaming Lips Soft Bulletin and multiply it by three and you might come close to what the Delgados have achieved here. This is a grand sonic wonder that is something of a concept album that revolves around themes of Hate. But in a spin of genius, all of the songs are melodically upbeat with powerful orchestrations, choirs, and sunny day chorus hooks. With his tongue planted firmly in cheek he sings "All You Need Is Hate," respectfully giving the Beatles, a bit of a ribbing, while sounding like Paul McCartney himself. Genius. Genius. Genius. Best Album I've heard since Wilco's Yankee Hotel Foxtrot--definitely the front-runner so far this year.