A major increase in mature songwriting on 2002's 'Hate' confirmed that The Delgados were a band to be taken very seriously indeed. For so long they were a group destined merely for cult status - frequently with the student market - but now the Scottish foursome had finally come of age. Yet somehow 'Universal Audio' feels like a consolidation rather than a step forward. Once again Alun Woodward and Emma Pollock trade vocals but this time the mood is more celebratory than doleful. In fact this is the Delgados most commercial effort to date, it's easy to imagine the cute, bright choruses of 'Everybody Come Down', 'Get Action' and 'Girls Of Valour' being played on daytime Radio 1 alongside the latest Snow Patrol anthem. Yet these decent songs fall short of the more inventive darker work such as 'Come Undone' and 'Bits Of Bone'. Ten years into their career, the Delgados could finally achieve the wider recognition they clearly crave but they have made better records than this one.