Pitchfork

Even the most cynical music fan can excuse the deflated sighs heard in Indiedom the past few days, as news spread that beloved Glasgow quartet the Delgados have decided to call it a day after releasing five albums of magnificently skewed pop. The news was dispatched to fans on the band's official site, as well as on the site of the Delgados-run label Chemikal Underground:

"The Delgados, influential figures in Glasgow's independent music scene for over 10 years, have announced that they are to amicably disband. The reason has been put down to the departure of their bass player Stewart Henderson who informed the band in the New Year that he did not wish to make another album. The Delgados have always been known as uniquely collaborative songwriters and as such, it was decided that the band could not continue without all of its original members."

The departing bassist himself sums up his thoughts about his years with the band and also deals with the underlying forces behind his decision to leave in succinct style:

"Physically, emotionally and financially I found it increasingly difficult to pour so much of my energy and time into something that never quite seemed to get the attention or respect I felt it deserved. I would be a traitor to myself as well as to every Delgado fan if I continued to clock on and clock out, dragging myself into a recording studio, giving half hearted, insincere interviews and generally continuing with the band when my heart wasn't in it."

There has always been a concealed darker element to the group's lyrics and an understated beauty to its music, whether from their early period, bashing out Pixies/Sonic Youth-influenced singles and first album, Domestiques, to releasing last year's somewhat sweeter-sounding Universal Audio. The band's lyrical and musical strengths collided wonderfully in 2000, with the Dave Fridmann (Flaming Lips/Mercury Rev)-produced album The Great Eastern, which garnered them a round of glowing reviews and a prestigious Mercury Prize nomination in the UK.

Just as important as the music itself, the band was inspirational within the heart of the Glasgow music community, creating Chemikal Underground, a label that would take chances and introduce to the world the likes of Bis, Mogwai, and Arab Strap. The label also issued the Fukd I.D. EP series, which included the first release by Interpol. Releases by newbies Mother & the Addicts and old stand-bys Arab Strap, as well as a solo album by the 'Strap's Malcolm Middleton are expected shortly from the label.

However, all is not lost, as the band's songwriting and singing core of Emma Pollock and Alun Woodward will continue with proposed solo projects, drummer Paul Savage will continue to handle production duties at the band's Chem19 studio, and the Chemikal Undergound imprint will continue to release vital music. As the band's bulletin contends: "Don't be too upset everyone...get a massive carry out, turn the stereo up and play your albums at full volume." Wise words indeed.