the delmontes
ltm catalog

Formed in Edinburgh in 1979, The Delmontes released just two singles on indie label Rational Records: Tous Les Soirs (1980) and Don't Cry Your Tears (1981). Boasting a poised avant-retro sound and vision (three of the five band members were female), the band prefigured a raft of subsequent indie trends (C86, Creation, Sarah, TweeNet), and were offered deals by both DinDisc and Zoo Records.

Although the group completed a UK tour with The Teardrop Explodes, and later signed a major label deal, no further records emerged, and sadly the band split early in 1983. Happily Carousel, an irresistable collection of singles and previously unreleased demo tracks, reminds us of their rightful place in the Sound of Young Scotland. To read a detailed band biography click here. To purchase Delmontes CD click here.


CAROUSEL LTMCD 2458 £10
Carousel compiles all five tracks from the two Rational singles with a bumper collection of unreleased studio sessions recorded between 1980 and 1982, charting the band's development from indie garage psychedelia to dark, sophisticated pop. Digitally mastered from the original tapes, this definitive collection uncovers the wealth of buried treasure that is the The Delmontes recorded legacy. Think Nuggets, think Cardigans, think St Etienne. 24 tracks, 74 minutes of music. Full tracklist: Tous Les Soirs, Ga Ga, Infectious Smile, Don't Cry Your Tears, So It's Not To Be, So Sad Too Bad, Higher & Higher, No Man's Land, What You Don't Know (Won't Hurt You), Moondrops & Roses, No No Billy No, Sacrifice My Heart, Love in a Guillotine, Thursday, When I Hear the Beat of the Drums, Love On American Beaches, Use It, And When You're Alone, Everyday, When Minds Begin to Click, Sweet Sweet Love, Won't Give In, Don't Cry Your Tears (version), Ga Ga (version).

Reviews: "A lovely, crashing, tumbling reflection of what might have been. The Delmontes' steely and cultish garage pop flowered on two ear-catching singles, Tous Les Soirs and Don't Cry Your Tears. As such, this compilation presents a story of potential, rather than a backwards nostalgic glance, and there are obviously a great many lively ideas which would have built on the inventiveness of those two fine singles. As it is, the affair is tinged with a certain sadness" (Record Collector, 12/06); "Predating the whole C86 phenomenon by several years, this overlooked Scottish outfit made their name with a similar indie jangle. This generous retrospective gathers together the best of their output" (The List, 9/06); "A brilliant reissue. Unknowing forbears of Scots pop such as The Pastels, Comet Gain and Belle & Sebastian, The Delmontes dished up two wondferful singles before imploding. It's still exciting and contemporary listening, crossing 60's French pop and modernism with - of all things - The Stranglers. You can only wonder what they might have achieved if they'd got the recognition they deserved, so let's put it right now" (Il Mucchio Selvaggio, 11/06); "LTM has dug up another exquisite corpse from one of the places and moments when some of the most interesting pop was made, Scotland in the early 1980s. The Delmontes could have been some kind indie pop Banshees, but the Farfisa keyboard gives the band a unique avant-retro personality, and makes your hair stand on end" (Mondo Sonoro, 04/07); "So why does a band that released only five songs deserve a retrospective? Well, it turns out that the Delmontes were really good. The songs are still remarkably fresh after all these years and both the singles have stood the test of time. The other 19 tracks also show just how close they got to greatness" (Exclaim!, 03/07)

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