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Stars indicate the most critically-acclaimed albums.
Hate
Generally favorable reviews
Based on 20 critic reviews
How did we calculate this?
Based on 9 votes
Read user comments
Rate this album >
Album Info
Label: Mantra
Release Date: 21 January 2003
Discs: 1 disc
Genre(s): Alternative, Rock
Summary
The Glasgow, Scotland-based band follow 2000's stunning 'The Great Eastern' with this, their fourth (and almost equally stunning) LP. Dave Fridmann (Mercury Rev) returns as producer.
Also By This Artist: Universal Audio
Also On The Web: Delgados @ Chemikal Underground
What The Critics Said
All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...
Splendid
Every track on Hate surpasses the high standards set by its predecessor. Go buy it right now.
Read Full Review >Entertainment Weekly
Catchy tunes about the darkest of emotions. [14 Feb 2003, p.72]
Resonance
Playfully morbid and seriously perverse. [#36, p.49]
All Music Guide
Where The Great Eastern was a fairly gentle and tentative record in a lot of ways, this one is bigger and demands your attention. The good news is that it's one of those rare records that actually deserves all of the attention it demands.
Read Full Review >Playlouder
'Hate' is gloomy without being self-indulgent, and grand without being pompous.
Read Full Review >Austin Chronicle
The dramatic, melancholy undercurrents of string-driven pop nuggets "The Drowning Years" and "Never Look at the Sun" showcase the Delgados as the smart, cutting-edge descendents of the Carpenters: everything Belle & Sebastian want to be, but are too damn precocious to pull off.
Read Full Review >Stylus Magazine
The record is very innocent on the surface, but it’s in the lyrics (again) of Alun Woodward and Emma Pollack that make it cold and dark, even though their vocals seem to make it all sound safe.
Read Full Review >Pitchfork
Do some of the more standard-issue runs seem a bit labored? They do.... But the emotion buzzing out of these songs keeps a great number of them stunning, like indie-friendly versions of scores from period epics or superhero movies.
Read Full Review >Spin
Rougher than Belle and Sebastian and lovelier than Mogwai, the Delgados craft orchestral maneuvers in the dark that leave bruises. [Feb 2003, p.98]
Mojo
Hate is a record of immense ambition and sophistication, a bold vision, a beautifully calibrated meditation on the messy business of life. [Nov 2002, p.98]
The Onion (A.V. Club)
It hearkens back to the glory days of rock as theater, when bands weren't afraid to reach, or squeeze.
Read Full Review >PopMatters
The Great Eastern was successful because at its core, it never forgot to rock. On Hate, the Delgados seem to have forgotten that. At the same time, they've grown as songwriters and at times Hate is worthy of comparisons to the Beatles.
Read Full Review >Neumu.net
Hate is a beautifully gilded record, thoroughly nice and thoroughly listenable, and a mark higher than a lot of pop music with lofty intentions, but it doesn't move you to extremes.
Read Full Review >Q Magazine
Though the pace is a little too consciously measured at times, and there is a certain sameyness about the arrangements, it's a record that, given time, yields up great rewards. [Nov 2002, p.100]
Delusions of Adequacy
In effect, the group have carbon-copied the sound of The Great Eastern but neglected to paste-in an equal number of tunes.
Read Full Review >Rolling Stone
These four Scots sound like the depressed cousins of the Flaming Lips. [6 Feb 2003, p.62]
Alternative Press
Unrewardingly dark. [March 2003, p.90]
Uncut
The Delgados have made a fine follow-up to 2000's The Great Eastern. Problem is, it's the same album, more or less. [Nov 2002, p.115]
What Our Users Said
The average user rating for this album is 8.5 (out of 10) based on 9 User Votes
Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.
emilio v gave it a 10:
uncut obviously couldn't be bothered to listen to this and Q are just idiots anyway...
John B gave it a 10:
The delgados combine the most beautiful and sublime music with the darkest and most pessimistic lyrics to make an album full of great songs that will give you a hell of an emotional ride.
moleculo the spidahpoet gave it a 10:
Beautiful
Erm, Gilbert Mulroneycakes gave it a 9:
A little overwhelming for some, possibly. Possibly? It'll kill you if you're not careful. But if the orchestra's working time-and-a-half, it's usually well judged - on "All Rise", for example, it comes out of nowhere and slaps you in the face, rather than being there the whole bloody time. Oh, and for God's sake (adressing Delusions Of Adequacy especially) don't treat "All You Need Is Hate" like it's supposed to be hillarious. It's a joke song, but the joke is a bitter one, a clever-smile one, rather than an uproarius one. Oh, and "American Trilogy" is close to an MTV slushy hit? For a start, what's wrong with that, if they do it well? For a second, what business is it of yours anyway? For a third, have you, perchance, heard the lyrics? "Lately I've been feeling that I'm gonna give up breathing" is not the stuff of bubblegum pop. And nor is No Danger. Anyway, sorry. Got sidetracked. The bottom line is: Hate is over-ambitious, but it manages to work anyway. In fact, it's as sharp an elucidation of despair as I've heard.
peter gave it a 9:
Ambitious, beautifully orchestrated and painfully dark indiepop. Almost as good as The Great Eastern - but just almost. Recommended.
