This follow-up to the critically adored, Mercury Prize-nominated album, The Great Eastern, drips with a mournful beauty of strummed guitar, lone piano, strings, and cinematic drift. Emma Pollock and Alun Woodward write ... more » songs of wonder - adult fairy tales that view the damaged and troubled everyday world with a bold clarity, black humor, and sweet sadness. This US version includes two bonus tracks, 'Coalman' & 'Mad Drums', and an enhanced video for 'Coming In From The Cold'. Beggars Banquet. 2003.« less
This follow-up to the critically adored, Mercury Prize-nominated album, The Great Eastern, drips with a mournful beauty of strummed guitar, lone piano, strings, and cinematic drift. Emma Pollock and Alun Woodward write songs of wonder - adult fairy tales that view the damaged and troubled everyday world with a bold clarity, black humor, and sweet sadness. This US version includes two bonus tracks, 'Coalman' & 'Mad Drums', and an enhanced video for 'Coming In From The Cold'. Beggars Banquet. 2003.
The Delgados brilliant fourth album! One for the ages!!
Aaron | Chicago, Illinois USA | 04/09/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"If you have never heard of the Scottish rock group The Delgados and are reading this, please STOP right now and just go and pick this up. A brilliant album, 'Hate' contains some of the groups most indelible melodies and hooks, and has a majestic sweep that is almost euphoric despite the fact that the album contains some truly dark lyrics. In fact, this contrast is what makes this such a great album. With each work, The Delgados have quickly burned themselves into my mind as my favorite group. They are definitely a band to watch in the future. Exciting stuff."
One of the best albums of 2003
alexander laurence | Los Angeles, CA | 04/23/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"In Scotland, The Delgados are known by their record label, Chemikal Underground, that has brought Arab Strap and Mogwai to the people. In the USA, they are known to have worked with Dave Fridmann and they have more in common musically with Mercury Rev and Flaming Lips. So what is the true story. The Delgados seem to have taken up orchestral music where Teenage Fanclub and My Bloody Valentine have left off. They had a minor success with their last album, The Great Eastern. Creating a soundtrack for a Joe Coleman film seems to have haunted them in the past two years. This time they worked more closely with Fridmann. Delgados have dual boy/girl vocals and a number of songwriters in the band. Songs like "Never Look At The Sun" and "All You Need Is Hate" are walls of sound that are strange worlds meant to be discovered. Live, they often perform with ten people in the band. They use choirs and strings often. Art is often about dark things. Music is often a promise that there is something more to life than just hate."
Sublime
mrmer | Los Angeles, CA USA | 01/03/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"It's some twisted stuff, to be sure. But emminently listenable and just bloody good. Unfortunately I haven't heard much of The Delgados' earlier work, but this is really epic music. It melds extremely intimate songs with grandiose production values and the end result is a disc that I just can't stop listening to. The music just rolls off the mind, repeats over and over - it's that good. Everyone'll make the Beatles comparisons because the fab four influence just about all rock in some form, but from the songwriting to the layers to the themes, The Delgados do Manchester proud, even if they are from Scotland. If you're still thinking about it, buy this CD. It's fantastic."
POWERFUL STUFF
Kevin | Glen Ellyn, IL United States | 02/27/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"The Great Eastern was a tough act to follow, and the Delgados quickly became one of my favorite bands after that album.My first reaction to "Hate" was that is had great songs, but lacked "punch." Soon however, the album starts getting into your very soul, with the emotional power of the music (I've always been someone who listens to the music more than the lyrics) more than making up for any loud guitars. Note: the distortion in track 1 is intentional, to add contrast to Emma's buitiful vocals. Listen to tracks 1,3, and 5. Heck, just BUY the album, and if you don't have The Great Eastern, buy that too. The Delgados play the kind of wonderful, creative stuff that represents Indie Rock at its best."