Hate (The Delgados album)

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Hate is the fourth studio album by the Scottish rock band The Delgados. It was released on 14 October 2002 by Mantra Records and continues the orchestral-pop sound the band developed on The Great Eastern.

Background and recording
After finishing The Great Eastern, The Delgados created new material inspired by an art show by Joe Coleman, which pushed vocalist Emma Pollock and the band to be more honest in their writing. They again worked with producer Dave Fridmann, this time with Tony Doogan, recording mainly at CaVa Sound Studios in Glasgow and Chem19 in Glasgow, with additional work at Tarbox Road Studio in Cassadaga, New York. The sessions were extended because Pollock was pregnant, delaying some vocal parts. Fridmann, Doogan, and the band mixed and later mastered the recordings at Abbey Road Studios.

Music and themes
Hate is described as orchestral pop, building on the lush, string-driven style of The Great Eastern. It blends widescreen arrangements with rock songs, drawing comparisons to Throwing Muses, the Wedding Present, and Godspeed You! Black Emperor. Lyrically, it tackles negativity and personal honesty. The opening track, The Light Before We Land, features lavish strings and soaring vocals. All You Need Is Hate parodies All You Need Is Love, leaning into R&B influences. The Drowning Years deals with schizophrenia, while Coming in from the Cold has a more direct pop feel. Child Killers explores fears around parenting without love, and the closing tracks, All Rise and If This Is a Plan, nod to wider, sometimes experimental influences.

Release and promotion
Hate was announced on 2 September 2002, with the tracklist revealed that day. The lead single, Coming in from the Cold, came out on 14 October 2002, the same day Hate was released in the UK. The band chose to release the album on Mantra Records in the US in January 2003, with the US edition including two bonus tracks and a music video. A second single, All You Need Is Hate, followed in February 2003. The Delgados toured extensively to promote Hate, including UK tours with the Polyphonic Spree and later a US and European trek.

Reception and impact
Hate received generally favorable reviews. Metacritic gave it a score around 80/100 based on multiple critics. Reviewers praised its ambitious, cinematic sound and Fridmann’s production, while some noted the lyrics could be opaque at times. It appeared on several year-end lists and was praised for advancing The Delgados’ orchestral-pop approach. In charts, Hate reached number 27 in Scotland and 57 in the UK.

Track listing
All songs were written by The Delgados. The album runs 47:31 and includes tracks such as:
1. The Light Before We Land
2. All You Need Is Hate
3. Woke from Dreaming
4. The Drowning Years
5. Coming in from the Cold
6. Child Killers
7. Favours
8. All Rise
9. Never Look at the Sun
10. If This Is a Plan

Personnel
The Delgados members:
- Stewart Henderson – bass
- Emma Pollock – guitar, vocals
- Paul Savage – drums, percussion
- Alun Woodward – guitar, vocals

Additional musicians contributed brass, strings, choir, and arrangements, including Capella Nova and Malcolm Lindsay. Production and design involved Joe Coleman, Dave Fridmann, Tony Doogan, and the band itself, with mastering by Chris Blair.