Reviews (page 2 of 8)
Viva Hate = what I think when I see I've got a Morrissey album. But I actually liked "Everyday is like Monday" and the guitar on "I Don't Mind if you Forget Me." Basically, this album succeeded in ratcheting down my hatred of Morrissey.
meh
Going into this, I was expecting to hate this so much more than I do. Morrissey in his modern era is a complete twat, and isn't afraid to express his twatness in his music. It's almost hard to believe that he was actually a pretty progressive guy in the 80s while still with The Smiths, given the right wing, Reform loving asshole he is now. I guess this being his first solo album after The Smiths' breakup makes this a lot more enjoyable, he hadn't yet become the person he is today, and the sound of the music itself is still very Smiths esque (to be clear, I LOVE The Smiths). I'm really not well versed in Morrissey's solo career at all, but all I know is that his output over the last 20ish years has been complete shit. But this has given me a new perspective, and I am now more enticed by checking out his older solo stuff.
It was not what I was expecting and not in a good way. Some of the sounds felt very dated and it lacked the oomph of The Smiths. Disappointed.
He may be a miserable bastard but the bastard can make a good song. Dammit.
The difference between the two hits and the rest of the album is surprisingly huge. It’s a jawn with a couple of breaths of fresh air. Favourites: Everyday Is Like Sunday and Suedehead
I can tolerate the Smiths; Morrissey's solo stuff less so. His douche-baggery really shows through on his solo debut, and only gets worse from here. Also, not into his whinging style. 1⭐️
I am going to do a very controversial thing and separate the art from the artist here. This was a pretty mid album. BUT, I don't think it's nearly as bad as so many people make it out to be, and I think that is due to their bias against Morrissey (rightly so, but their first mistake was believing that any of these rich, famous, successful singers actually gaf about being a good person). All in all though, it wasn't a bad listen for me per se. I've certainly enjoyed it more than the other albums I've heard on this list, and don't hate the whiny "Morrissey" voice as much as others do.
Meh
I do not really like solo morrissey
Es lindo, Alsatian Cousin siempre fue mi canción favorita de él.
Viva Hate indeed. "brown people, in the nicest way, fuck off. it's hard enough for us white people who belong here"
I usually like 80s music, this album was not it. He should have stuck with The Smiths
It was mostly not bad, but I really do not like Morrissey and his narcissistic tendencies really shines through here...
No me gustó mucho
Hate is a strong word. Viva dislike, sure. Viva how many Morrissey albums are on this list, definitely.
THE LEAD SINGER OF THE SMITHS?! Now bro got a solo career and I do really like how he sings. Little man what now has that one instrument in the back that just sounds like metal being smacked repeatly and I find that kinda funny.
bicho chato
Not my favorite Moz album but an essential one. Never really realized how somber this album was compared to other solo releases. The arrangements are beautiful though and his voice is sublime. I know he'll get hate in other reviews but frankly this man is a legend among us; even if he is kinda an asshole.
08/15 Meh
Morrissey has a wonderful voice but his so dour and angry that his greatness never really shines through.
1.67
3.3 2x
Not my favourite Morrissey album by a long stretch, but does contain a few great songs. Suedehead and Everyday is Like Sunday are superb.
Very average.
Meh, Morrissey. Not as bad as that other whiny album but still could take or leave
Fuck this guy and his weird, beautiful music
nah
**sad, depressing album
For some reason when he was with the Smiths, it didn't really hit me. But I like this album. The songs are more accessible with more hooks. Without that it would have just been another depressing English shoegazing album.
Hate? Morrissey? Can do.
First song a huge stumble in my opinion. Rest of album came together.
More Morrissey. More of the same. Bengali!
Just no.
16 year old me woulda gave this 5 stars
3 keepers in 12 (25%). 1 klunker (8%). A shame the title track isn't "Dial a Cliche" because, man, that would be spot on for this carousel of whiny Morrissey. My feelings on this album can be summed up by quoting "I Don't Mind if You Forget Me": "I don't mind if you forget me Having learned my lesson I never left an impression on anyone". Bland, bland bland. I'm glad it ended with a guillotine dropping letting me know my completely forgettable experience was over. Math prevents me from giving it 1 star. Heart prevents giving it 1 star because it's not in the same league as Cupid & Psyche 85. I don't know. A normal distribution implies 73 of these should be 1 star. Leroy Jenkins. 1 star.
Fuck Morrissey
Is Morrissey's solo work really essential listening at all? Does he deserve even one solo album on the list(he definitely doesn't need four)? I guess we'll find out here. This album is okay. It's okay, not great, and certainly not better than the Smiths. The lyrics range from mediocre to shit("Bengali in Platforms" is incredibly xenophobic, and most other lyrics are mediocre). The songs themselves are not very good or interesting, they're all just kind of there. This album is literally the definition of mediocre and doesn't belong on this list even before you take Morrissey's political beliefs into account. This album is ranked #15 of 26 albums for 1988. Other 1988 albums rated by me: Straight Outta Compton(2/26)-3 Vivid(10/26)-4 Truth and Soul(16/26)-4
The music is fine, but Morrissey's delivery is so one-note and constant that it's just grating after awhile. 2/5
Il n'y a eu aucun plaisir
2 in a week. You should be reported to the authorities
Morrissey is insufferable but I can’t deny the voice is great and there are a couple nice songs here.
It's my third Moz album and I'll say what i said about his other solo records: It's good but it ain't The Smiths.
He’s a bit of a prick isn’t he. Alsatian Cousin is a decent song and he does have his redeeming unique voice but it’s a pretty underwhelming album overall. I don’t feel like I’m listening to anything particularly special. A few decent tracks that redeems it though.
I get morrissey. I'm late to the game but I started listening to him more last year but still this album was mostly new to me. I hear he's a dick tho lol
6.5/10 - Fell flat at some points but a strong album
I have yet to develop much of a tolerance for Morrissey's voice. I liked 1 of the 12 songs on this album... amusingly enough, it's the one called "I Don't Mind If You Forget Me" because I'd really like to be able to forget him.
Got annoying halfway thru
Ugh kinda liked it unfortunately
Sick of this turd and his melodramatic mediocre music on this list.
Morrissey is not to my liking and there's not enough here that doesn't sound like exactly the same song repeated 12 times over.
It's Morrissey's first solo album, and it's just as pretentious, self-important, and self-indulgent as the rest of his work. It's nicely produced, but the music is mopey and repetitive where it's not dissonant and annoying, and Morrissey's voice is still just deathly dull to listen to. I'm here for the Margaret Thatcher hate, though.
I am aware of the existence of Morrissey but I never listened to any of his stuff and don't remember even hearing it on the radio. I wonder if I'd recognize anything on here. I do know that he came from The Smiths - but I am only familiar with 1 song of theirs - the song called "How Soon Is Now?". But even on that song I've always thought the music was the best part (in particular the atmospheric guitar, by Johnny Marr) and the vocals and lyrics (by Morrissey) were less interesting to me on that song. After listening to this a couple times I came to conclusion that this is basically just really boring and not memorable at all. Not one song grabbed me on this. And that song "Bengali in Platforms" seems pretty racist. The whiny voice and lyrics on most of this is just so off putting. Also, I didn't recognize any of this. He sings "I Don't Mind If You Forget Me" - that's good because that's exactly what I will do. I then read some of the reviews and apparently this guy gets a lot of hate for being a racist prick. I guess that one song was just scratching the surface. This is not for me. Liked songs on Spotify: 0/12 Rating: 1/5 (should be zero)
Good
The first solo record after the Smiths dissolved answers the obvious question — what does Morrissey sound like without Johnny Marr — with a lush, orchestral sound courtesy of producer Stephen Street and guitarist Vini Reilly that suits the voice without quite replacing what the partnership provided. "Everyday Is Like Sunday" and "Suedehead" are genuinely good songs, the kind of melancholic melodrama that Morrissey does better than anyone and that makes the case for his solo career in the first two tracks. Everything after is totally fine and entirely not the point. The persona is intact — the wit, the self-pity, the literary references, the camp melodrama — and if that persona is your thing this record delivers it consistently. If it isn't, no amount of orchestral arrangement changes the fundamental equation. A respectful three, honestly and without apology. The Smiths got the same verdict for similar reasons, which suggests the ceiling was always the ceiling regardless of the collaborators around him.
Viva hate!
Kind of racist
663/1001 2026.07.22 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
This guy sucks.
An extraordinary record from a generational talent. His first post-Smiths solo record is a genuine classic, with strong songs all the way through. Arguably his best solo record, definitely in the top three. Sublimely poetic English pop music from the greatest lyricist of the past 50 years.
I used to love The Smiths and Morrissey but lately he has become a bit of an idiot and that reflects on how I hear his music nowadays. That's unfair for this exercise, though because we are here talking about the music on specific albums. But on an effort to separate my personal thoughts about the artist from the music, I'd say this is an attempt to continue the music from The Smiths but without Johnny Marr's songwriting to beef it up. It is a valid effort, some great songs on it but some duds as well. Meh.
* 48 Jeg er meget uforstående for inkluderingen af Morrisseys soloprojekter, og især at der umiddelbart er 4 af dem. Der er enkelte lyspunkter på pladen, men det er slet ikke på niveau med Smiths.
Jeg kan ikke understrege det nok: I hate that i love him :') Er han en spade? Ja. Har han lavet noget fuldstændig vanvittigt godt musik? Det synes jeg godt nok at man må sige. Der er 10/10 numre på det her album, men som helhed er vi på en 4'er
Han er en klaphat. Det blev ligesom udjævnet en smule, da han kunne finde ud af at indgå i et band. Super dårlige vibes på "Bengali in Platforms" Han fortjener ikke mere end en 2'er. Big, whiny, racist baby 2.1
vælger at ignorere Morrisey som person. Albummet er i sig selv et ret fedt 80'er album og elsker Everyday Is Like Sunday, men der er ikke nok andre numre, der gør det samme for mig til at jeg kan svinge mig op på topkaraktererne.
An okay, forgettable album, therefore a middle of the road rating 3/5
Love/Hate relationship with his voice. No obvious weakness, clearly beautiful, massive range. But it just sounds so gay! The lyrics remind me of someone singing the words of a cheap romance novel or script to a soap opera. Not traditional, and annoying. Pass.
🤮🤮🤮 morrissey
Not great. Below average. Bona Drag was better.
Angsty. Makes me feel like a late 80’s teen again.
Morrissey is a very problematic figure - worst of all his disrespect for the album as a medium. I didn't know until today that Bona Drag is a compilation not a real album - but it has the 2 best songs from Viva Hate and then way more fun songs which are better than most of the songs on this (technically real) album. But this one is still good I suppose. I am on record saying that Suedehead is one of the best songs of all time. Everyday is Like Sunday is not too far behind - "In the seaside town/That they forgot to bomb/Come, come, come, nuclear bomb" is so good and so Morrissey. I Don't Mind If You Forget Me also really fun. I think the poppy backing works better for him than the smiths - makes his depressing outlook feel cheeky and clever rather than the Smiths which force you to take his annoying feelings too seriously. Bengali in Platforms - if it were any other artist "life is hard enough when you belong here" would feel very backhanded and hateful, but given what we know about Morrissey it's touching that he's not technically saying anything directly hurtful about a Bengali man.
Super boring I don’t remember a single song from this album already
Shame he's such a knob
An extra point for Every Day Is Like Sunday. Suedehead turned out to be a disappointment.
This is the first of his solo albums that I really think was pretty good. It's not quite the Smiths, but nobody could really replace Johnny Marr and it didn't feel like he was trying to.
Back to back Morrissey days is a real test of one’s patience
How I dearly wish I was not here
5/10 Best songs: Alsatian Cousins, Angel Angel Down We Go In theory this is the exact kind of 80s music I enjoy: synthy gothy new wave. In practice the album is pretty dull (and even problematic in Bengali in Platforms) with few songs I'd deem outstanding or even entertaining. The album is somewhere in the 2-3 star range, but I'm not sure where it'll land when I post my review.
I don't care what people say about Morrissey, he makes excellent music. It's a great album a really continues his work with The Smiths but in his solo journey. It doesn't quite have the same catchy riffs a Smiths record, but vocals and songwriting are still excellent. Suedehead is certainly one of his best songs ever and I don't think there are any bad ones on here. It's not perfect but really great. Top Songs: Everyday Is Like Sunday, Bengali in Platforms, Late Night Maudlin Street, Suedehead, Treat Me Like a Human Being
second half of this album was just sad. I don’t know how to feel about morrissey
I'm not a fan of Morrissey.
2.0 - Weak
Ok, this is my 4th album out of 180 or so total with Morrissey or the Smiths, which is just way too damn many. Plus this one has that awful late 80's drum (once you recognize it, you can't stop hearing it).
I just hate this cunt dk why
Great music from a bigot.
Despite all the reservations about his performances and behavior, Morrissey simply makes good music and has a great, extraordinary voice. I'll happily listen to the album again. 4/5
The process has taught me I don’t really enjoy Morrissey.
Überraschung... Hatte mich bisher nicht mit Morrissey beschäftigt.
Eig ganz cool aber nach ner Weile hat mich sein Gesang irgendwie genervt
Ahem, fuck Morrissey, etc
Probably the second or third best solo Morrissey album I've listened to? With Stephen Street still involved, it has that classic Smiths feel while doubling down on the Morrissey of it all, for better and worse. Everyday is Like Sunday and Suedehead are up there with his work with The Smiths.
Por mas que me empezó encantando este album, tengo unos minutos determinados para escuchar a Morrissey y este album los excedió asi que ya para el final me sature 8/10
It is textbook Morrissey. To die by your side is such a heavenly way to die. God I love 500 days of summer
Too much Morrissey on the list :(
Familiar Morrissey, didn't love or hate it
meh, maybe if he wasn't such a cunt. I forgive it when listening to the smiths, but it is amplified here because the album is not spectacular.
I'm just going to say it: Morrissey without Johnny Marr is just whiney. I'm a big fan of The Smiths, but Morrissey's solo work is cringe.
I'm waiting for you to be great
loved the sound! great album :)
Got to love Moz
franchement pas mal. need to listen again
Fine
Yeesh. What an awful album.
I don’t hate this but it is so pretentious sometimes that I must roll my eyes
Morrissey is an ass but this was alright.
I wanted to dislike this album because Morrissey is a piece of shit, but I couldn’t. The songwriting and instrumentation is top notch and can definitely see what would consolidate into indie pop
Musically a good album...if you take away Morrissey himself. Still ruthless..."Morrissey is selling redesigned merchandise on his official UK online store that replaces "The Smiths" with his own name on classic album artwork." (Taken from today's headline 6/30/26)
Meh
I would be curious to hear from fans of this music in the 80s what they thought Bengali in Platforms was about, because it did not age well. I'd be lying if I said I didn't get the appeal if this album, though. The music is pretty fun, the guitar work in particular. Pop-ish songs with twinkly tones and a thick driving bass line is usually a recipe for success, and I don't even mind the vocals. That all said, the conversation has moved on. Morrisey shat on his own legacy by being a twat. I tried to judge this music on its merit and not by who created it. I think 3/5 is a more than fair score for this album of contradictions.
But only the original but the reissue that changed the tracklisting
Meh.
ist Morrissey in Reinform: bitter, schön, melodisch – ein Album, das seine eigene kleine Welt baut und dich sofort hineinzieht. „Everyday Is Like Sunday“ steht dabei wie ein Denkmal: diese weite, salzige Melancholie, der langsame Wellengang der Streicher, Morrisseys Stimme zwischen Resignation und Größe. Ein Song, der alles einfängt, was ihn einzigartig macht. Ein Debüt, das nicht nur überzeugt, sondern glänzt – zeitlos, scharf, wunderbar eigensinnig. 😊👍 „Bengali in Platforms“ ist einer der Songs, an denen sich Morrisseys Werk exemplarisch entzündet: provokant, ambivalent, bewusst unbequem. Der Track aus Viva Hate (1988) ist kein Hasslied, sondern ein Stück, das die Spannung zwischen kultureller Identität, Integration und Selbstinszenierung im England der späten Achtziger sichtbar macht. Morrissey beschreibt eine Figur – einen jungen Mann bengalischer Herkunft –, der versucht, in einer britischen Subkultur Fuß zu fassen, aber dabei in eine Art tragikomische Außenseiterrolle rutscht. Die berühmte Zeile “He only wants to impress you” zeigt bereits, dass es Morrissey nicht um Abwertung geht, sondern um Verlorenheit: ein Mensch, der dazugehören will, aber die Codes der Umgebung nicht beherrscht. Der oft zitierte Vorwurf des Rassismus greift hier zu kurz. Morrissey attackiert nicht die Herkunft des Mannes, sondern die Oberflächlichkeit einer Gesellschaft, die Integration fordert, aber gleichzeitig kaum Orientierung bietet. Die „albernen Schuhe“ sind kein ethnisches Urteil, sondern ein Symbol für fehlgeleitete Anpassung – ein Versuch, britische Coolness zu imitieren, der am Ende niemandem hilft: nicht dem Einzelnen, nicht seiner Herkunftskultur, und auch nicht der Mehrheitsgesellschaft. Der Song ist damit weniger Anklage als Beobachtung. Morrissey zeigt ein Problem, ohne eine Lösung zu liefern – und genau das macht das Stück so typisch für ihn. Er ist kein Sozialarbeiter, kein Politiker, sondern ein Künstler, der Widersprüche offenlegt. Seine Stärke liegt darin, Unbehagen auszudrücken, nicht darin, Antworten zu geben. Musikalisch bleibt „Bengali in Platforms“ ein melancholisches, leicht schwebendes Stück, das die Einsamkeit der Figur unterstreicht. Die Melodie wirkt fast freundlich, während der Text die Härte der Realität freilegt. Diese Spannung macht den Song bis heute interessant: Er zwingt dazu, über Integration, Zugehörigkeit und kulturelle Selbstbehauptung nachzudenken – Themen, die 1988 wie 2026 gleichermaßen relevant sind. Fazit: „Bengali in Platforms“ ist kein rassistisches Statement, sondern ein Porträt eines Menschen zwischen zwei Welten. Morrissey zeigt die Bruchstellen einer Gesellschaft, die Integration fordert, aber Orientierung verweigert. Der Song bleibt provokant, weil er keine einfachen Antworten liefert – und gerade deshalb ist er ein starkes Stück Kunst.
Loved this album even though morrissey is a bit of a twat sometimes. Liked the instrumentals and the pop infused rhetoric within, Brazilian cousin said it sounded like British music you could listen to on a rainy day on a red bus in London by the Big Ben, I think she was right. Only downfall is some of the songs tried too hard to be sad
Ouff det var känslor som fan. Melankoli? Depp? Bra är det i alla fall.
The whole early 2000-2010’s indie rock boom is basically this album. I liked it surprisingly much, had a different impression of Morrissey, this sound isn’t as dark as some of his other stuff.
Somehow for the 6th time, FFUUUUCK MORRISSEY
I've never really listened to him and I've listened to very little of The Smiths. I can definitely see the through lines between this solo work of his and the band.
(Strong 6/10) Sounding like Smith's songs that never grew to fruition, this thing is a hella mixed bag. "Everyday Is Like Sunday" is a great bop, "Suedehead" was pretty good and "I don't care if you forget about me" had a really disorienting guitar part that I absolutely loved. "Margaret On The Guillotine" was also a hilariously dark way to end the record. Sadly, there was just a lot of other songs that I straight up don't care for. Mainly cause I find Morissey himself to be outright irritating. So when he has a good hook or clever song idea, I'm right there. When it's stuff like "Bengali" and "Angel Angel" I really am just waiting for it to be over.
Awful in my opinion. Did not enjoy
rather than a break with the smiths sound, the album feels like an expansion of morrisseys creative concerns with a greater emphasis on his personality the lyrics are capable of alternating between brilliant poetic images and the most disconcerting eccentricity these songs rely more on instrumental arrangements, vocal melodies, and atmospheric sounds, in contrast to the interwoven melodies and sense of constant movement that marr brought; surely the formula that this work misses
Classic singles and some strong songs that mainly carry this album.
This racist man. 0/5
I’m not saying all the super talented people are moody pricks… but this guy certainly is.
Morrissey SHITEEEEEEEE
It was pretty good. It’s Morrissey.
creo que me esta empezando a gustar este estilo de musica...
Morrissey's pen game is as sharp and witty as ever, but this really accentuates just how important the other Smiths were in creating songs that were not only lyrically, but also musically engaging.
You can tell that he's Growing And Maturing as an artist because it sounds just like a listless version of his older work
Gentle dark early indie rock that is reminiscent of Beck in many ways.
His seminal solo masterpiece.
will listen but i despise Morrisey
Washed over me. Underwhelmed.
It has moments to be sure. Not sure it's my thing, but I got this more than other albums of his
Fart
album #77 morrissey proving that there is actually no limit to how far up your own arse you can be. i viva hate you. p.s. this is, from a purely musical perspective, a load of steaming shite. ꩜ average track rating: 1/5 ꩜ album rating: ⯪☆☆☆☆ ꩜ number of albums left to review: 1,012 ꩜ number of albums from the list that i agree with being on the list: 36 ꩜ albums from the list that I would consider on my list: 15 ꩜ albums from the list I won't include on my list: 62
It's 2026, I'm no longer separating the art from the artist.
Morrissey is horrible.
Really wasn't expecting much going into this album as I generally find Morrissey to be kind of whiny, but I was pleasantly surprised that I actually really liked this. Several great songs on this album - Alsatian Cousin, Suedehead (which I knew), I Don't Mind If You Forget Me... but there were a few songs that were whiny that I had to skip. (4)
i hate you
Good album! Morrissey was such a good artist before he went nuts! Lol but still good music!
1. couzin - 2 2. man - 1 3. zunday - 2 4. bengali - 2 5. angel - 1 6. night - 2 7. head - 3 8. break - 1 9. human - 3 10. forget - 2 11. cliche - 1 12. guillotine - 2
I really don’t want to like it, but the first half has a lot of quality songs and good performances. I actually like his vocal phrasings better as a solo artist than in the Smiths. Alsatian Cousin, Everyday is Like Sunday and Late Night, Maudlin Street are all excellent tracks. The second half lacks the same quality, but is still decent. 6/10
Enjoyed a few tracks and may be more into it on a different day.
Hate is a strong word but I really really really Viva Disliked it.
Fuck you Morrissey, I’m not listening to this.
Morrissey is good evidence for the argument that the book is too UK-heavy; no reason he should have 7 albums included, between the Smiths and his solo stuff. 2.5/5 not awful but the mediocrity was evident
fav songs: treat me like a human being melodramatic, irritating 10/100
Now maybe I just been worn down with the smiths and Morrissey, but this was the best album that I have heard by him. Still not astounding but pretty decent
Number: Date: 06/10/2026 Artist: Morrissey Album: Viva Hate Year: 1988 Style: Indie Pop Familiarity: Moderate (3) Rating: 2 Before: ======= This is going to be a problem. There are 4 Morrissey and 3 The Smiths albums on The List, and my policy is no more the 3 per artist and only if they are significantly different from each other. I have not really considered branch cases such as this but I'm thinking maybe allow whichever came second, i.e., the band or the solo artist, 1 album if it's truly different and I guess up to 3 if they meet the other criteria of being very good overall, musically or culturally significant, and all being very different from each other. I wonder what's going to happen when I get to Elvis Costello & The Attractions. For sure, I'd allow at least 3 from the group as a whole but so far I have not had anything at all from Elvis or The Attractions as part of this challenge. Anyways, I can't imagine Morrissey is much different than The Smith's but let's find out. During: ======= So the first song is a little more rockin' than I remember The Smith's being. But, tbh, I'm not all that familiar with the entire Smiths catalogue and Morrissey at all. I have skimmed though some of his albums before but did not find anything that grabbed my attention. About half-way in now and I have to say, to my uneducated ears, that a lot of this is indistinguishable from The Smiths. And the pieces that are different, are not very notable. I find myself thinking of Jessica Lea Mayfield's new album that just came out and wondering what that is like. Getting near the end and now at Dial-a-Cliche'. Do you think it's a tongue in cheek reference to this album? 3 Alsatian Cousin 3 Little Man, What Now? 3 Everyday Is Like Sunday 2 Bengali In Platforms 2 Angel, Angel, Down We Go Together 2 Late Night, Maudlin Street 2 Suedehead 2 Break Up The Family 1 Treat Me Like a Human Being 2 I Don't Mind If You Forget Me 2 Dial-A-Cliché 3 Margaret On The Guillotine ----------------------------------------------------- 2.24 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song lengths) After : ======= 2 my personal rating 1 suitability for this list 2 impact ----------------------------------------------- 1.7 composite rating
Morrissey is a divisive figure, and some of the things he's said are terrible, but I very much agree with Margaret on the Guillotine. The music is also pretty good on this. 3.0/5.0: Good
this man really said "shelve your western plan cause life is hard enough when you belong here" and "leave all your hate behind you...treat me like a human being" on the same album.
I liked that the music on here was actually pretty good, and Morrissey didn't seem overly Morrissey, and it kind of ran together and was over before I expected it to be.
This is the best morrissey solo album because he still had unrequited love for johnny marr
Goddam this is so boring.
Do not care about this dude at all. Everyday is Like Sunday is pretty cool though. And the concept of Margaret on the Guillotine of course.
Solid album. Enjoy it as much today as when it came out. Morrissey haters can suck it.
Racist scum
ugh
I gave one track a go. Nah.
Fun
Morrissey has at least 4 albums on this list 🤯
Another Morrisey that I wont listen to. Fuck this guy.
I know this isn't a Smiths album, but I really wanted it to be. Loved half the album, the other half kinda meandered for me. Not bad, not great.
Morrisseyn soolodebyytti on varsin hyvä levy, vaikka Johnny Marrin helisevää kitarointia tuleekin ikävä. Singleinäkin julkaistut Everyday is Like Sunday ja Suedehead ovat selkeästi Viva Haten parhaat palat, mutta myös levyn päättävä ilkikurinen Margaret on the Guillotine jää mieleen.
So I listened to this album on a train in winter during heavy rain storm. So the vibes were immaculate for this album. I don't know if that added to my like of this, I never thought I'd like Morrissey but I might even return to this
Sounds very similar to The Smiths but a little more experimental for the time. I enjoy some of the songs, like 'Suedehead' and 'Late Night, Maudlin Street', for example. Tho others were not my favorites. I did kinda like the highly instrumental 'Margaret on the Guillotine' too for some reason. 3-4/5
good and horrible songs in perfect balance, just like in the smiths records
Morrissey, the solo act and attending band, didn't gel until the ironclad Your Arsenal four years later. "Everyday is Like Sunday" is a great lyric, especially "Come Armageddon, come." "Suedehead" has that brilliant guitar riff that is the limit as x approaches Johnny Marr without reaching it and has all the trappings of the Smiths without coalescing. It's not terrible, It was just not quite there yet. This album sounds to me more like he's doing guest vocals like Chemical Brothers had people do. Did he ever do a Chemical Brothers song? I'd rather hear that.
Outside of the addition of some synths, bongos and drum machines, I can hear many of these songs as Smiths tracks — and that’s the problem. Whoever’s playing bass brings a similar bouncy, funk-forward style to Andy Rourke, but while Vini Reilly is competent on guitar, he’s no Johnny Marr. Only on a track like “Suedehead” do I hear traces of the irresistible rhythmic and melodic chemistry that distinguished Morrissey’s former band and made them sound so complete and essential. That’s where to focus if you want Morrissey at his best.
Another case of grudgingly admiring the result even if the artist is a complete arse.
always gonna love morrissey
Everyday is Like Sunday is my favorite Morrissey song, but he definitely has better solo albums. Wish half stars were an option
bem ok.
Uitgesproken begin, klinkt wel hard en rauw. Hopelijk is het hele album zo. Het is wel een enorme 80ies sound. Ik vond het album steeds minder goed worden, echt jammer… 2.5 sterren
Viva Hate indeed....
Ah, yes. Whiny, bitchy, judgy Morrissey. Takes me back to my college days.
Barf
fine, but it became a bit boring towards the end
I am so depressed. I am so inspired.
I don’t have very strong feelings about this one. I mean it’s just bland pop, I wasn’t moved or pulled in by any of it tbh.
Fin indgangsvinkel til Morrissey og The Smiths, som jeg har fået anbefalet mange gange. Jeg er stadig ikke helt inde i det, men har nogle sange jeg godt kan lide, men jeg skal lige have levet mig helt ind i deres univers Jeg er ret vild med Morrissey's stemme og måde at skrive tekster på. Han er ikke bange for at gå over stregen, og virkelig skabe tydelige billeder. Jeg synes dog det her album blev lidt langt og kedeligt til sidst. Det startede meget godt ud men jeg kørte ret træt i det... 3.5/5
Shite as usual
Ah, the lord of doom and gloom is at it again. I think I liked the last Morrissey album I got on here a little better than this one. It was ok, would hit the spot if you were in the mood for some brooding and seething. Had some good rock tracks, and didn't overstay its welcome, but its a 3/5 for me.
This album is a great example of the whole being greater than the sum of its parts. "Suedehead" is the only interesting song on this album. The rest is just forgettable. Some people are hating on this just because they don't like Morissey himself. I just didn't care for this album. Two stars because one-star is reserved for the real crap on this list.
Some very good songs on here but way too inconsistent for me to call this great. Also doesn't hold a candle to any of the best Smiths albums. Favs: Every Day Is Like Sunday, Suedehead, Bengali In Platforms Least Fav: Dial-a-Cliché 6.8/10
Oh boy, is it time for the weekly Morissey again? *sigh* How many of this douchebag's albums are on this curséd list?
Another entry from the maudlin git. He might be an annoying little twat at times but I can’t deny he has talent.
I feel the same about this as the other Smith’s album I listened to: It’s fine, nothing that special. Likes: Everyday Is Like Sunday; Suedehead; I Don’t Mind If You Forget Me
Not as whiny as usual
I'm glad to be introduced to Morrissey, but I'm not sure what to do with it in my life. Maybe that's what "Alternative" music is? It's just that Other over there that's sort of someone else's life.
even whinier than expected.
Every day is like Sunday is one of the greatest songs ever, and Suedehead is one of Morrissey’s best songs. The rest isn’t really necessary.
No denying the two big tunes on this one, but aside from those Vini Reilly’s guitar offers up plenty to enjoy - if not consistently. Not that Morrissey relies on having a top guitarist alongside him or anything.
I was alright.
Whiny and depressing seems a fair summary. I would single out ‘Treat me like a human being’ as a specific low, but it’s probably unfair given the rest is similarly dire. I did however enjoy ‘Suedehead’, but one song does not an album make
I don’t like Morrissey, the person or artist, and am utterly incapable of separating the two. I didn’t realise I’d be familiar with some of the album already (“Everyday is Like Sunday” and “Suedehead”), but I’ve never liked either song that much. I didn’t mind “Alsatian Cousin”, but aside from that, this did nothing for me. While some lyrics are enjoyable and amusing, songs become long, drawn out, and ridiculous (see “Late Night, Maudlin Street”).
I did not enjoy this. I have an almost visceral reaction to his voice, the song which differentiated migrants from people who "belong" in the UK really annoyed me, and I think, particularly in current times, the guy's an absolute tosser. At least on The Smiths albums you get Johnny Marr. 1/5
overwhelmingly mediocre
👌👌👌
Listening to this makes me think of sophia which makes me happy, I'm enjoying listening but not quite my cup of tea
On a plane well outside of reality, in a place where nothing much matters because a magic circle has been so firmly drawn around you to protect you from evil, you can finally say what you want to say and be who you really are. When you're there who or what do you imagine yourself to be? When you envision your greatest expression of self, is it black and white? Are things cast in such stark contrast that you can only see in binaries? Now imagine your success and fame has drawn that circle for you but in this world, how does it play out now? It seems this record's cover and title says it all for you these days. Everything's just black and white, us versus them, in or out. The longer any of us live the more tragedy we see; so it's fair to say that it's only a minor disappointment in life for me to know that when you entered the magic circle you found only hate and ressentiment in your heart. Maybe you weren't surprised, and maybe we shouldn't have been either. It's the classic lesson to not idolize another that plays out again and again.
As with the last Morrissey album, fine but didn’t love.
a good album from the late 80s indie music scene.
Great album. The perfect lenght for a study session on a rainy sad day. I'm really happy that this album has found me today.
I am team Robert Smith. I don't like Morrissey's whiny singing
Liked some of this, thought it was good, and there's definitely some Morrissey I think is pretty great, but a lot of this also just sounded kind of whiney. 3
i just hate this guy man. extra point for the thatcher song.
Ныл в группе, ноет в одиночку - похвальное постоянство
Уау, это оказалось сильно выше моих ожиданий. Особенно первая половина альбома. Песни крутые одна за одной, классные гитары (без Джонни Марра, wtf?). Потом вмешивается suedehead, в этой песне как раз все, что мне не нравится в манере Морисси, выкручено на максимум. Не моя чашка чая. Потом дальше треки как будто под влиянием этой песни тоже не цепляют. Но финалочка зато сильная. Тем не менее, если смотреть на альбом в целом, это жирный лайк
I CAN FIX HIM!!! Великая музыка нытья. Ээээвридэээй из лааайк тьююююсдей. Какие классные лириксы в Late Night, Maudlin Street. Какая кассная песня Dial-a-Cliché. Как же разьебывает под I Don’t Mind If You Forget Me. А какие там следующие альбомы (ну кроме последнего конечно же).
Ожидал меньшего, но музыка достаточно бодрая, а к Моррисси у меня вопросов и не было
Слушал несколько дальнейших сольников мориссея, и там уже ну такое. А этот ещё в самом расцвете сил
не сильно нравится сольное творчество, но и плохим альбом назвать не могу, это 3.5
Another confirmation that Johnny Marr is a saint for putting up with the Moz. This album isn’t great, it’s basically all the whining and none of the great music from the Smiths. #TeamMarrforever
This wasn’t the worst thing I have heard but it definitely doesn’t have some of the things that made grow to like The Smiths….
There’s a few good songs here but man I can only take so much of Morrissey’s mewling and moaning. He’s the kind of artist that really needs other strong personalities to check him.
I've had enough of this guy. Just one more Morrissey record to go... Favourite Track(s): Bengali In Platforms, Margaret On The Guillotine Least Favourite Track(s): Angel Angel Down We Go Together
What a way to celebrate my 365th album; with this asshole.The paradox of Morrissey is that his personality and beliefs are so frustrating because he has some great art. If he didn't, then his whole deal wouldn't be frustrating, it would just be laughable. So Viva Hate, released mere months after The Smiths concluded, ends up prodding at an interesting question: when billed on his own, is Morrissey still talented enough to be frustrating. The Smiths were a truly great band insofar as a great band is capable of creating a unique whole by reconciling (or emohasizing) differences between the unique, distinct people going into it. Morrissey's presence and poetry was just as important as Johnny Marr's guitar (some of the best, ever, in indie), Andy Rourke's bass lines, and Mike Joyce holding it down on drums. But, as it turns out, even without The Smiths, Viva Hate is very enjoyable. Although, a lot of that is still admittedly the other players here.In particular, Vini Reilly's great guitar work, which easily navigates between melodic indie chords, post-punk strumming, and stealing solos. As well as Stephen Street's bass playing, and guitar work. Also, it has largely been confirmed that Street did a *lot* of the songwriting on Viva Hate, so make of that what you will. Although, Morrissey himself is in great form too. His presence is as powerful as it was on The Smiths' records. And he has some really striking, darkly beautiful lyrics speckled across here, most prominently on Angel Angel Down We Go Together and Late Night, Maudlin Street. But I think the songs here where everything comes together best are the (relatively) popular Suedehead, and I Don't Mind If You Forget Me, which almost ends up sounding like an alternate universe's invention of pop-punk. Although, honestly, what brings this down the most is that it still kind of can't compete with The Smiths. Also, Morrissey has some pretty songs, but the reasons that make him insufferable are kind of bubbling below the surface here. Ultimately, Viva Hate is a little spotty, but it *is* a worthwhile endeavor for any Smiths fan.
no se como definirlo, epic folk?, principalmente voz, tirando a pop de fondo, pop/rock suave de los 80, tiene una canción famosa, everyday is like sunday, el album entero es un meh, 2/5
Decent variety of styles. My favourites were Angel Angel Down We Go and Late Night, Maudlin Street. Cool bass on I Don't Mind If You Forget me!
Better with The Smiths for sure. Good vocalist and has good lyrics. The instrumentals are still decent. When you're not feeling Morrissey he's torture to listen to, but in the right mode he's great.
Like I said previously on Vauxhall And I, I like him more with The Smiths. I also find this sounding kind of flat overall. This is fine, but nothing jumps out for me on this one.
Do generally like Morrissey's music but this album didn't quite land with me for some reason. It was quite light touch for the most part, the songs sounded like rejected Smith's tracks from that album I also wasn't big on, which I suppose most of them probably were. When it's good it's still good and I do like the general sound but probably not one I'll come back to.
Really didn't land at all for me. All the worst parts about Morrissey's music - theatrical maudlin whimpering. Really boring instrumentation. No atmosphere whatsoever.
Ah Morrissey again.... Love him, but appreciate he's a controversial character. Think I've said enough about my conflicting feelings about him in other reviews. "Everyday is like Sunday" and Suedehead are brilliant. Angel we go down together too. Margaret on the guillotine probably a bit too on the nose! Still a 4
this was awesome, definitely his best solo work i’ve heard so far, consistent throughout
It's good, but it's missing the rest of the band that helped make him great (musically) and although I try to always remove the artist's indiscretions from their work, this is becoming more of an issue for him by this point.
"Don't leave your torch behind A power cut ahead 1972, you know And so we crept through the park No, I cannot steal a pair of jeans Off a clothesline for you But you without clothes Oh, I could not keep a straight face Me, without clothes? Well, a nation turns its back and gags And I'm packed" I'm crying bro what are these lyrics 😭
Racist cunt with a shit voice.
I've intensely disliked Morrissey and his singing from way before it was cool and he revealed himself as a right-wing dickhead. I remember when this album came out and - surprise, surprise - I hated it when friends were playing it. Well, several decades later, I've sat through a whole Morrissey album. Still hate his singing, but, as with The Smiths, it's undeniable that the music and musicians are incredibly talented so rather than my gut reaction of a 1, I'll give it a 2 but it still frigging hate his singing and persona.
This all sounded the same and boring
This generator is really great at expanding your horizons. I knew almost nothing about Morrissey before - but thanks to the list, I have now found a whole new artist to hate ! This was insufferable. Having to listen to three more albums by this whiny manchild makes my skin crawl. 1/10
My sister was obsessed with Morrissey, so I’ve had my fair share whether I liked it or not. The noble king of British pop still shines less solo than he did with The Smiths. That said, it works as long as you’re into that voice. Consistent, smooth and tiring over time, to me only good as background music.
I love the smiths but never listened to a lot of Morrisseys solo stuff. Enjoyable listen I liked the one about the street and suedehead
With deep apologies to the Latin community, I’m sorry to say that Morrissey still sucks. His music is so mopey, uninteresting, and boring, and that’s before we even get to how bad a vocalist he is. Did not mind the opening song, it actually gave me some hope that this would somehow be better than his other stuff, but it was a quick decline after that. It was only a 40 minute album, so I had that going for me. 2/5
There's a lot of Morrissey in this list. This wasn't my favorite of them.
Meh, nothing exciting here, but nothing terrible either
More British bias I guess, this wasn't bad but not very interesting either. Best songs were probably Everday is Like Sunday and Suedehead
Pro-Brit bias again? When I first heard The Smiths ("This Charming Man") in 1983, I think it was, I thought (still do) that was a great song. I didn't particularly like Morrissey's singing, though, so wasn't too surprised that I didn't particularly like his solo stuff. This is between a 2 and a 3, and I think I'm gonna go with a 2. Kinda boring. And feels kind of dated (even though, when it first came out, it had at least a whiff of being cutting edge.
yucky
Honestly expected to be more captivated than I was, given how The Smiths have grown on me over the course of the project.
the background music is pretty awesome. and I got a kick out of Margaret. but this is like being trapped in an elevator with someone who trauma dumps even though you just met.
I mean... it really is just Smiths Lite™. The same brash, airy 80s production, the same style of drumming and (rhythm) guitar and synthwork. And the same singer (who knew?), complete with a melodramatic delivery and melodies that seem meandering but really aren't. (80% of the time, they meander between the same two notes. "There is a light that never goes out..." Can't you hear it?) What makes the song Late Night, Maudlin Street stand out so much is that the melodies legitimately meander. Surprisingly pleasant. Morrissey does well with a few range-pushing notes here and there. Everyday Is Like Sunday stands out immediately, mostly for the strings – because admittedly, the first three songs are fairly sonically similar to each other, other than those violins. For a similar reason, Angel Angel Down We Go Together also stands out. Zero percussion to speak of, which is a bit of a relief considering how repetitively "brash" they can get. Instead, Morrissey delivers us a bizarre-yet-perfect string arrangement, creating an inquisitive, mysterious atmosphere. Suedehead makes perfect sense as the album's biggest single: it glows with positivity (contrasting hilariously with the lyrics, which seem to talk about a former lover the narrator hates but begrudgingly continues to hook up with.) I immediately approve of the first song transition. It's been so long since I've heard... well, any transition at all. They're not particularly common in popular music nowadays. Somebody is torturing one particular guitar string in I Don't Mind If You Forget Me, and it creates such a distinctive atmosphere that I can't help but enjoy the song. Other songs are not so fortunate, though: Little Man, What Now? and Treat Me Like a Human Being fail to stand out from the crowd of Smithy Britpoppy sludge. (Mostly good sludge, though.) 3/5 Key tracks: Everyday Is Like Sunday, Angel Angel Down We Go Together, Suedehead
Such a hard listen
Light 3,5
I prefer his work with The Smiths, but I did enjoy my listen of this solo album.
Each Morrissey album I listen to I like less than the previous. It felt very blah. Not my vibe to be sure.
me.. solista no me gusta
Fine but not Morrissey has proven himself less than great.
There were a few good songs (Suedehead, Everyday is Like Sunday, Late Night, Maudlin Street) and I like the way turns the phrase it as a good lay into a yodel. Overall the album played in the background without leaving much of an impression other than I think Morrissey seems conflicted and could benefit from a strong cup of coffee and some time outdoors. 2.5 rounded up.
It's better than the other Morrissey album we had, although it doesn't feel as on-target as The Smiths. On the whole, this shows that Morrissey is a capable artist and his uniquely blase view of desperation and depression are part of the zeitgeist of the 80's, but I'm not sure he's worth multiple entries in this list. And of course, as a person, he's shite.
Every time I get Morrisey (and that is often apparently) I think "Ugh, oh boy, I'm going to hate this" but then I always kiond of like it. THis one has some really excellent guitatr and the usual moping. Perfectly ok.
I sort of hate to feed into the narrative about Morrissey's downfall - from his career-defining work with the Smiths to his progressively less and less essential solo work - but that narrative exists for a reason and it starts here. This collection is at its best when it functions as Smiths Lite, as on the singles "Suedehead" and "Everyday Is Like Sunday." And don't get me wrong, much of this is quite good and worthy of the attention of Smiths fans. But "Bengali in Platforms" is a wholesale misfire - an attempt at ethnic sensitivity that falls utterly flat, thereby revealing Morrissey's persistent narcissistic inability to solve the other-minds problem - and at least a few other tracks here feel tossed-off and lazy. On the whole it isn't bad but you can feel the wheels loosening, harbingers of their eventual coming off.
Growing up I was (and still am) a huge fan of the Smiths discography, pretty close to impacable. I've felt that Morrissey doesn't have a strong discography and even further diluted with mid tier albums he's done since unretireing/lost the plot. Smiths and him have been old school strong singles artists that don't appear on any album. I've been familiar and a fan of many of his songs, but not his albums. This is another example, Everyday and Suedehead are huge, but i couldn't really find anything else that compares or compliments the heights those songs reach. Sorry to rate this low Moz, i'm sure i'll hear about it at your next concert if you ever decide to stop skipping them. Just retire and live your life dude, seriously.
Well let's get the obvious out of the way. He is UK Kanye. Not Kid Rock, Kid Britpop. And miserable? Sad, morose, self loathing. Is there any reason why people would want to listen to this level of depressing? Here in Australia The Smiths and Morrisey didn't make a huge impression as far as I know. "How Soon is Now?" and "This Charming Man" were hipster fare, buy they were essentially niche. Too British, too introvert. Too miserable. Sure, the playing on this is impeccable. The musicians are top notch and giving it plenty. But the songs - the lyrics - are the sort of thing a self absorbed 16 year old might produce in order to come third at his school's Slam Poetry Competition. They thud out of the speakers like lead and just sit there, with a level off triteness and inconsequentiality that's extraordinary. Just appallingly badly written. And then there's Bengali in Platforms. As someone said in another review: "Fuck that Racist Shit!" It was bad anyway and the racism is the curdled cream on top.
Morrissey again. This one has excellent production value and slightly more variation in songs than the others. I didn’t like it, but didn’t despise it either.
Not a fan but he does make powerful music.
It's good and it would be better if it wasn't Morrissey. Apart of this it sounds like evety other Smiths' or Morrissey's song and I don't meant that it is particularly bad thing, I'm just saying.
Depressed mf Fave track: Everyday is Like Sunday
Heard one, heard em all. Can’t be bothered - neutral rating for this one and if any more pop up, will be skipping. 2.5/5
Boring and lame
3.0
So average
Very well done. Morrissey is a true artist and innovator.
Very good, great writing and excellent songs.
Skipped all of it, depressing, soppy
I like the smiths and with morrissey I felt the album was average no spectacular songs just average
Everyday is like Sunday and suedehead are magnificent but they do sound very much like smiths songs. When there are experimental songs it just sounds a bit vaudevilian and messy. Not an album to return to with any relish
Talented, but not really my thing.
Wow! Another plain brit pop album! This list has so few of these!
No Morrissey please
1. I Don't Mind If You Forget Me 2. Suedehead 3. Alsatin Cousin Good album too bad Morrissey's an asshole
Bro is so sad this shit made me sad & im bouta get my period so that’s not helping Favorites: Everyday is like Sunday Bengali in Platforms The drum noise annoyed me so bad in Little Man, What Now? I almost skipped it haahahahaha
meh. some bangers but not much substance
Nääh
Meh
I know Morrissey, but I’m not actually familiar with this album. I wouldn’t go out of my way to buy it, but it’s definitely worth a listen. Three stars...
Cooooool
This album is right up there with the best Smiths albums!
Fuck this whiner.
Apart from Suedehead this just doesn't do it for me.
It’s too bad Morrissey is such a fucking asshole, because he wrote some damn beautiful catchy tunes. “Every Day is Like Sunday” is the most hilariously suicidal song ever written. Just a masterpiece of self-indulgent misery. I used to think his “beautiful mope”character was just that, an act. But M. really believed in his own bullshit as The Smartest and Most Misunderstood Boy in the World. But his lyrics were full of self-pity AND hatred for everyone else, and he’s curdled into a fully-formed shitbag. There’s no saving him. But I’ll still play “Suedehead”, “First of the Gang” or “How Soon is Now?” because they fucking work, despite everything.
I have no idea why this is in the list - it was nothing special at all, and I really didn't enjoy it.
The last time I listened to a Morrissey album, I commented that I think his voice and overall sound don't land on my ears well - this album confirmed that for me. I may have liked it more if a different artist performed instead. This was okay.
Literally nothing is worse than the thought that I currently have 3 more of his albums to listen to for this project. And one more The Smiths album
With a lot of the British artists I've got on here they've been either big hit or big miss, this was one of the bigger hits for sure.
Much as I would like to dislike this due to my dislike of Morrissey as a character…. It’s actually a really solid album, Suedehead had a great opening guitar riffs, Everyday is Like Sunday is a classic and the rest is pretty high quality. Overall separating the art from the artist it’s objectively a bit of a banger 4
I thought that was going to be awful as the few solo songs I've heard I never really liked and I'm not really into the Smiths. But some of the songs are actually quite good. I do not like Morrissey's voice though. It really grates.
Eponymous-he’s not happy
Obviously there's a Mozza fan lurking in the 1001 editorial team. Four albums, really? This lacks the bite of You Are The Quarry and mostly feels like a pale imitation of The Smiths. That said, there are a couple of stand-out tracks, Everyday is Like Sunday and Suedehead
Cheer up mate
Oh! the irony (foresight?) of Morrissey naming an album Viva Hate. But getting round to the content, it's as if the lyrics (though good as ever) have never met the music before. The only exception being Dial a Cliché, which is the most Smiths-like track here. It's tempting to conclude that, without Johnny Marr, Morrissey is just a honky baritone with a preference for a plodding backing band. Glad this is out of the way. 2*
Alright
Obviously love this
Sun is shining. Im about to have a couple of days of for eastern. I feel terrific. No way in hell im going to ruin that by listening to Morrisey.
I like Morrissey, but I like the Smiths better. Aside from "Suedehead" (one of my favorites!) this whole album feels rather mediocre if I'm being honest.
Nothing stood out, was fine but not great.
Not really!
Very very average
I think I’m a Morrissey guy…musically, not politically or in his choice of neck lines.