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Viva Hate is rock artist Morrissey's debut album, released on March 22, 1988. The album, which is in many ways a reflection on growing up in the 1970s, established that Morrrissey was to be taken seriously as a solo artist. It was more successful than any of Morrissey's work with The Smiths and was musically innovative; at the same time, guitarist Vini Reilly was displeased with some of the music and Morrissey was displeased with some of the lyrics. The album was released a mere six months after The Smiths' final album, Strangeways Here We Come. The title predicts the content: Morrissey's lyrics are sardonic and filled with invective, while some of the tracks deal with the harshness of the breakup of The Smiths. From the octave dropping electric guitar that opens the song to the guillotine noise that closes it, it is clear that Morrissey's solo work will differ greatly from that with The Smiths. Although later on Bona Drag he would write and sing pop, from Your Arsenal onward it is clear that Morrissey was interested in a heavier, more rock-oriented sound than he had created with The Smiths, and this trend is established on Viva Hate. Songs"Alsatian Cousin", the track that opens the album, has Morrissey demanding an answer to the question, "Were you and he lovers?" to the tune of heavy, piercing guitars. "Little Man, What Now?" is a somber piece about a failed television star, but with its place on the album it works quite effectively. The third track, "Everyday Is Like Sunday" was released as the second and final single from the album, peaking at #9 in the United Kingdom. By most counts the standout track on the album, the song remains something of an enigma. Morrissey has said that no-one, including those who covered the song (e.g. Natalie Merchant, whom he later jibed at on the B-side "Have-a-Go-Merchant") understood what it meant. Perhaps it is a reflection on escaping a dead-end town. Perhaps it is a comparison between a coastal resort in winter and the desolation after nuclear fallout. In any case, with its rich orchestration by Stephen Street, the song remains one of the most appealing and enduring tracks from Viva Hate. Track four, "Bengali in Platforms", was probably the most controversial song on the album. Morrissey sings, "Life is hard enough when you belong here" and "Shelve your Western plans", seemingly indicating a virulent racism and intolerant attitude toward immigrants to the UK. Still, the criticism of the song belies the fact that it, like the rest of the album, is set in the 1970s and also obscures the fact that the track, with its lazy Mediterranean guitars, is actually musically quite good. "Angel, Angel, Down We Go Together" follows, a track featuring only Morrissey's voice and a string arrangement. Morrissey later said that the track was about his former Smiths band mate Johnny Marr. "Late Nigh, Maudlin Street" is the album's epic track, at 7:41. Still, it uses its time well, allowing the listener a glimpse into Morrissy's world, filled with darkness, sorrow, and nostalgia. Morrissey uses vocal phrasings to turn the song into something of a poem. The music, clearly influenced by Vini Reilly, consists of a evocative and pulsing drum part backed by minimalist but extremely effective guitar work. The song is in many ways a sequel to The Queen Is Dead 's "I Know It's Over". "Suedehead", Morrissey's debut and highest charting single, follows, coming surprisingly late in the album. Continuing the theme of life in the 1970s, the song is a particularly funky track that presents Morrissey asking, "Why do you come here when you know it makes things hard for me?" However, closer inspection reveals that the singer may actually enjoy the company of the "you" in question, as his diary is filled with writings and images of the second person, and the song closes with a repetition of the phrase, "It was a good lay". After "Suedehead", the album suffers a sharp drop in quality. "Break Up The Family" is a charming song, but largely forgettable. "Hairdresser on Fire", a B-side to the aforementioned single, has great pop appeal but throwaway lyrics. "The Ordinary Boys" is a swaying track but it lacks uniqueness. "I Don't Mind if You Forget Me" is a bit heavier, but again it fails to leave much of an impression; "Dial-a-Cliché" is a light track that suffers the same problem. "Margaret on the Guillotine", the album's closing track, redeems the second half somewhat. Its ambient acoustic guitars, the only instruments accompanying Morrissey's voice, create an effective atmosphere for the singer to lament the effect of Margaret Thatcher's Conservative party on British society, asking the question, "When will you die?" Track listing
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