With Mr Hannon’s next album on the horizon, I thought now is a good time to show some appreciation for, I think, one of Britain’s most underappreciated songwriters. Great fun live too.
Their commercial peak may well be long gone, but as part of my expedition to fall back in love with music I’m focusing on an artists’ back catalogue every month, and May has been most enjoyable listening back to ‘Fin de Siecle’, ‘Foreverland’ and ‘Bang Goes The Knighthood’.
The Divine Comedy – a thread of appreciation
He really seems to be enjoying himself now. I think that’s contagious.
I’m a big fan of Neil’s since I saw him play to about 50 people in Belfast’s Empire Music Hall about 3 weeks before he had his first hit. Each album has at least one top class song any other writer would give their right arm for. I’m really looking forward to the new album; I preordered from his sit & got an email last week to tell me my 2 preview downloads were available. I’m listening to them now & he hasn’t lost it.
I keep hoping he’ll scale the heights of Fin de Siecle but he consistently disappoints. The Duckworth Lewis albums show that he can still do it, but for some reason – possibly linked to his horror of Father Ted singalongs and the popularity of National Express – he chooses not to be as glorious, melodic and fun with the Divine Comedy anymore.
I’ve not seen a DC show, and have a recurring but casual acquaintance with the back catalogue, but I’ve always had a more than sneaking regard for Mr H, who seems not only to be one of life’s decent types, but also a very talented chap. There are bits of what he does that I like a great deal and I keep coming back to (not least the original version of Songs of Love which is such an achingly beautiful bit of work)
Then there’s DLM., who I saw live in Gateshead several years back, and adored for any number of reasons. And both he And Mr Walsh were thoroughly amenable chaps to talk to afterwards too, which is never a bad thing.
I’ve heard two off the forthcoming album and like what I hear, so it will certainly be on my radar come release time.
I was listening to Neverland over the weekend , and it was a return to form after a couple of TDC-by-numbers albums, notwithstanding the excellent Duckworth Lewis albums. So I’m hopeful for the newie.
Erratum:
I played Victory For the Comic Muse quite loud in the kitchen earlier and it sounded quite wonderful.
Clever devil, the Neilster.
They usually have something in their albums which bears repeated listening.
I own the early albums (up to Casanova) and those from Bang Goes The Knighthood – I really must get on with exploring that middle period.
Neil’s best work?
Another vote for Duckworth Lewis
I’ve been a huge fan since a Stuart Maconie review in Select of Promenade in ’94 that I can still quote part of… (“If you do only brave and imaginative thing this month, be on the side of angels and buy this record”, approximately)
Nothing will beat Promenade for me but I love almost everything Neil has done and I am enjoying the two tracks that have been released before the album. Disagree with Moose that the two before Foreverland were lacking, I think they both have wonderful moments. And I disagree with Bartleby because for me, every record is filled with fun (see .. Indie Disco). The live shows are always a joy (see.. Indie Disco). Fun is an underrated concept in a live show.
Like Native, I have been revisiting the back catalogue over the last few weeks and am really looking forward to the new one.
A nice by-product of living in Dublin is that Neil is always nearby, so along with your standard gigs I have seen him play countless in-stores, intimate shows, one-offs (eg his rendering of the entire debut Vampire Weekend album) and so on. I hope to catch him again in Tower Records in a couple of weeks.
My kids like him too, which is nice.
I just wish nice things happen to Neil Hannon. He seems like a nice guy and is talented as fuck. These are enviable qualities which he carries off with some panache.
There needs to be a decent Anthology of all the great stuff buried on his CD singles, like this stirring Ride cover.
New reissues of the albums out Friday – took the plunge and ordered the vinyl albums.
I have 6 Divine Comedy albums.
I would rank them as follows:
1. Casanova (a brilliant record, I think)
2. Promenade
3. Liberation
4. A Short Album about Love
5. Fin de Siècle
6. Bang Goes the Knighthood
Hannon is a superb lyricist.
Very much enjoying his latest record.