Promenade - Divine Comedy (The)

Advantages: Almost abjectly gorgeous
Disadvantages: To some, cleverness for its own sake

...(My copy features "The Promenade Companion", a 4 track CD featuring 3 songs from "Liberation" and one from "Promenade" recorded live in the studio as a trio, with Hannon's guitar and vocals backed by cello and violin. It's very sweet, but not worth paying through the nose for should you happen upon it). "Promenade" was highly critically acclaimed, rather successful in France (to an extent that can be gauged by Hannon's later hit "The Frog Princess") ...
...about to give the DC a shot at the big time; one of the raving critics, Graham Linehan (at the time reviewing music for Hot Press in Ireland), gave Hannon a job writing the music for his upcoming sitcom "Father Ted". And flush with cash from the astonishing success of Edwyn Collins' "A Girl Like You", Hannon's label Setanta gave him a budget to match his ambition. The result was "Casanova", a much more orchestral work. Chris Evans jumped on the leadoff ... Read review

Advantages: Beautifully written tracks and very heartwarming.
Disadvantages: Not everyone will like the booklovers song as its very unusual.

Before their most memorable hits and indeed albums, was this compilation. Almost forgotten about by the world but fortunately not by the fans. This early collection boasts some of the most beautiful songs you are ever likely to hear. There is a definite "holiday" feel about this album, the music takes you to a distant place where everyone is having a good time, perhaps, I suspect, the seaside. (Perhaps this is why the album is called "promenade" ...
...the seaside.) There is a wonderful mix of beauty and humour in the songs starting with the track entitled "bath", aalthough it starts off very poetic with Neil Hannons narrative, it changes into a catchy and funny tune about, yes, having a bath! a good and memorable opener. The next track "Going downhill fast" is a fast paced but gentle tune about nature with an interesting musical backing of strings which seems to enhance the visual images in ... Read review

Advantages: each song is a story in itself
Disadvantages: Two songs weaker than the others

I spent a day with Neil Hannon, who, no matter how much both he and his band mates insist otherwise, IS the Divine Comedy. From getting up in the morning and getting ready to go out, right up until after midnight, he kept me entertained, with his original blend of orchestral arrangements, pretty pop songs, and witty lyrics. 8 a.m. “Bath” – between the alarm going off, and my ablutions starting, Neil built the tension up using a simple string arrangement, ...
...bath. 10 a.m. “Going Downhill Fast” – finally left the house, decided to cycle down the hill, and wouldn’t you know, Neil was still singing. Looks like something we’re going to have to put up with. The music gained tempo as I gained speed going the hill, and I realised there was more to some of his stupid sounding lyrics that meet the eye on some occasions. 11 a.m. “The Booklovers” – Neil became increasingly annoying in the bookshop. Whilst enjoying ... Read review

Advantages: Classic pop mixed with orchestral sounds
Disadvantages: "Geronimo" doesn't quite match the other tracks for class

The Divine Comedy are known throughout the land for their catchy comic hit singles like “Generation Sex” and “Something For The Weekend”, as well as the music to “Father Ted”. But before Neil Hannon and friends were thrown into the limelight they had released three albums, the third of which is “Promenade”. Some readers may be aware of a couple of these songs if they have compilation “A Secret History”, but those songs are only snippets of what ...
...instrumental, building to a crescendo on the opener “Bath”. The lyrics are not exactly deep on this track with the opening lines “Rub a dub dub / It’s time for a scrub”, but it has a lovely air to it. There is a large orchestral presence, as ever, on this album, giving it a classical sound at times. This is most obvious on songs like “The Booklovers” and “Neptune’s Daughter”, the former largely consisting of Hannon doing short impressions of various ... Read review

Advantages: All
Disadvantages: None

Ever listened to a record that takes you somewhere far away? Not just gets you reminiscing of somewhere you went, but takes you back to a place you can only imagine, a forgotten era when everything seemed simple? A song so enrichening to body and soul that you come away with a warm feeling inside at the end of it all? Enough amateur dramatics. The point I'm trying to get over is that Promenade, the second album by erstwhile Ulsterman Neil Hannon ...
...refrain of 'Bath' complete with resplendent cor anglais, to the galloping-drum led masterpiece that is 'Tonight We Fly', this album sparkles with throwbacks to another era. 'When The Lights Go Out All Over Europe' is a homage to the joys of French cinema, while 'The Booklovers' is a tongue-in-cheek list of famous writers - this is an album which harks back to a golden era. Hardly surprising, seeing as the loose concept of the album is a day in the ... Read review