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Full review
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 and his vehicle is a must-have record. From the opening 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 life of a couple at the seaside.
Such classicism can be seen in the instrumentation. Sparse compared to some of their later work, the string quartet is ever present yet exudes a positively life-affirming glow. Yet if the arrangements are somewhat subdued at times, the lyrics certainly aren't. There's little point quoting them here, because they all work so well as a full-bodied piece of literature.
This truly is a scrumptious album - buy it!
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