Reviews (page 4 of 8)
Like and dislike in equal measure
Here is a compilation of the creepiest lyrics from this predator's anthem: "But it's time to let off some steam [sic], Everybody knows that No means Yes" "My slap 'n' tickle made her giggle, made her wiggle like a willow tree" "So I suggested, She Protested, I persisted till she said Well OK" "Pale, pubescent beasts, [sic], Their pray gather in herds, Of stiff knee-length skirts" "Maybe I'll kill her" "You cannot stop it, so why the devil do you try?" "I'd rather die than be deprived of Wonderbras and thunder thighs" I genuinely winced at the "No Means Yes" line on the Becoming More Like Alfie song. It was a bit of a banger (the lil baby guitar solo was sick) - but still, definitely a bit creepy. Despite the fact that this bloke needs chemical castration, and if he wasn't from the poor slums of ULSTER I'd expect to see this bloke on the Epstein list.
Started strong. Unique sound and approach but it got a bit repetitive and…honestly…creepy by the end.
Was this a novelty album? I don’t know but it had a couple toe tappers.
Well, I feel 8% more sophisticated now after listening to this. It's pretentious, but it also works well. Some catchy songwriting elevates what could have been a boring little endeavour.
Interesting contrast between show tune type vocals and unusual pop music with eclectic instrument choices like full strings.
Na primeira audição me soou confuso, entre o satírico e a performance de crooner. Mas ouvindo com mais atenção, se revela um disco com ótimas canções e uma performance vocal estupenda de Neil Hannon, que antecipa, em alguns momentos, ao que Geordie Greep (Black Midi) faria anos depois. Bom disco!
Very much a part of my youth - "Something for the Weekend" was absolutely everywhere in 1996. I don't want a whole album of it, but that track in particular will always bring a nostalgic smile to my face
This hasn't been a great recent run of albums for me. In the last week: The Zutons The Only Ones The Auteurs Rocket From The Crypt Add in Curtis Mayfield, Sly & The Family Stone, and Marty Robbins, that's 7 straight days of albums where I have heard a grand total of 1 of these songs before. That can be a good thing, as I like discovering new music, but for those four bands above it really hasn't been good. When this popped up, all I could think is "here we go again". But much to my surprise, I kind of liked this record. Not that it was amazing, and I expect that a lot of people will not like this (my hunch is the average rating is less than 3) since it is a bit of a bizarre listen, but at least it was different. Frankly, it's like listening to a Broadway musical album. What's interesting about it to me is that some of these songs come off as light, but they actually have a good amount of depth to them. I don't think this group takes itself too seriously, but it's not a farce, nor are they just mailing it in. There's a bombast that is reasonably enjoyable to me. Through a Long & Sleepless Night was a highlight for me, lots to this song and well constructed. 3 stars for the effort, even if this isn't normally my type of thing.
This was really fun. he's doing fun things with his voice and i like the instrumental. honorable mention to themes from casanova, beautiful melody. top 5 would be 1. Something for the Weekend 2. Through a Long & Sleepless Night 3. Middle-Class Heroes 4. In & Out of Paris & London 5. A Woman of the World
Not sure this is it
Cleaver and humorous lyrics. Great songs as a whole, but can get a bit much after a while.
Vá hvað mér fannst þetta hljóma eins og fyrstu skref Matt Bellamy (úr Muse) í tónlistargeiranum. Allt í lagi til áhlustunar en samt ekki alveg fullmótað og vantar allt úmpf. Svo er þetta er náttúrulega ekki Matt.
Some cool songs and ideas, but just so over the top cheesy, I struggled to get through it. I was going to rate 2 stars, but then the last track about all the dogs and horses made me cry, so 3 stars.
Enjoyed the first Divine Comedy album I got on this list. Was a bit of a pleasant surprise. This one is fine enough too, but I don't think the list needs both.
This album has a really big problem. Which is that he keeps talking and it sucks. It’s like a bad hip hop skit that keeps interrupting an otherwise good album. Except this album is only okay. Which is a bummer since I liked the other album of his I got on this list
A band I’ve always thought I could / should like, sadly they never quite get me there. I can’t say this was a bad album but it didn’t quite hit spot either.
Weird
OK. Northerm Ireland Pop.
Theatrical and whimsical, this often sounded like a soundtrack to a musical play. It's unlikely that I'd listen to this again but to its credit, at least it was interesting and well executed.
NGL PROBABLY AM SKEEPING ON IT BUT IT WAS A PLEASANT LISTEN
Never been the biggest fan of actually listening to auld Pete, but some of the singles really are great fun
Ah, we have a cultural difference here. This charted well in the UK, but not stateside. It's bombastic, lecherous and honestly pretty silly. Some lovely pop moments, but not enough to overcome the silliness.
It's a bit goofy but I enjoyed the operatic pop vibe. Plus the guy can really sing. It kind of feels like a play. Favorites: Something for the Weekend, Songs of Love
Muy Serge Gainsbourg. Pero con producción 90s Bastante bueno
A fine album, I think I preferred the other album they had on the list better. This kind of reminds me of Greeps The New Sound, but not as chaotic or interesting. Also, I could have sworn this was OK Computer era Thom Yorke on the cover. High 3.
I really did not like the opening minute of this album, but as it went on it redeemed itself, and it honestly has some pretty good tunes.
I liked his voice and some of the music, but the two didn't always feel like they went together well. OK overall. 3/5
Weird but not bad?
Ridiculous
hljómar á köflum eins og scott walker/brel. textar um kvenlegan breskan saurlífissegg. mér finnst þetta skemmtilegt þó að hrossið sé en hans besta verk. 3,5.
I wasn't fully sure how to feel about this one. I liked the arrangements and he had a good voice. Some of the lyrics had me tilting my head a little bit, and only a couple songs really grabbed me. Songs of Love and Through a Long And Sleepless Night.
I did enjoy most of the album but I don't know if I totally understand what it's going for.
Pretty good album which (I think) is quite satirical on love songs. The whole album includes more orchestral instruments than normal which kinda gives the songs a very theatre musical/movie music feel. Definitely some great lyrics hidden in there
The music is alright. Some of the lyrics are sort of cute and funny, but others are a bit cringe. Lots of references to things that are UK-specific (NHS, GCSE, etc.). I liked “Middle-Class Heroes”, “Frog Princess” and a few other random ones. A lot of mixed feelings on this one, but it’s definitely an interesting album for me.
This was a fun one. The songs are varied enough, and the lyrics are cheesy and funny. "The Frog Princess" got me. I'm going to be singing "there's something in the woodshed" all day.
Rather British don't you think?
Self indulgent and shitty.
Really over all of this mid British albums
Jag börja fiila dehär, trodde ja skulle hata det. Tror att ja kan stor gilla det här ifall jag lyssnar mer.
Honestly better than I thought it was gonna be. Pretty fun.
the divine comedy combines the pipes of frank sinatra, the self-importance of morrissey, the creepy horniness of jeff buckley's dad, and the theatricality of meatloaf into one uncertain package. actually, wait, it's all those same qualities but just from william shatner. but is the album any good? well, favorites: something for the weekend, becoming more like alfi, songs of love, the frog princess
brings back some memories of my 20's. a bit of a crooner. not bad
Another entry in the forgettable 90s British alternative bin. That said, “The Frog Princess” has a fantastic chorus, and this album has some other redeeming moments.
2.5 - I think this guy is creepy asf and the songs are kinda random and also creepy, but he does have some great vocals and every few songs there is one talking about some incredibly relevant or important stuff
FT
Son originales pero les falta una gran canción.
Really cool vibe, I really got into the album with the first song. Some sounds used in the songs are weird but funny a good 3.5.
Wasn't really focused, but 3 i think
This was different. It’s as if each song was a different scene in a movie. Definitely background music to make the time go by.
I’ve always liked Divine Comedy, the guy steadfastly sticks to his own thing. Always enjoyed when they would pop up on the indie Shine albums
I liked some of it. Some of it was a bit clever for its own good though. Enjoyed the Father Ted theme popping up. Another one for my massive 3 star pile
64/100. Casanova by The Divine Comedy is an alright baroque pop album with a strange yet intriguing sound. It doesn’t feel like it was produced in 1996, giving it a somewhat timeless or out-of-era feel. While the uniqueness is interesting, the album overall is just alright.
Took a couple songs to get on the wavelength here but I ended up enjoying it alright. He never really gets to Morrissey like he’s compared to. I just heard a really dramatic Neil Diamond.
Cute!
Do I like Divine Comedy? 2 days, 2 albums by them. I know I don’t hate them
viel meer mee dan eerst gedacht...
Is this suppose to be comedy?? I honestly can't tell!
I'd never heard of the band or the album before. I didn't miss much either. The music on the album was pretty boring. The only good thing about it was that it wasn't particularly annoying. I can only speculate as to why such an album should be one of the 1000 best. Perhaps a new album simply needs to be added to the list at regular intervals. 3/2
Pretty cool idea but did feel a little long.
I went into this somewhat expecting to hate it from the first couple of seconds, but as it went on I found myself enjoying it more and more. I understand the humor in this and appreciated the effort behind it. I also just think the second half is much better than the first. Highlights were Charge, The Frog Princess, and Through A Long & Sleepless Night.
01) Something for the Weekend - 7,5 02) Becoming More Like Alfie - 7,0 03) Middle-Class Heroes - 6,5 04) In & Out of Paris & London - 6,5 05) Charge - 5,5 06) Songs of Love - 6,5 07) The Frog Princess - 6,5 08) A Woman of the World - 6,5 09) Through a Long & Sleepless Night - 6,5 10) Theme from Casanova - 7,0 11) The Dogs & the Horses - 6,5 TOTAL: 6,59 (66/100) Current ranking: 332/464
Had some good moments and would listen again. A bit too unserious for higher score though.
Enjoyable
I quite like the frog princess, other than that not huge on this.
Geordie Greep actually stole this dude's whole flow
This was the first time i heard this album. Some cringe moments but a lot of really great stuff. 3.5
A lovely journey into the sickly sweet world of the divine comedy - but don’t stay too long
Orchestral Pop sounding like the sound track of a whiny musical.
Cool vibes. I kept waiting for it to be just a little bit more something.
Helt sikkert i det her albums fordel at jeg så Cabaret i går. Synes egentlig det var meget underholdende, sjove arrangementer.
Synes sgu det var en meget underholdende plade, ikke den der generiske britpop-stil som mange lignende bands havde på det tidspunkt.
I was not familiar with this. It was up and down, and the last 3 songs were decidedly down, resulting in my dropping the score from a 4 to a 3.
There were some good songs on here but some of them were just a little ridiculous sounding to me and idk how else to describe it. "Charge" became unlistenable and tedious halfway through in particular. I was charmed by the speaking section at the end of the album though and overall enjoyed this but it's definitely not something I could listen to for more than a brief period...
This started out with promise. A bit of kitsch, maybe some biting commentary, all delivered with tongue in cheek and maybe an exposed nipple. But this album, for me anyway, shows how difficult it is to deliver on such a promise. Things quickly fell into indulgence and the songs failed to deliver anything more than a sometimes amusing, but ultimately thin confection of vaudevillian pop. It's fine, and sometimes fun, but I guess I needed more satirical barbs — or something with a bit more depth — to win my heart. This clings to a 3-star by its shiny painted nails.
i had a hard time sorting out my feelings on this one. At times I found it too smug and I often thought they were punching down. But other songs seemed to hit just right. It's hard to do satire well. The Kinks mastered it, Zappa did, too (sometimes), and Blur did as well (but they also sometimes punched down, or at least across). I enjoyed the theatricality of this one. This is yet another album from a band i'd never heard of before. i feel like i've entered an alternate dimension. I like it over here.
Quite fun
This was pretty nice!
Chamber pop. Nah, I'm good
Day379 - corny and campy but pretty good
This was an interesting mix of The Beatles and Pulp.
3/5
The Divine Comedy always perked my interest every time I heard them (him?) on the radio. So I always left a mental marker that I must someday research their music but never got around to it. So this album appearing on my list was a welcome reminder to give some time to perhaps catch up on what I had missed. The album is full of good melodic pop tunes coupled with a certain comedic innuendos with a nod towards the actor Terry Thomas. The suggestive nature of some of these might not suit the modern woke brigade but anything which upsets them is OK with me. Not an album which I would keep returning to but glad to have discovered. 3/5 4/1/25
Not bad, imposing and deep voice throughout the album. Lyrics not that serious which contrasts a bit. I saved the first two tracks though they’re probably least representative.
Could've been a nice Scott Walker tribute, but it lacks the emotional delivery.
I can't say I would listen to this another time, but it was a cool artsy baroque/cabaret album with creative arrangements.
Better then the other album by this same group from 2 days ago wtf. Still not great so I overrated the previous one I guess oh well
I enjoyed his baritone and the obscure musicality. It was good for a single listen although it doesn’t rank highly in the repeatable factor.
Nordirisches Britpop Experiment mit eher ruhigen Songs. Ein bisschen der Sound „Last Christmas“, mal eine Tangoeinlage, mal ein Trompetensolo, mal ein Comedy Stück. Es ist abwechslungsreich aber insgesamt zu unrund. Trotzdem hat es mit „Becoming More Like Alfie“ & „A Woman Of The World“ zwei schöne Stücke.
I did like it more than I thought I would, but I don't see listening to it again. Upbeat and kept things moving, but the songwriting was crazy.
Very theatrical, musically very interesting, probably wouldn't listen to it very often but not bad
3.5/5
That had to be parody...right? This is ham. Talented, over the top ham.
This was... interesting. I didn't overall enjoy it but it was definitely a breath of fresh air.
Some sly humour but the songs and delivery belong in a musical. It sounds very theatrical. Not to my taste.
Weird but oddly intriguing. Imagine the Killers was a band in early 90s Europe. If you like that sort of thing, dive right in. Maybe you like Belle and Sebastian too? We probably would speak to each other at parties, but wouldn't ever be close friends. I just see you a lot because you went to university with Cathy and you probably bonded over shared experiences on your impressionable years. Sometimes I think about you but I'm not sure why. I don't think I particularly like you, but then why do I think about you at all. Three stars?
I kinda liked the opening track, Something for the Weekend, but it gradually went downhill from there. Not sure why someone would want to make an album of this type of music. Didn't hate it, though.
Yet another album where I respect what they’re doing - lots of cool and weird layered sounds going on - but it doesn’t grab me. Feels very of its time, laying the groundwork for later alternative sounds.
Brittipoppia joka on musikaalimaista, mutta ihan menevää. Oli kyllä ihan hyviäkin kappaleita. Parhaat: Becoming More Like Alfie, Songs Of Love, A Woman of the World
This is a 3 album for me, one of those that maybe would go to a 4 if I listened to it a few more times. Some catchy tunes throughout.
Odd choice for the list from alternative albums in this era. Best album of the 90s? - not even close. Best Britpop album? - insult to Oasis, Pulp, Supergrass, Radiohead, Cast etc. Best Britpop album of 1996? - long way behind Bluetones, Placebo, Shed Seven, Ocean Colour Scene, Longpigs, Ash, Kyla Shaker etc. Best Britpop album of 1996 that features a song called Something for the weekend? - sorry, that goes to Super Furry Animals! I love the first song and the second song is good. The rest, not much so.
I enjoyed the first part then the concept wore off after a while.
3 Very polarizing. Some real bad songs on here but I also kinda liked it
Not my jam, a discount version of David Bowie but non really really bad
Bowie vibe that was fun but not really memorable.
Mixed feelings on this - I really liked the instrumentals and wacky energy on this one but did not like the creepy lyrics. I understand that it's meant to be jokingly creepy but it still came off as creepy to me.
бодрее чем предыдущий, многие мелодичные, можно продолжить)
Hyvää musisointia osa, vähemmän passelia osa. Tarvitsee ehkä lisää kuuntelua.
3.4
Britpop 1996
You can make a clear connection between this album and "A Short Album About Love", which I really liked and enjoyed. Unfortunately, Casanova is just a step on a path to achieve greatness, and that step is pretty massive. Orchestral and baroque elements are very sparse and underdeveloped, even vocal is a bit afraid of going all the way, like you're supposed to do with this genre. Good album, but a bit of a let down, when listened to out of the sequence.
Niente di eccezionale
This is fine, but aside from the eccentric and playful nature of the tracks it didn't really move me. Love the Ben Folds cover (haha).
This is weird in the good sense and fun. More on the nose catchy than say the scott walkers that inspired it (I've only heard 4, on this list) and shadow puppets that it inspired. I like the ambition of just doing stuff like this, although everything that has been called chamber pop thus far has not really earned the coolness that this name suggests. Inexplicable some of the low reviews of this, there is a share of egregiously boring stuff on this list, but this ain't it.
fun album but got repetitive
This was bizarre. His voice was Bowie-like but…cheesier? Some of the songs were very strange, but some of them were pretty good. It was comme ci, comme ca for me. Solid 3
It's fine
Solid kinda fun
I don’t know, pretty unremarkable and obviously never made a big impact. A Woman of the World was good though
First exposure to these guys. Pretty funny
Not sure I get this, had some Bowie vibes which were good, but kinda all over the place. Interesting with all the instruments, seems like there was potential, but the vocals and lyrics just feel corny.
Really fun romp with clever lyrics and interesting orchestration but feels almost hollow somehow.
Some enjoyable parts.
I'm not entirely sure what just happened to me. I hate to admit I didn't dislike that and I do wish the artist success. I'm concerned if I heard this drunk I'd give it a 5. This vote is almost entirely just feeling.
Never heard of this. Wasn't expecting this. Reminds me of something of flaming lips. this is actually enjoyable, not my style though.
Interesting sound with a lot of ideas packed into the songs. I was really impressed by the intro song and wasn't expecting something that whimsical- with the brass, orchestral marching cymbals, and fast string stabs. Judging the album by the cover I was expecting some mid 1990's "cool guy" vibe. I was pretty pleasantly surprised when more of the album continued in this direction. It's loungey and chamber poppy, and extravagant in a fun way. "Middle Class Heroes" is so intentionally / unintentionally funny with the cartoonish marimbas, swelling brass, contrasting the serious lyrics that paraphrase Hamlet. I enjoyed this, and I'll be checking it out again. It was really an interesting listen. 3.4/5
3.5★. Scott (2) Walker-lite (bordering on rip-off), so I enjoyed it quite a bit. (Baroque pop ftw I guess!) particularly liked: Something for the Weekend, Becoming More Life Alfie, Songs of Love, The Frog Princess, and A Woman of the World.
Thom Yorke's evil clone on the cover. I don't want to think about your navel hair, Divine Comedy man, fuck you for putting that visual in my head. This is boring as hell for about 80% of the time and was actively putting me to sleep, until it randomly pulls something crazy out of its ass and the entire orchestra blasts my ears, waking me up, making me think "wow okay, that was really cool", before it goes back to being boring again.
-Liked this a bit more than I thought I would. The lyrics are really funny and I love the variety in genre and vocal style -def playing this at the tiktok rizz party -Favorites are Something For The Weekend, Becoming More Like Alfie, and A Woman Of The World
i didn’t like it at first but now that i get more into the album its warming up to me
This certainly is different. It's like a cross between rock and a lounge act. It often feels like kind of a joke, e.g. the inclusion of the instrumental "Theme from Casanova" as the penultimate track. But it's actually kind of nice to listen to. Not my style, probably won't listen to it again, but it was quite interesting.
very theatrical and over the top while some feeling underwhelming
Very surprising and odd album
Weird but fun
Hm. Not really my cup of tea, but also not terrible either. I kind of regret it that I watched the videos for some of their songs (courtesy of YouTube Music), as the sardonic tone of their songs goes into really annoying territory with the chic-ironic style of the videos (although fun to see Venice in the video for "Something for the Weekend"). I'm sure there are plenty of Divine Comedy fans, but I'm not one of them, sadly. I guess the best way to put it is that at their best (probably with "Through a Long & Sleepless Night"), they sound a bit like a Franz-Ferdinand-inspired band, but not as interesting, although to Divine Comedy's credit they *were* earlier than Franz Ferdinand.
breezy referential British pop that's not to my taste but is well done
I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't stage musical music with the theme tune from Father Ted in the middle (Songs of Love). Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: Something for the Weekend Date listened: 12/06/24
okay, didn't grab me as much as I expected.
Boring
Fine by me. Felt like listening to a play that someone offered me free tickets to. I wasn't enamored but the performance was good and I'm glad to have had the experience. I think that's a pretty neutral review for me.
pleasant musik
Always struck me as belonging to that class of intellectual luvvies like Jarvis and those twats from the Housemartins, so never bothered to listen to any of his music. Gets a point for Father Ted, but the rest of it is inoffensive and forgettable
No sé por qué esperaba mucho más de este disco. Tiene arreglos lindos y suena con calidad, pero tampoco es la gran cosa.
I think I'm only giving it a 3 for the Sound of Music reference and maybe the last 2 or 3 songs. I really want to like it but it's a little weird
Kind of a weird one but not unenjoyable. Has a movie soundtrack vibe, particularly with the title track. Some good melodies, and the failed experiments are at least trying something. Best song: Theme from Casanova
If I want to listen to Scott Walker, why not just listen to Scott Walker?
Album 409 of 1001 The Divine Comedy - Casanova Rating : 3.5 / 5 This is called "pop" but that would be like putting someone unique in the way of Leonard Cohen in the pop category. The Divine Comedy is in it's own type of category. Good listen but no big hits jumping out. Basically just an experience. Some like it, some don't. Maybe something like "theatrical pop" would cover it....or "classical pop".
Didn't enjoy all of this one, I felt like it was a play that was adapted to an album and some of the outlandish lyrics made it hard to take completely serious. I think the music was good however and it grew on me by the end. I'm curious what a relisten would do for me.
Almost the opposite of Trent Resnor's Nine Inch Nails dreadfest, this is much lighter and tongue in cheek funny. It does suffer from beng almost too simple musically, only saved by the "actually decent" voice of the singer and the clever laugh out loud lyrics. I don't think I would go as far as to call this a must hear album, but it IS a lot of fun!
Very nice. Catchy pop songs with an indie twist
Mood: Tired after long weekend Setting: Getting ready to go see a musical which seemed a good time to listen to this Very unique. I kinda loved it but at the same time I couldn't stand listening to it anymore? I don't really know where that leaves me. I don't think I will ever listen to it again, but I will remember its strangeness fondly.
Suena bien, pero no me resulta particularmente memorable.
It was okay. There’s some interesting bits throughout the entirety but overall just kind of felt mediocre. Might return back to it sometime soon.
Feels dated and a little passé. He's got a nice voice but meh.
This one came out of left field. It was like complex casino lounge music and I was digging it. Also got a Thomas Dolby/Cake feel as it bordered parody but didn't get as silly as Weird Al. It was divine at times...it was comedic at times I will be checking more out from them.
Weird, unique and a lot of fun. Never heard of The Divine Comedy but I'm definitely intrigued. Great pull from the 1001 list. Hope more stuff like this shows up down the line. 2.95 stars
Interesting if not my style.
Started bad, then I thought it was a joke. I listened to the whole album though. 3/5
I had another Divine Comedy album on this challenge many months ago. I gave it a 3 and wrote that maybe the music can grow on me. Since then, I've largely forgotten it. So this album came as a surprise because I enjoyed it more than I expected and (again) feel like it could grow on me if I let it. I don't love orchestral pop but Divine Comedy are more pop than orchestra, which helps. One of these days, I may spend more time listening to this band.
A flamboyant British pop album. Kind of enjoyable in general, with its ups and downs.
Strange album. It kind of sounds like the soundtrack to a 90s film with a lot of velvet, candles, and outrageous makeup. Maybe something by Baz Luhrmann. The vocals and music aren't bad, but it's just a little hard to describe or to get into.
Fine. You can have a 3. But only if I never have to listen to you again
Sum lögin voru kósý Bygljan eitthvað 90's. Annað var vitleysa og sumt var beinlínis pirrandi.
Alltaf gaman að fá plötur sem maður hefur ekki heyrt áður og eru jafnvel þokkalegar. Ég hafði bara nokkuð gaman af kammerpoppinu með Scott Walker ívafi. Misgott þó.
Rather interesting, theatrical bit of music.
This album went back and forth from good songs to cheesy over the top bullshit. I liked the songs “something for the weekend”, “becoming more like Alfie”, and “songs of love”, otherwise the rest is crap.
3.5
Bypassed me a bit, but did so pleasantly
We like the songs. The Father Ted song especially, and Something for the Weekend.
Quite an individual sound, niche even and not the kind of music I would listen to although aware of The Devine Comedy. Kind of grows on you, I thought would be a easy 2 stars but I think 3 more apt.
As always a plus one for horns. This album was not what I expected beaded on the first couple tracks. It gets a little experimental and weird in the middle there. Charge and Woman of the World were standouts for me. Not my favorite, but a fun and unique listen.
Decent but kinda weird
If Jack Skellington made a second album... Too many albums by this guy on this list. Sure, let's listen to one by this theatrical rock star to see what's up. But two means something else more interesting gets bumped off the list.
Weird but quite fun, not sure I'd listen to again but pleased I have now
Father Ted theme out of nowhere!
This was ok I guess. I tuned out a bit while listening, which speaks to how boring it was overall. It kind of reminds me of bad broadway or showtune music. Mehhhh.
Nach den ersten drei bis vier Stücken war ich ganz klar bei 4 Punkten. Dann begann mich die Sache aber zu nerven.
bit quirky and different, obviously on the nose
it was ok
No thanks
Kind of fun. Reminded me of nightmare before Xmas.
Well that was unexpected
Kind of anti-women through quite a few of the songs. I'm not sure if it's supposed to be based upon something or just misogyny. Decent music otherwise
I don't have any evidence to back this up but I blame this dude for influencing Alex Turner to sing the way that he does now.
Listenable, but just ok.
Den här plattan behöver de inte skämmas för.
Un album intéressant qui semble presque être écrit comme une comédie musicale. Le genre de chose sur lequel il faudra revenir plus tard...
Oye, me gustó! No lo esperaba, pero debí suponerlo después de ver y Wonka y disfrutar de sus canciones.
Bright and lively. Pleasant and fast moving. Smooth. Not challenging. Can't dance to it.
Interesting similar sounds of other artists, had never heard of them
A very quirky album, has a ton of British razzamatazz throughout. Quite showy/theatrical at times. A good listen, though nothing too catchy
Strange lyrics, tracks are alright
Music for smartarses made by a smartarse, but don't let that put you off. Many of the songs feel like they're being sung with a wry smile and eyebrow arched towards the sky and this can get a bit grating. It leans heavily of Scott Walker before he went weird with all the orchestral swells and backing. If you like baroque rock or chamber pop which feels like it's not taking itself too seriously this could be for you. My only issue is that I get the feeling he's not taking the listener too seriously either.... Best Tracks: Something For The Weekend; Becoming More Like Alfie; Songs of Love
fine. 2 stars. maybe 3.
3 - I wasn't crazy about this one, sadly. I listened to A Short Album About Love maybe a year ago and liked it, so I figured this would be good too, but I didn't like it nearly as much. I'm not really sure why. I guess this one feels less lush to me? There's just something different. Also, while I don't usually care about the lyrics, some of them felt a bit questionable. That's probably the point, but it kinda made me a little uncomfortable at points. Oh well, it's not a big deal.
I think if this album had dedicated to being more or less ironic I would have enjoyed it much more. As is its just ironic enough to be noticeable but not enough to avoid that "is this guy serious? What is this? Why would anyone say that?"
Interesting album. Judging by the cover, I was expecting to hate the album, but a few tracks into the record I started to enjoy it or at least settled into a comfortable mindset. Sort of odd and weird at times, I liked the music, kind of retro with appropriate orchestration and the sound sounded bigger than I was expecting.
I think The Divine Comedy is best enjoyed in small does - the OTT theatrics and clever-clever lyrics can get a bit much after a while. There's some good stuff on here though, and the Father Ted theme tune always puts me in a good mood.
It sounds super pretentious, but almost in a kind of fun way? The theme near the end is a little extra, but I can see why this would click for so many. C
I enjoyed this although it defies classification.
Pretty good.
I kinda fucking hate it. It's like bad broadway music, with mediocre cocktail hour singing. I don't really find it interesting - the instruments are either normal and boring, or unusual and bad. It's also like mediocre offbrand tony bennett. If I wasn't upset that I feel like it sucks, it might actually be good. So I feel like maybe I'm being too harsh to it for some reason. Giving it a 3 cuz it seems fine, but I want to give it a 2.
This has a lot of random moments that I liked. I should probably re-listen to this.
Pretty good
I like it better than the other Divine Comedy on the list from the Sinatra imitator backed up by a small classical orchestra in an alt rock style. Where A Short Album About Love is like In the Wee Small Hours, this one is more like Songs for Swingin Lovers. Much happier and energetic with a wacky New Wave-esque personality. It's creative but very messy. A lot of ideas clash with each other and make it a hard listen. Although less consistent than A Short Album About Love, this one a lot more diverse and intriguing, keeping my interest for most of the record, and thus I'm giving it another star, especially for having a few tracks I actually really enjoyed. If the record were more focused, less sensory overload, and cut out the really boring chanson tracks, it would get its 4th star. Favorites: Something for the Weekend, Becoming More Like Alfie
Decent
A special place lies in my heart for “The Diving Comedy”. Though this album was good, I’d always recommend “A Secret History…” but maybe that’s because I grew up with it…
Weird songs
Probably the most unique album I've listened to yet. Very musical
Good, but Something for the Weekend was the highlight. Had to play National Express after.
Easy listenable. Maybe 3.5 for the messages too, but I didnt listen closely
Yea it’s fine. Also, Father Ted theme!
Blijft weinig van hangen
Always felt that 2004's *Absent Friends* was the best Divine Comedy album. Its only problem was maybe that it was released quite a few years after Neil Hannon first attracted the spotlights with his snarky, witty-yet-impossibly-gorgeous chamber-pop act. Check out song "Our Mutual Friend" to hear him at the top of his game during this second stage of his career. 1996's *Casanova* is not so bad though, even it partly catered to a britpop sound that was far more standardized than Hannon's endearing usual chamber-pop shtick. Britpop was already a bit dated by 1996, ironically. But it didn't hurt The Divine Comedy's sales to go that way after two albums in the same understated vein, I imagine. Plus this LP features the iconic hit "Something For the Weekend", which can't hurt. I lived in England around 1999, and I remember hearing it all the time on the telly, even three years after its release. Good memories... The lyrics of "Becoming More Like Alfie" have not aged well, though: "Everyone knows no means yes / Just like free glasses come free on the NHS". It's a funny rhyme, I'll grant it to Hannon. And I know this here is mostly literary license in keeping with the album's theme of "Casanovas", including the bullies harrassing girls who think they're that titular character. But taken out of context, some folks might take this tune the wrong way today, understandably. In spite of its questionable chorus, the song yet remains pretty good, like many others on this generally endearing record. Musically speaking, there's the occasional overlong filler, sure. But ones like "Charge", for instance, are still welcome, as they serve the narrative conceit behind this concept album, with a battle scene for the ages in this particular case. I guess Hannon can be forgiven for many of his musical self-indulgences here.They're mostly used for the greater good that the album as a whole is. In the list of keepers, *Father Ted* surely made "Songs Of Love" famous, but that tender, mostly acoustic gem probably didn't need that to be remembered anyway. The same goes "The Frog Princess": being French, that "Marseillaise" interpolation in it cracks me up everytime, and the track is also one the best and catchiest compositions in this LP. And I love closer "The Dogs And The Horses", narrating the acceptance of upcoming death through a dusky, "pathetic" orchestration that's particularly fitting with the contents of the lyrics. What a bold way to end an album. So yep, good stuff. Yet as much as I like this record, I'm not so sure it's a *clear* candidate for a list like this. From 2023's standpoint, The Divine Comedy might be a bit of a niche act--one that could scare regular listeners with its many mannerisms and flourishes (*Absent Friends* would be a better entry point for them, I think). 1001 is a finite number, after all, so I'd rather err on the side of caution for my own list. Giving a 3/5 grade to *Casanova* for the purposes of this list, which translates to a 8/10 grade for more general purposes. (5+3) Next, please. Number of albums left to review: 453 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 255 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 131(including this one) Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 163
this seems clever maybe a bit too clever, i bet i would like it more if i didn’t already know the kinks, scott walker, and the monochrome set
I feel a little conflicted about this album. It's great in parts, with some excellent songwriting. But the Casanova persona conceit is not as funny as Hannon thinks it is, and it hasn't aged particularly well. The song that works best is also the most sincere; Songs Of Love. I also found it all a bit much in one go; a few songs is about my limit for this.
felt a little bit pretentious at times. I like the idea of "chamber pop," but I think it could be done better by someone else. only two really notable songs on this one
Sleazy perverted crooning, like a cousin of Jarvis Cocker. Unusual. Not particularly good, nor particularly bad. A sleazy 'n' cheesy 3 outta 5.
OK, but not really my bag
3.75
3. Enjoyable enough
Brit-Pop has always liked to imitate the later Beatles, but has also failed to realize what made the Beatles so great. 3/5
zaten leuke dingen tussen
Ja ook weer leuk
While all of his contemporaries were making britpop at the time, Neil Hannon was making fancy, prissy chamber pop. It's this sort of complex songwriting combined with Hannon's personality that makes this album seem more sophisticated than it actually is. Behind the strings and perhaps accentuated accent, The Divine Comedy is a rather brutish band. I struggle to really like this album because I can't look past how inauthentic it all is. Everything from the cover to the songs feel like a big act to make the music seem more nuanced than it actually is. It's well-produced, well-performed, but often comes across as a failure of artistic expression. And too much of it, for that matter.
Much easier to listen to than Duck Stab/Buster & Glen, but also much more forgettable. results in the same rating Nevermind, last minute +1 more star because Through a Long & Sleepless Night is nice
This album was okay. When about halfway through, I was certain this was going to be a two star album. The initial concept changed my mind.
Meh, funny lyrics like Beautiful South
I can't say I ever want to listen to the Divine Comedy myself but having to listen to it certainly made me appreciate it much more. I think they are a band I'd enjoy seeing live
Pop sinfónico
Interesting fusion of influences but not anything amazing
Took a while to get onboard, but ended up liking this album a bit. Not amazing, but definitely worth the journey.
Unpretentious silly shit and very much over-the-top. I've said it once, but I'll say it again... "If this guy and Ute Lemper got together and had a baby the world would explode."
Neil Hannon’s voice did not annoy me as much as last time.
Zapravo mi je jako dosadno. Tad su imali kultni status ali ova pompa u aranžmanima i sve , dosadno...
This reminds me of Brian LaFontaine, the singer on the Name that Tune segment from Conan Obrien!
Quirky. If intended as a parody, really hit the mark. If serious, doesn't hold up on today's woke world
Best sfeervol. Beetje croonerig, maar dat was het dan ook wel.
This is the second Divine Comedy album we've covered, which is strange considering I hadn't heard of them before this. I really don't know what I think about them. On one hand, some of their stuff seems musically interesting. But a lot of their songs seem kinda cringe. I guess it's trying to be funny or clever? But trying a little too hard, maybe? Something about the albums I've heard just don't sit right with me, despite checking a lot of my boxes. It's certainly original. But at the end of the day, I'm just not interested. When I was younger, I was a big Barenaked Ladies fan -- I feel as though I would have appreciated this more in those days.
Vocals are very reminiscent of David Bowie, overall sound is quite pleasant - not rock, but not pop either.
Oh good God not this again. Similarly to last time, while there is certainly stuff going on in this album, I was BORED out of my mind. However, this is slightly better than the other one (A Short Album About Love) because there were times I found the songs pleasant and relaxing.
I'm not usually much of a fan of the britpop stuff, but this was a fun album that caught me off guard. Good stuff!
Very chill and witty. I can hear some "future" Arctic Monkeys there.
1996, ирландский барокко-поп (орк-поп). Легкий, гармонично вплетена классическая музыка. Лидер Нил Хэннон. Третий студийный альбом (четвертый по чесноку, если считать первый провальный в стиле джэнгл-поп). Треки: позитивный Something for the weekend, мюзикальный Charge, надрывный Through a Long & Sleepless Night.
Bättre än väntat!
Sixth form common room memories from this
Some good songs, some crazy songs, some nice songs. It's hard to hate this but I don't love it either.
Good in parts
A solid three, two big singles and a high consistency of wit, arched eyebrow and glittery melodies all the way. and yes, Songs of Love is indeed the Father Ted theme.
I vaguely remember that we'd already received an album from this guy, and I'm sure I would have mentioned Scott Walker in my review, so I won’t do it again. I find most of the songs pleasant and listenable, with nice arrangements, tongue in cheek lyrics and the added bonus an occasional trombone or whistle solo. I like "Becoming More Like Alfie” and "The Frog Princess". The hit single doesn't really grab me. I'm impressed that someone would bring together (and pay) a twenty-piece orchestra for a 1996 album release. Between a 3 and 4 for me.
This is good and some really great tracks but it’s not overly interesting all throughout so I guess 3/5.
Nice
This is just not really my thing. I appreciate it for the quality though
A bit boring I found
Gotta say this is a constantly interesting album.
If only this had been released a year and a half earlier or 4 years later. Coming at the tail end of Britpop the fatigue was really setting in. There is some good Scott Walker/Vaudeville inspired sounds on hear but for me this album falls short of what Pulp had already done.
Nostalgic fun
Yeah. Good.
On a whole, I liked it, but there are several places where the songs drag on a bit.
Un Scott Walker reimaginat pels '90, amb la seva elegància, arranjaments de cambra i veu portentosa. La imatge i concepte supera les cançons, malauradament. Però tot i que no hi ha cap memorable, les sensacions generals són força bones i el disc és un treball molt complet
surprisingly not bad
Bit close to home this one (my sister's giggles open the first track); my least favorite of the three I was involved with by a long way. I encourage people to check out Liberation and (especially) Promenade, which are excellent
A bit...odd? I'm I the only one thinking that the singer sounds like a bargain bin Morrissey? Maybe I'm just losing my mind. It wasn't too bad, not too great either. I have no clue why such a middle of rhe road album is here. A 2.5 being bumped to 3.
Not bad. Not sure what it is about British pop and the sort of lounge-singer vibe. Don't love it.
The album is decent. The music is pretty good, but the weird pickup artist stuff at the beginning of some songs is kinda cringe. Favorite song: Woman of the world Worst song: Middle class heroes
Better than expected, pretty solid
divine comedy more like divine comedy of errors. joking, this is better than their others
I think I said this the last time I got a Divine Comedy album to review, but this sounds like it comes from another time. The difference really would be that Casanova mostly falls flat emotionally compared to the old orchestral pop sound The Divine Comedy is trying to emulate. I guess that's probably the point, but it doesn't make for a particularly engaging listen. Musically, the band is certainly interesting and Neil Hannon's performance has a certain aloof, theatrical flair. But it's hard to care about these songs or want to hear them again. The exception would be "Songs of Love," which is a delight. Fave Songs: Songs of Love, A Woman of the World, The Dogs & the Horses, Theme from Casanova, The Frog Princess, Through a Long & Sleepless Night
A bit melancholic in sound with a vibe that still sounds peppy? Also weirdly brooding in some ways. Just generally a bit odd.
Fine album. I don't feel like it's a masterpiece, but it give off musical theater vibes (in a good way). Best Songs: Songs of Love, Becoming More Like Alfie Worst Songs: In & Out of Paris & London, Middle-Class Heroes
Se laissait écouter. Un son assez intéressant. L'aspect baroque pop était bien fait.
If Type O Negative did a Vegas residency.
Not really my thing but had a decent ring to it
Ég hef aldrei dottið inn í Divine Comedy en þessi plata er fín!
I appreciate the level of weirdness in the ostensibly pop space, though at album length it’s not really my cup of tea. Again this thing where I found the lyrics too difficult to follow to appreciate much of what sounded like probably pretty clever stuff. It all got a little too operatic and showtune for me in the latter third.
Not mid. I feel like it’s either good or bad but I can’t tell which one.
It didn't take itself too seriously, and after the first few songs that won me over. I'd love to hear more of this guy's work, seriously a special talent here. 3.5/5
Some great tunes there but some not so much
Got more into this as it went on!
I can't decide whether this is complete pseudo-nonsense or whether I really like it... there are some really creepy lyrics in it, the style is all over the place, and it's all a bit mad, but there's something about it that's really interesting. I don't think I'll ever listen to the whole lot again, but there's a couple of tracks that I'll stick on a playlist somewhere. A fair 3 - could've been a 4 without the aggressive creepiness.
Nice listen. 3.5/5
The Divine Comedy is such and unexpectedly good artist 4 Reminds me of the Last Shadow Puppets, but less gay. And coupled with Rufus Wainwright. Except not really 3 Pretty interesting the whole way through Loved it.
electric album, theatrical almost? Just alright, 5/10
A different style, enjoyable and new for me
Not many albums make me feel as happy as this
Blew my mind that Songs of Love is the Father Ted theme tune. The rest of this is good, and Something for the Weekend is a great opener. Could have been a 4 but for a slightly weak back end.
Decent band in the background.
Not much to say... it's fine but definitely not interested in it. There's a joke here somewhere and it falls flat for me.
An interesting album that doesn't hide it's love for classic popular song writing of Rogers and Hart and Gershwin. No denying the lyrics are witty and the production lush and dramatic. An impressive nostalgic document. However it's all just a little too precious to keep me interested. At times I take not of the cleverness and a really lovely melody will wander by once in a while, but just not often enough to make me want to listen again. 3.5 🌟
Skeptisk till en början men det växte på mig - minus för sunk
Kammarpop är mysigt. Även om det är väldigt lättsmält.
bara allt í lagi
5/10. Musical music without a plot line. Meh
Don’t really care for the over-the-top orchestral tone of the album but a couple songs had an admirable vocal performance and the lyrics were pretty solid. 6/10
Honestly didn't care too much for this album. Lyrics were all about sex and I didn't enjoy the melodies either. It was just fine.
Some decently crafted tunes, but on the whole pretty dull.
The first songs are very enjoyable. The middle of the album is a little bit repetitive, but nothing too much different from any other Britpop. Finally, the end of the album has a feeling of something more experimental, but still pop. It's not too strange/experimental, but it's not pure Britpop anymore. The album deserves perfect 3 stars.
The joke almost goes on too long.
Strange but strangely delightful. It really brought to mind the inner musical monologue of a modern-day Casanova
Schlaues, nett-aber-nicht-harmloses Britpopgedudel, das mir mit seiner Theatralik minus Perfidie eines Jarvis Cocker aber damals nen Tick am Geschmack vorbeigeigte. Trotzdem: schönes Werk, kann man hier auf jeden Fall reinnehmen.