Casanova

#271 Heard Before? Yes. It's not my favorite Divine Comedy album, so only a couple of times. Notes: - it's tricky because the overstuffed arrangements are my favorite part of the album, but they tend to drown out the vocals and distract from the songwriting. - "Frog Princess" has everything I've ever wanted from Neil Hannon. So snarky it turns on itself and becomes genuine. Verdict: His most popular album for a reason. Boldly silly, painfully clever, loads of genre play and goofy references. Listen Again? Probably not, although the "Theme" (if not the whole album) really is the best starting point for his discography.

One of these songs used the same preset sound on keyboards that’s used in Mario 64’s Dire Dire Docks.

Pretentious pish

Sooooo boring.

David Bowie meets 90’s Brit Pop. This feels so pompous bro wtf is this. There’s a comedic element to it, and quite honestly I can’t tell if that’s by design or not. Super cheesy loungey esque music. What the fuck is “a woman of the world” man. It’s like if Ringo Starr, Neil Diamond and some pervert had a baby. Nothing stands out as fun for me here. I’d say the one song I came remotely close to enjoying was in & out of Paris & London.

What a weird first 15 second to the album. Who wants to open an album like that ? It just some overproduced 90's cheese. Not very good. Aa far as 90's baroque pop/chamber pop goes you could have picked many albums like Elliott Smith's "XO"(well I guess they picked figure 8, wich is weird because XO is better ,anyway) ,but this is like not it. I usualy dont like male vocalist with low voice and this guy isnt a exeption. And the songs are all similar, wich is usualy not the worst thing exept when your album is bad. It makes the whole thing feel so much longuer than 50 minutes. "Charge" is probably the most dogshit song ive heard all week.

I’d call this “Cheesy lounge singing” but that would be an insult to cheesy lounge singing. The music is entertaining but ultimately this is not worth listening to. …like ever. The truly scary part is this was the band’s breakthrough album. What the hell did the other albums sound like if this was the good one?

Casanothanks.

1.5/5 mayb need to listen more but not a fan

2 parce que c'est pas inécoutable, mais c'est pas loin.

WTF.... Worst one yet.

2.1

This guy sounds creepy and weird. The kind you’d want to keep your drink in sight around.

"The futon of dreams fufilled" "I contemplate my navel hair, and slowly slide into despair" "The casualties of sex, the child of 3 with xray specs" These are lines written by someone who is trying way too hard, yet has created nothing of quality. Also...someone who should not be left unattended in the presence of children.

Not sure what to make of this guy. Can’t tell if it’s satire, a long lost brother of Jarvis Cocker, or deadly serious.

Irish lads from enniskillen, about an hour north of Cavan

So this turned out to be thought-provoking more than anything else. The thoughts all started with the 2nd track which immediately sounded like a post 1990s Morrissey song - at least lyrically - in terms of delivery, the banal observations, and somewhat contradictory or flat conclusions to line before (i.e. throwing arms around Paris because only stone and steel accept my love). As the album progressed the instances become more obvious and I began to openly wonder if Morrissey - ever in search of his 1980s genius - simple chose to copy this artist for everything he's done since the late 1990s. So is this guy the chicken, the egg, or the chicken again? I've made no effort to research his background or subsequent work - I try to approach these albums on the basis of what I listen to only, on a single day. I am going to grade the album a 3 with an asterisk to come back and revisit when the project ends. 3/5

This was actually a pretty nice album, I left it in the background and it was quite enjoyable and relatively chill. There are songs that are a bit meh but that's okay.

At first I read some of the most popular reviews and I was like "Is this guy a rapist, like what else could you be saying here no means yes applies" Then I turned on random reviews and learned it is a concept album about a guy and the singer was criticizing him for his actions. Other than that, I don't think the album tells its story very ell and I think it could be better if it was about a different topic and it wasn't a concept album. The songs themselves are very good but it's hard to not be good when you have some of the most skilled up and coming musicians behind you. Nice listen though, nice pop. Highlights: Something for the Weekend and The Frog Princess Honorable mention: Through a Long and Sleepless Night 7/10

I'm not really sure what I'm supposed to get from this one. The album is full of literary and musical references, but it doesn't often take those anywhere interesting. There are some extremely tortured metaphors and some meta themes that come across as annoying rather than clever. I wouldn't have ever reached for this album to put on the list, and I don't expect I'll ever come back to it again. There were some moments I liked, but I think every track had at least a little something that rubbed me the wrong way. Unfortunately this album falls into the fatal combination of boring + annoying + derivative in my opinion. I can see how someone might like it, but that person is not me. I will say I think that I liked the last half of the album more than the beginning (which I strongly disliked), but I'm not going to listen through this again to verify that instinct. Favorite track: "Charge." I'm not sure if this is my actual favorite, but it stuck out as kind of interesting and a good example of the strengths (and weaknesses) of this album. I could also put up with "The Dogs & the Horses."

Really enjoyed

Deze dude ligt mij gewoon echt voor geen ene meter, wat kut. Tbh is het interessanter dan het andere album van 'm op deze lijst, dus geen 1, maar 2 sterren

Geen idee hoe dit verhoudt tot het vorige album van deze gast, maar echt stomverbaasd dat hij nog een keer langs komt. Doe normaal zeg. Klinkt muzikaal niet verschrikkelijk, maar ik kan zo 10 artiesten noemen die erop lijken en een stuk meer te bieden hebben.

I'm not a big fan of satirical, theatrical, songwriting like is found on this album. It's probably why I have a hard time stomaching Scott Walker, who Neil Hannon of Divine Comedy must idolize. That said, I rather enjoyed much of this album with its bawdy, womanizing characters involved in sketchy situations. There are very good arrangements and orchestration. And, hell, it even has the theme song of "Father Ted," the song "Songs of Love." Overall, this album is too clever for its own good and I was ready for it to be over long before it was.

From reading these user reviews, people these days really struggle with media literacy, taking everything at face value, and cant understand that artists can play characters and be tongue in cheek. It is a bit much for me at times with the Scott Walker-esque theatrics, but consistently interesting at least, and some of the arrangements here are great. Also didnt know about the Father Ted connection, cool link and great melody on Songs of Love

Great fun album, not every track lands but love Something For The Weekend, Becoming More Like Alfie and Father Ted theme Songs of Love.

C’est comme ça que je m’imagine un musical, y’a un petit truc épique qui me déplaît pas

Vincent Price has traded the haunted mansion for a hotel lounge, and he’s absolutely certain you’ll be joining him upstairs after his set.

Lounge music from the point of view of a toxic male protagonist. I’m hoping this whole project is an example of British “humor”. I need a British person to explain to me how this actually made it to their charts in 1996.

I mean, it's alright, and I genuinely enjoyed the first two tracks, and the massive love ballad 'The Frog Princess' deeper in, a genuinely great track. But again, I ask what's the point of this being here. I don't know much about this guy, but I can't say I'm the biggest fan; he can be way too much, and his wit doesn't feel natural. I think the word I'm looking for to describe this album is "try hard". So many of these songs, be they the closer or, most egregiously, 'The Long and Sleepless Nights', have these bombastic and explosive endings that just sound so cramped and overly animated while obviously trying to be grandiose and climactic. Lyrically, it's decent and a somewhat redeeming factor here; I do like the satirical edge to 'Change', despite the song structure being far too gimmicky and quite frankly annoying. I guess when it comes to the not-so-great obscure UK indie entries from this list, this is probably on the better side. But still, too long and exhausting for my liking, despite the few genuinely great songs here.

This is one of those albums that I genuinely think “why is this on the list”? Because it’s not different or special at all. There’s no way I’d have listened to this when it came out, I suspect it was critically acclaimed because the music press hated Oasis and this is the exact opposite. Casa-NO THANKS.

“No means yes”, “Oriental”, and whatever the fuck “Charge” was. And that’s not even to mention the weird chamber music that comprises the second half. Better than the other Divine Comedy album here, but that’s a low bar.

Painful start to finish

Pues tiene 2 de sus canciones favoritas para mí de él y otras dos muy buenas, le daría un 4, pero lo voy a dejar en 3. Me guardo: Something for the weekend, Becoming more like Alfie, Songs of love y The frog prinmcess.

It was different enough to be interesting but I don’t need to hear it again.

One of the most ill-conceived pastiches of chanson and chamber pop styles I think I've heard. And I've heard some bad ones on this list. I'm sure he thinks he's doing something cool and fun and inhabiting a genre in need of some new life. But it's in his head cause this is just some straight garbage with absolutely nothing to latch on to. Utter shite mate.

A few hits (in my world) such as "In & Out of Paris & London", "A Woman of The World" and my favorite "Through A Long & Sleepless Night".. I had an alright time, but this album is not nearly as good as "Absent Friends".. Thank you ❤️

Het eerste album dat ik van deze artiest kreeg had als pluspunt dat het slechts een half uurtje duurde. Deze duurt bijna het dubbele, grof afgerond. En dat is jammer. Een snobalbum voor theaterliefhebbers. Zet dan toch gewoon Bowie aan, als je dit leuk vind. 2 sterren van mij.

Never heard of this band before and didn't recognize any of these songs. It was enjoyable overall. I liked the instrumental suite toward the end.

Well I reached a milestone with this album as it is number 100. I had hoped for a different one to highlight this fact as I had no clue what to expect from this. Never heard of this band or album and don't recognize any of the tracks, so this is totally new to me. Really British, with a singer who sometimes thinks he is Frank Sinatra. I must say some of the tunes are quite catchy and it was fun to hear it for once. A review referred to Scott Walker which I had a few weeks ago also, and indeed I did not think of it myself but can hear the influences. I also thought I heard influences from other genuinely British acts like Elton John, Soft Cell, and even sections in "A Woman of the World" that remind me of Madness. It is an interesting album and nothing like I usually listen to. The sound is quite "crowded" and a lot is happening which probably requires a few more listenings. Some parts, like the track "Charge," are quite over the top I must say. I especially like the trumpet that comes along several times. Turns out they used a massive ensemble for this record featuring a full string section, woodwinds, and brass, which explains why it sounds like a lavish West End stage production come to life. Also quite some xylophone sounds were reaching my ears which I thought makes it a bit cheesy and outdated. Overall, it feels less like a traditional rock album and more like the elaborate soundtrack to a theatrical musical.

He's a great musician and I like how unique his voice is but this got really really annoying towards the end. I'll give it a 2

Rydman-konseptialbumi. Ihan tosi bängeri. Tosi hauskoja tiluja ja matala laulu sopii tosi hyvin poppikohtiinkin. Depeche mode ja morrisey ja tukkarokki ja kaikki hauskat maailmat sulautuu. Mutta pitkäksi käy!!! Lopulta.

Tässä oli paikotellen ihan söpöjäkin hetkiä niinku Songs of Love ja The Frog Princess, mut kokonaisuus tuntu aika venytetyltä ja työläältä. Ei jotenkin napannut mukanaan ja parhaimmillaankin oli musta vaan aivan jees.

Vähän limanen, mut kuulu varmaan teemaan. Parani loppua kohti. Theme From Casanovan myötä olin vakuuttunut että laulu ei oikein isken mulle.

Eiii lähteny. Ihme taidepoppia joka jotenkin vaikutti siltä et yrittää tahalleen kuulostaa ärsyttävältä.

I wonder if anyone has ever formed a band for the sole purpose of being so annoying that people would pay money to punch them in the face so that they could make a living just off getting punched in the face and I wonder if The Divine Comedy is that band and I wonder what they charge?

Overall Rating - 1.59/5 (3.18/10). If this album were released today, I'd call it "Music For the Cornell Seven." The lyrics make my skin crawl and the cover makes me want to cover my beverage, and I'm the only person in my house. Penalty for the super creepy, cover your drink even if you're alone feel of the album cover.

Seems like a good band, this one falls short of a 5 but I can definitely listen to more of this band. 4/5

An ambitious bedroom musical loosely based on the writings of Giacomo Casanova, depicting the idiosyncrasies of the modern man with a pinch of irony. On paper this album sounds amazing, and there are elements I enjoyed. There were some genuine moments that made me laugh - like the reveal in “Something for the Weekend” that the garden shed contained an ambush, the later reference to that moment in “Charge”, or the intro to “Songs of Love”. I also enjoyed the instrumentation, vocal performance, musical variety and catchy melodies. At its strongest moments "Casanova" feels grand and flamboyant, like a Broadway musical. Still, the album failed to grab me. I didn’t like the songwriting. Lines like “I met a girl, she was a frog princess, and yes I regret it now - but how was I to know that one kiss could turn a frog into a cow?” try to be tongue-in-cheek and poetic, but mostly feel like the written output of a middle schooler. “Through a Long and Sleepless Night” is a barrage of simple A/B rhymes. There were a few clever lines, but they were the exception rather than the rule. While there is variety, most forays into different genres don’t really pan out. The metal aesthetic in “Charge” feels like a barking Chihuahua. Given the topic of the song that might have been intentional, but I found it grating, almost annoying. My main gripe is that most of the songs try to shine an ironic light on the modern man, but at times end up reinforcing old-school gender stereotypes: men want to bang, men want to fight, men get tricked by beautiful women and don’t like successful ones. I have trouble vibing with this; not because it isn’t true, but because we need to abandon this narrative, not enforce it. In defence of the album, I think it’s a victim of its time. In the early 2000s the stereotypical womaniser still had some intrigue; but 2026 is the age of the incels. Ultimately I like what the album is going for and think it’s solid from a musical standpoint, but the songwriting and lyrics are not for me. A decent to strong 2.

If there was an album by The Beautiful South where they learned how to boogie, here is that album. Lyrically sharp and delightfully dramatic, Casanova is worth multiple listens, with or without the feather boa.

This was a welcome change of pace in my journey. Although the songs can get a bit loud, sometimes becoming distracting, the nihilistic joy contained within still came through. The album walks the thin line between dire seriousness and childlike amusement, inviting the listener to laugh about the tragedies of life. Personally, the atmosphere was additionally helped by the thick accent, which added a layer of comedy. I can find little fault with this album, but it didn't have me rolling on the floor either. Yet I find that this is actually an advantage if it is played in the company of others, as it is amusing enough to be entertaining but not too invasive to ruin the atmosphere. Best songs are Middle-Class Heroes and The Frog Priness. 8/10, a welcome piece of dry humor.

I didn’t really enjoy this. National Express being overplayed in the 90s did it for me with most of The Divine Comedy tracks/albums/back catalogue.

Marvellous.

my god this is completely unlistenable lol. I muscled through but this is just the dregs of 90s britpop. listen to Edwyn Collins or something.

Fine enough, but I didn’t finish it.

Hated the voice and the singer. that was just bad. almost deserving of a 1.

Never heard of this before —- and probably won’t go back. But I didn’t mind it as some new background music. 3

Faded into the background and disappeared from my brain entirely. 5/10 Decent

Better than the other Divine Comedy album on here but still not great. Would recommend to fans of musical theater maybe? Favorite track is "A Woman of the World" just because of those sweet horns. Favorite track: A Woman of the World

Buttery voice singing about sex over a great backing with some horns to back it up? Good for me. The frog princess song was great.

I thought it was Interesting

I thought the Divine Comedy wasn’t going to make it to Paradise, but then The Frog Princess came on 🌅

This guy seems to really enjoy making songs and music.

I hate the open. This sounds like advanced elevator music. Like someone took Girl from Ipanema and decided to try and turn it into a generic indie rock album, but only succeeded in stripping away the beauty. I feel sick, get this shit outta here! 1/5.

Quirky. 🤔

At first it was a bit jaring, what the hell is that ? I was perplexed by the cookiness, and that often is a double edged sword, it can be good absurdity, or a terrible waste of time. As it unfolds, realizing it's a comedy album, I sat on my fence. While I don't vibe with it all that much, and the songs are long and the whole album feels too scattered, I do think it succeeded in what it tried to do. It is the sleazy older man soundtrack, the Casanova, going through hell and meeting different people like in the divine comedy. It is more clever than it appears, it has a concept, references, tries to parody and successfully shocks. Do I need it in my life, not really, but I understand and respect the swing.

Why do we need more of Dollar Tree Scott Walker?

Did not need this one.

Sounds like a frank zappa bossanova record.

Ireland, blink twice if England made you produce this album. 🤮

through a long and sleepless night is highkey the standout to me . nikola vidmar manic dysphoria at 3 am moments . poor thing

will wood listened to this but i can't prove it

Why does he sound like Jerry from Rick and Morty?

Мне прям очень зашел, один из моих любимых альбомов которые пока что попадались 🔥

Hipster cringe. Not even the association with Father Ted can really save it.

Bowie called and he loved this. Woah I wanna give this another listen immediately. It’s so unique and a fresh piece of art. It mixes so much of what we have heard in the past with what more is to come, I hear the 2010 indie influence too. I wanna give this another listen soon because it’s just way too theatrical

What an album! A couple of commercial successes that were recognisable but the rest were a joyous orchestral discovery that really showcases Neil Hannons versatility and talent. The tilt of the male interest is a little uncomfortable at times but remembering that the outcome is not good for them and that this is parody helps ease that and the musicality more than makes up for any unease.

Ehh, it was fine. I didn't really dislike it or whatever, but it's not to my tastes. Too lounge-y or croon-y, I guess.

everything about this is so cool i’m enchanted

C’est sympa. L’orchestre est bien je trouve et rompt avec la voix rauque du chanteur. Les musiques varient donc ça s’écoute. Un album anglais centré sur le sexe, je connais son qui es dans le thème avec ton voyage à Cambridge

This is so good. I enjoyed this a lot.

Casanova was certainly something, i will give it that. Apparently Neil Hannon was playing a character for this album and this character is a complete creep who has no concept of consent and thinks that any girl that rejects him is just playing hard to get. It's good that one of the discord server members said that Neil Hannon isn't like that in real life and was just playing a character or i would have given this album a 2 due to the creepy lyrics. The music itself is also very lovely and definitely did a lot of carrying for this album. So if this album were to start at a 1, it gets 1 star for having solid music and another for good marketing. Best Song: Theme from Casanova Worst Song: Becoming More Like Alfie

I couldnt work out if it was taking the piss and I wasnt quite getting it or really serious. I decided it was an attempt at satire. Wasnt my thing really but wasnt actully that bad, theres worse shit on the list.

Well, I didn't *dislike* it. It feels a bit like a joke that you're not actually in on. Is it serious, or tongue-in-cheek? I don't think I'll listen again.

This was a very strange album. I actually really liked the opening track but then it pretty much went downhill. There were some fun moments on here and felt very original, but just not something I need to revisit. Top Songs: Something for the Weekend, Songs of Love, Theme from Casanova

Started out thinking I was going to like this, but that thought lasted about a minute.

a few curious moments, but a good listen

sounds like so many of the pop bands out of the UK during this era and though they do not pretend to be anything they are not this is just too much like so many other albums that including it on a must listen list is a bit of a stretch. Not a 1 star effort but definitely can't be more than a 3-star even if you are a fan.

Clever dick lyrics over self congratulatory smug music.

I give these guys credit for a unique, chamber-pop take on Britpop. They have a bunch of ideas and execute fine. It’s not to my taste though

The interesting thing about this book is that you'll get a good amount of 90s and early 2000s albums that the authors probably predicted would age well. This album is a perfect example. And... Well eh. I actually didn't hate this take at 90s britpop. But overall this was too orchestra themed for my liking. It actually seems to be screaming one thing the whole time. "Where is the star power?". No disrespect to Hannon, but I just didn't feel something truly unforgettable. I remember the first time I listened to Oasis, Blur Pulp etc. But I will say this. It stuck with me as something that was interesting as a first listen, and it wasn't hard to get through the entire album. However, most of the themes of this album, I could find better explored elsewhere, both britpop and other genres. If I could do 2.5/5 I would. However, I imagine I will hear worse. Therefore. 3/5

It's like a crossover between Geordie Greep and a Shrek movie soundtrack sung by a Lord Farquad impersonator

Top notch!

What the fuck was that? A sleazy, churlish, melodramaic, uninspired, insipid album that doesn't deserve more of a review. Fav tracks: Songs of Love, A Woman of the World

This one was boring. At the height of BritPop, not sure who was getting excited for TDC but it sounds even worse today.

oh god. I hated this. so show boaty.

The theater style songs are something I often like, but none of them were very memorable

Didn’t listen to the whole thing. Boring!

God, It's a bit melodramatic and operatic. It kind of improved as the album progressed though. I know what they are capable of because I have listened to other albums of theirs, but this just did not excite me enough. There were a few good songs but for the most part was un-exciting. Through a long and sleepless night was my standout track. borderline 3 stars

I love a character song and a over-instrumented pop song but I think I draw the line at doing a funny voice in every song. I know it's a comedy - I don't know if I'd call it divine though! 😂😂😂