A Short Album About Love

Now this is peak fucking Gen X garbage lol. At least it's only half an hour. Congrats man, it's the 1990s and you're pretending to be Sinatra. Aren't you just fucking ironic. 2/5.

“A Short Album About Love” by The Divine Comedy (1997) Love songs including such laughably memorable lines as “If you were a horse, I’d clean the crap out of your stable” and “You are the way, the truth, and the life” (Where have I heard that line before?). Look, a good love song has to have lyrics you’d imagine singing to your beloved. Not on this album. These songs tread aimlessly in the broad space between passion and goofiness. Frontman/lyricist Neil Hannon is either joshing, deranged, or both. Quirky compositions with startlingly conventional arrangements poorly sung with backing instrumentals performed with eye rolling you can actually feel. Orchestra abuse. This sound is a late 1990s throwback to the worst aspects of late 1960s commercial pop. Not fit for a serious listen. He’s putting us on. 1/5

I gave this album three listens, trying to give it the benefit of the doubt. But every listen, the only part that caught my attention was when he started talking about how he wished his lover was a horse or a dog. Okay buddy.

Lo, as the generator has felt it necessary to unleash a period of unprecedented fallowness one year into my journey, ‘tis befitting that the wretched beast of recommendations should bestow upon me a band whose moniker is The Divine Comedy…For now, truly, I must ponder which of the nine circles of hell I inhabit.

This should have been cleaned out with the stable

Outrageously beautiful and beautifully outrageous (If... you were a horse I'd clean the crap out of your stable and never once complain). Orchestral and theatrical, first impression was Bowie but I think it's more Scott Walker. I assume Father John and Kirin J take a lot out of this kind of thing. Pretty impressive it was all recorded live as well.

Just what I’ve been looking for. Thank you.

If the lyrics took a more serious or less comedic tone, this album could easily be a 5 based on its production and composition. It was a pleasant surprise and an enjoyable listen.

Divine? No. Comedy? Perhaps. Short album? Not short enough.

Hated it at first, but some of the lyrics grew on me. Still don't need it in my life.

Wow I really hated this. This is the closest I've come to giving a one star since U2. Gonna have to really think about it.

Nice, but what’s with all the horses?

His deep, baritone croon has never sounded more affecting, and his songs are easily among his best, making A Short Album About Love much more than a record for hardcore fans.

Oooh look, it's more 1990s British indie rock. I remember the name, but not any of their songs/albums. To be fair, this one is reasonably decent. Although considered a studio album, it was recorded live in a concert hall with a small orchestra and an audience (though thankfully you can't tell on the album that this was a live show). They are songs... about love, ranging from the romantic to the absurdist and twee. "If you were a horse, I'd clean the crap out of your stable" is a great line to sing with earnestness against orchestral accompaniment. I'm not opposed to orchestral pop, and the guy's voice does suit this setup. A bit like the Springsteen record, I can appreciate the craft and I wouldn't object to hearing their other material. But I'm not falling in love with this record. 3.5

most of my reviews for this series are my first impressions upon completing a full listen of the album in question, but this one beckoned me to listen to it twice. I'm extremely glad I did. across just 7 songs and 32 minutes, Neil Hannon and The Divine Comedy manage to capture romance from every conceivable angle and emotion. lovesick euphoria, desperate loneliness, deeply toxic codependency, melancholy self-reflection on one's wrongdoings in a relationship. if you've ever been in love with somebody, especially if it didn't end well due to your own shortcomings as a partner, some of this stuff will wreck you. the one-two punch of "If..." and "If I Were You (I'd Be Through With Me)" almost brought me to tears. Joby Talbot's orchestral arrangements are stupendous, oozing with just the right amount of melodrama and cheese, and a few genuinely shocking moments, particularly the screeching cluster chords at the end of "If...". I love the live feel this recording captures. a lot of orchestral pop can feel like the orchestra and the pop are in two separate rooms, and that's very much not the case here. I was reminded a lot of the Scott Walker album I listened to just a day before this, Scott 2, though I think I'd much sooner return to the songs offered up here. there's some fantastic compositional and orchestrational moments strewn across all these tracks, and they range from bombastic symphonic rock to tender chamber music. again, it's a lot of stylistic and emotional range squeezed into a pretty small package. I love moments in this challenge where an album I'd never heard of before just completely captures me. decent 9/10.

A Short Review About An Ok Album (2.5/5)

I love the full instrumental, but get tired of his voice, so there's only so much I can take. I didn't love this

I think their greatest hits would have been a better option here. It includes the Father Ted theme song.

Terrible 1/5

Awful

Another one my Irish relatives won't be pleased about. Can't stand this band. Can't even muster any objectivity. 1/10 (ahh yeah that felt good)

Bloody shite

I gave this a try but failed to see the magic.

Didn’t completely hate it but definitely a weird album. I love my horse wife.

maybe i'm missing something but i found this quite corny and overdone. is it supposed to be like that?

A tad too mushy, wasn’t feeling it. Didn’t really like any songs or melodies. Decent 3

I feel like this album is from a Broadway musical.

Do people actually enjoy this? 1.71

Overwrought, pretentious and cheesy all at the same time. “Everybody Knows” was the best of the bunch.

Zzzzzzz... Its very short though so kudos for that.

chamber pop more like chamber pot if I were a horse I'd still give this a bad review

Is this a serious album? Or deeply unserious? It's only thanks to this list that I now understand this builds on Scott Walker's legacy. It combines orchestra, over the top crooning, and absolutely ridiculous lyrics. The reoccurring themes that stood out to me in this 30 minutes: mostly dog and horse metaphors. This is theater farce. Is it interesting? Sure. Would I repeat it? Nope.

I like the use of organs, horns, and especially strings on this album. It creates a very retro feel, a la Billy Joel’s An Innocent Man, but mellower (and, in my opinion, far inferior). Unfortunately, the commitment to a 50s/60s-era sound means the percussion (and instrumentation as a whole) isn’t very interesting. The vocal is often brash when loud and very weak when quiet; it doesn’t ever find the right timbre. They’re fun songs, but there’s plenty to fault. The main limiting factor preventing this from being higher than a 2 is that “spark” – anything exciting or inventive. Also, the solemnly-delivered lyric “You’re a horse, I’d clean the crap out of your stable” made me take the album a lot less seriously. Key tracks: In Pursuit of Happiness

Don’t really remember any of the songs.

Mercifully short thankfully, nothing inspired or engaging coming out of this one. A weird combo of sometimes country, sometimes showtune takes two of my more challenging genres and doesn’t do much of anything worthwhile with them, and the vocals aren’t doing the whole thing any favors.

Very orchestral, feels very much like a broadway show. Sticking to one topic, especially one as broad and nebulous as "love", does get saccharine after a while. Favorite track: "I'm All You Need"

Best Song: If... It turns out the true Divine Comedy was him making two horse-based love metaphors in a row - one about cleaning up his horse-lover's poop and the other about riding his horse-lover all night long - and deciding to lead with the poop one. Worst Song: Timewatching. Grossly theatrical melodrama. Overall: It's not terrible, but it mostly just sounds like the soundtrack to a dinner theatre show. Hopefully the food was better than the show.

Haters rejoice, something everyone can agree is terrible and out of place. If this guy and Ute Lemper got together and had a baby the world would explode.

Didn't vibe with this one whatsoever. It was just mind-numbingly boring and I ended up tuning most of it out as background noise. It was a late 90s album trying to sound "retro", I guess? It calls back to mid-century easy listening albums, and I think it still kind of fails at that. It's like if a PT Cruiser was an album. The orchestral aspects of this were pretty neat for a bit, but it didn't save it for me. At least this was true to its name: it was indeed short. Favourite: In Pursuit of Happiness

Very quickly learning that if there is a UK band I've never heard of on the list, it's for a good reason. There is absolutely no reality in which it was necessary to listen to this, ever. 2 stars for being shit, -1 for wasting my damn time.

Well? What can ya say? He wants to be a crooner, like Frank, but ... can you imagine Frank Sinatra singing those lyrics? Come on man ...

The only thing comedic about this album is how astonishingly bad it is.

This band is not good

A short album of shit.

The Divine Comedy is all of the bets parts of John Hawley with none of the boredom

I was fooled by the schmaltzy music..... when I started actually paying attention to the lyrics, I was entertained. Sad. But entertained.

Really enjoyed this from start to finish, thought despite it being an album about love it offered a good variety of perspectives and was sufficiently varied musically to never be boring. Thought the production was solid and enjoyed the grandiose elements, along with the humourous lyrics that really set it apart from a lot of other albums from this era included on the list, which are a bit too self-serious at times

DC at it's peak. Majestic vocal performance demanding an orchestra and a world of yore to muse upon.

Sorry everyone, I love this so much. I’m the exact kind of sappy romantic this was meant for. That line about the horse IS dumb that’s what makes it great. It’s so bombastic and over the top and dumb. It’s like falling in love. It’s wonderful

This made me laugh and I enjoyed it

This album was great and I forgot about this band. Very pleased this came up. Lyrics are quality 😄

Banger

I'm going for it. This album is the sort of thing I love about this list. It is kind of weird, very direct, full of passion and its own style, and is great to listen to. I was fighting between a 4 or 5 but after my fourth listen I realized I was fighting it down because it felt odd to give it such a great rating; I'm doing it the same way they did. Putting something down that feels right and makes me smile even if other things could be better or more fitting. Great voice.

When I started this album during my morning drive I did so with apprehensions. The chamber pop and humorous nature at times had me cautious. I also realized I had heard the opening track before. As I reached the end of my first listen, and thought about it I didn't have any complaints. The production was solid, the album length appreciated. Second listen during my lunch I found myself getting lost in it at times. Felt some Bowie energy. During the drive home (third listen) it crossed my mind that I think this is a four or five. Fourth listen writing this whole review. This is an album. Cohesive, thematic, not repetitive and not over compressed like many albums of the era. Each track kind of keeps building until the end. Some nice trumpets

im sad ive never heard this piece of baroque pop before! almost as sad as i was to learn that "everyone knows (except you)" was the breakout hit, when it is objectively the worst song on the album

This is a good album. I don't like all their stuff, but I surprisingly have to give this one a 5. Kinda like a happier magnetic fields, or a piano-forward jam band.

Maybe it's because I'm lying sick in bed, but this Album gave me a nice trip without any drugs 5/5

The Divine Comedy are one of my all time top five acts so I loved this album. It was released at a time when love was an all consuming desire, and the comic turns of phrase made me feel like I was in on a joke. No one can make me dislike this album.

Really enjoyed this all the way around. Don’t have a favorite song, all were lovely.

Alright, I'll admit it, I have loved The Divine Comedy for more than thirty years. I almost knew what my review was going to be before even having to listen - until I read some of the others here. Couple of general (and one specific) retorts. First and foremost - the clue is in the name of the band. Third word, six leters, starts with C, ends in Y. For this album, the comedy comes both from the absurdity of romance and its destructiveness. It's a version of "would you still love me if I was a worm?" set to massively indulgent orchestral music. Hannon's previous work was more overtly whimsical, and there is an argument that he owes considerable success to his involvement in one of the most popular comedy television shows of the 90s (Father Ted, now impossibly tainted by the repugnant views of its creator) - but people coming to this album without that context may not be clued in to that. It is tempting to quote Mansun's Open Letter to the Lyrical Trainspotter, from the year before this album - "The lyrics aren't supposed to mean that much, they're just a vehicle for a lovely voice" - but that does Hannon a disservice. The lyrics are crucial to appreciating (not enjoying) this album. You can enjoy it just fine by regarding the lyrics as the vehicle for a lovely voice - because Hannon really does have a lovely voice. To really appreciate the album though, you have to acknowledge that the lyrics are deliberate. Juvenile, outrageous, puerile, vicious, ecstatic, and above all - absurd. Just like love. Hannon really knows what he's doing, and this mostly very good album fits snugly into his ouvre. It nestles between the burnt bitterness of Cassanova and the introspection, soul searching and awakening of Fin de Siècle, and knowing any of this should help with the appreciation of it. If you want to. If you don't, then just use it as a mechanism for hearing saccharine orchestra and a beautiful baratone singing stuff. Or don't. You see, the thing about us Gen Xers is that we don't really care what you do.

Yes, he nicked Scott Walker's sound, but the music does sound like Scott Walker, so 5 stars.

Don't listen to any of these retards spouting nonsense about this album being bad, this is for the lovers only. So far the highlight of this whole thing along with L.A Woman (day 16)

I liked the bit about hanging out with sheep in succulent pastures xx

timewatching is kind of a dip, but can’t be denied that this is strong!! sounds great & has some of his most clever writing

A perfect slice of chamber pop with show tune qualities.

Epic

I’ll be in the minority and say I loved this. It was way better than Scott Walker, IMO. The lyrics weren’t dumb, they were purposefully ridiculous at times. I liked it.

Love this lots! I was just listening to Neil Hannon singing with Ute Lemper the other day and remembering how much I love him and The Divine Comedy. I don't say this often, but I wouldn't have minded a longer album about love.

I think we’re at the point in this project where 75% of my notes are going to start with, “Really? [insert name of artist] again???” Other than my being surprised that I must listen to (at least) two (and a half if we count Ute Lemper’s Punishing Kiss) albums by The Divine Comedy before I die, I really enjoyed all the theatrics. We’ve had some dramatic outings here in the last several days and I am here for it!

My biggest complain about “a short album about love” is the ‘short’ part. Fortunately, the 2020 Reissue more than doubles the runtime with some additional great tracks, including a Bert Bacharach/Hal David tune (Make It Easy On Yourself) - something I’ve wanted to hear from The Divine Comedy since listening to the previous album. What can I say, this album is a glorious collection of love songs! “Hey, don't be suprised, if millions die in plague and murder, True happiness lies beyond your fries and happy burger.” “I told the passersby, I made a small boy cry And I'll get through to you if it's the last thing that I do.” “I need to be someone’s somebody.” “If you were a horse I'd clean the crap out of your stable And never once complain.” “And if I were you I wouldn’t let the shit you get from me get the better of you.” “When I fall behind in the quest for pleasure I shall treasure this short time with you.” “Don't look a horse in the mouth, Don't let a frog get you down, Dragging you round like a dog on a lead, I'm all you need.” I LOVE this album! TERRIFIC!

Great album not something id listen to but great 👍🏾

Didn't know them. Love it.

This came as a surprise. I never before heard of this band. Pleasing songs with a fantastic instrumentation—both the arrangements and the execution in collaboration with The Brunel Ensemble.

Neil Hannon is one of the most underrated songwriters of the last 30 years.

Love love love it, uplifting and wry all at once

This was really weird and unexpected but I love crooning so 5 stars hell yea

Was going to give it a 4 but giving it a 5 to balance out everyone who's given it 1 or 2 because "the lyrics are silly"

It’s a hard tightrope to walk - bridging a gap between swooningly earnest romance and knowingly humorous cynicism. But with great songs. And an orchestra. This is the absolute apex of Neil Hannon’s Divine Comedy, where the band synthesised The Smiths, Scott Walker and 60’s pop into something truly magnificent. Only 7 tracks, each one perfect. In Pursuit of Happiness is breathtaking in where the orchestration runs to from the single guitar it starts with. Everybody Knows is just a great pop song - and has a genuinely laugh out loud line about making a small boy cry. Someone just a great love song about longing If… I wrote about this for my English A Levels. Just so clever the way the nasty heart of the song is hidden inside what initially seem comedic lyrics. If I Were You is another great pop song Time watching is an update of a track from his first album and is starkly dramatic with just the strings and his voice. I’m all you need another great orchestral piece I wouldn’t change a note on this album The covers of Johnny Mathis’ Feet and Make it Easy On Yourself on the extended edition are well worth checking out as well

Here is a prime example of why I wanted to start this project: To discover some unique hidden gems like this mini album. It's definitely niche, but 'a short album about love', and the Divine Comedy, is a real treat. Imagine a Bryan Ferry/Paul Banks like crooning on quirky songs about love running through a familiar vien of Jens Lekman and the Magnetic Fields backed by some impressive orchestration with a crisp brit pop sheen. This is my crude attempt to describe what I hear. And no, this isn't meant to be taken too seriously. It's supposed to be a bit campy and definitely fun, helmed by what I can gather is a bit of a savant.

Beautiful, fun, elegant, great simple concepts executed extremely well. Varying instrumentation keeps me on my toes and gets this album the edge it needs to be wonderful, even if it's only following its title's instructions.

Fun album - love the orchestration, the melodies and lyrics are clever. My favorite piece is Timewatching - homage to Nat King Cole - he's singing with only string accompaniment. The strings are exquisite.

With the obvious shades of Scott Walker, I enjoyed this album a LOT more than I expected to. Beautiful.

10/10 The Divine Comedy has to be one of the coolest musicians I’ve ever heard he’s got such a great style; I love the way he composes music

5, Of course. Canciones: Everybody Knows (except you)

I don’t think I’ve heard of The Divine Comedy before. The name makes me expect comedy music for obvious reasons, but I can’t see something like that being considered an essential album. Let’s listen and find out! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Everybody Knows (Except You), If I Were You (I’d Be Through With Me) This album was wonderful. Apple Music says it’s pop, but that’s far too reductive for this. It’s symphonic with crooning vocals, but I wouldn’t know what to categorise this music as. What I can say is that it sounds fantastic, there is the running theme of love and self deprecation, and it is a fairly quick listen at just over half an hour. I liked this a lot and would definitely recommend you give it a try.

Short but epic. Wonderful stuff from Mr Hannon and his marvellous melody makers.

Another exciting and wonderful surprise in a shape of a band, The Divine Comedy, thatcI have never heard of! From the first song onwards, this album was full of baroque splendor and glamour, orchestral motives and actually great singing by the main guy in the band, Neil Hannon. I never knew this, but he was a composer that recorded music for IT Crowd and Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy. This album let me appreciate him even more. Basically every song on the record is a hit, or at least a single worthy track. I am certainly adding almost whole album to my everyday playlist. Great job Neil, easily 5 stars.

Wow, I was not expecting this! How is this from the 90s? Let alone considered pop? Not that that's necessarily a bad thing, but this never what I would picture if you said that. The voice is absolutely magnificent, and the orchestral backing is gorgeous. Are some of the lyrics a little cheesy? Sure, but I don't care, it sounds amazing, and while this isn't technically an "album", so maybe it shouldn't be on this list, but I'm so glad it is. Fantastic. Reminds me a lot of Nick Cave.

A great listen throughout. Highly recommend it

Kinda goofy, but I like his voice

Cinematic, epic and really unique. Lovely orchestration and enchanting vocal tone. Very impressive for a live album, an unexpected 5.

Loved it! So unique, definitely going to listen again.

Talk about an underrated love/break up album. Genuinely some of the most beautiful melodies and movements on this short, grand album. Highlights: 1, 2, 4, 6, and 7.

5. Of course. Canciones: Everybody Knows (except you)

I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. I naively assumed that The Divine Comedy were a comedy music group, considering their name and that the only song I knew before now was "National Express". The music (and particularly the singing) put me in mind of The Walker Brothers, and I think this is supported by their cover of 'Make It Easy On Yourself' (on the expanded version of this album). The style is a kind of baroque pop which I didn't realise had made it out of the 60s, but I like it. All that being said, it seems unlikely I'll ever listen to this again.

4/5

Liked this one quite a bit.

Unlike, seemingly, the majority of the people who are on this website I’m totally on this band’s wavelength. Irreverent, operatic, and fun. Totally my jam. 4/5

I know two divine comedy songs and love one of them, neither are on this album so. Will his voice get annoying? Will this be another thumbs down for 1997? Let's find out. He.. I'm finding out his name hang on. Neil Hannon does have the kind of voice you could hang your whole sound on and neglect the rest but he doesn't there's some big sound going on. Strings always a plus. If.. is very beautiful and weird and I've just deleted the end of this sentence bc I once again started talking about andy robertson after hearing the word Dog. If I Were You actually deeply lovely. Time watching less so just not my bag it's too much. I'm all you need Massive i love this. Yeah i like this a lot. I got interrupted a couple of times so missed some bits but thats a great excuse to come back to it. His voice is a bit too Big and Baritone on some songs as i thought but it's also what I wish I could sing like. You can tell this is a proper little weirdo music nerd at work and that's leading me to bring out the direct comparison to Pulp.

If + If I Were You WOW. On repeat