A Short Album About Love

Ok

This was... not to my tastes. I felt like this person’s singing really didn’t mesh with the music. And I couldn’t figure out if the lyrics were supposed to be as creepy as they were...

Holy Burt Bacharach! If this was from 50 years ago, I’d give it a higher mark. I like this type of orchestral pop when it captures the spirit of that era. It could be a Scott Walker tribute album.

Well this was certainly different. I'm not a big fan of this genre but it was better than expected. The ironic lyrics and nice orchestration gave it a passing grade.

3rd February 2022 Listened on the sofa while working, went to watch The Glow at the Royal Court with Harry in the evening which sucked. Enjoyed this, britpop with cheek.

Pompöser Orchester Popkram. Sänger klingt zwischen Morrissey und Morrison. Hat mich nicht mitgerissen.

Album correct. Un son intéressant mais les compositions sont pas à se jeter par terre

I don't really know how to classify this album. It's got an orchestral quality to it, and some very heavy crooning going on. The album does a good job setting expectations, it really is a short album about love, and there is some comedic elements to it. Overall I couldn't get too into this, I didn't like the lyrics between the absurdist comedy lines and the very shallow concept of "love". On the other hand, I liked the orchestral side, it was refreshing to hear something like this in a late 90's album. The arrangements were very pleasant and listening to just that without the lyrics I probably would have rated this higher.

Crooning geezer with BIG strings

6/10

7 canciones y unos 32 minutos. Solo con las castañuelas de la primera canción ya me ha ganado Neil. También está la grandiosa Everybody knows (except you). Luego se pone tristón y para mi gusto pierde pero es interesante como con tan poco material se puede hacer tanto.

Like a Broadway show

Scott Walker is one of my all-time favourites, so you’d think I would love this, but something about it didn’t land. The delivery is too arch and there’s too much whimsy for my liking. It was ok overall, but verging on irritating in places.

Jasno i jednostavno, naziv albuma kaže sve šta treba reć. Lagani chamber pop sa daškom orkestra. Nije ono za čim bi se vraćao, ali je sasvim uredan album.

not as good as the other album it recommended

Very theatrical

Eh…

A dramatic and cinematic album. It does stay true to Wikipedia's genre of "orchestral pop" in that it sounds like the easy listening albums of the 50s and 60s; however, although it's relaxing, it's not the most interesting or original. Favorite track: In Pursuit of Happiness

There's a lot to like about this album. The music is good; great production value with lush orchestral arrangements, and on top of it all the vocals are a rich baritone (which I always like). But what drags this album down are the absolutely idiotic lyrics, which I can't get over (example: "If you were a tree / I could carve my name into your side / and you would not cry / 'cause trees don't cry... If you were a horse / I'd clean the crap out of your stable / and never once complain."). The orchestral interludes are really great... it's a shame because this would definitely be a 4-star album for me if not for those lyrics.

was not expecting this sound based on the album cover...pursuit of happiness feels like a musical track...ok i think entire vibe of this album will feel like a musical, not something i'd listen to often

What's with the weird animal comparisons?

3 i guess. not really my jam but it wasn't actively bad so I can't really give it a 2. Just not my style, vocals were a little "whiny" which might not be a fair description but is the first word that came to mind.

A mini album of 7 songs recorded around Divine Comedy’s commercial peak (Casanova). My first listen to this album in a very long time, most familiar with the single Everybody Knows, a great pop song). Throughout the arrangements are sophisticated though at points lyrically over-baked but for what it is, it’s a great piece of work.

3/5

Reminds me of Burt Bacharach/John Barry/Neil Diamond/Jarvis Cocker. Glorious and heart-breaking pop, arrangements and lyrics. Great fun in concert too.

This was pretty fun. Nothing groundshaking or incredible, but I found this to be a really enjoyable listen. Saved: Everybody Knows (except you)

somehow cheesy, old fashioned and awesome. Dudes voice is great and its pretty epic. The orchestra is a bit watered down, but I suppose thats what combining genres gets you

saw these guys supporting Beck in the early 2000s in London. symphonic sound and his voice is incredible. Highlight of the album is "If..."

Goh, weer eens iets ander. Theatraal, musical-achtig soms en best mooi, maar het hield m’n aandacht niet vast.

Nicht ganz mit warm geworden #listenagain

1997, orchestral Pop, nicht ganz meins, roter Faden, bleibendes Thema, beständiges Album deswegen starke 3

It wasn’t great, there were some shortcomings. However, the fullness and depth of the music and atmosphere was really good. It was good throughout. Nothing too special, but nothing bad. Solid 3.

I wasn't too thrilled about the prospect of a "chamber pop", but thankfully it wasn't too bombastic, it actually has some pretty good melodies. Would listen again.

No idea what to expect. Bombastic rich lounge music? It kept my attention.

Arranged well, with vocals up front. A cohesive love story.

Trippy

A bit sappy, but will give it another listen

its alright but idk why its so special

Well, this was a surprise. I'd likely never pull this album off my shelf and play it, but it was compelling, interesting, and entertaining.

it was in fact a short album about love

Pretty good, not something I would seek out though.

Really liked the music, especially the classical aspects of the music, and his voice eventually grew up on me. 3.5/5.

I'm glad it's a short album.

It was chill, some good singing and good lyrics but idk about returning to this genre…

Sounds fine and I'm sure its pure english poetry in lyrics. But its America's 250th God damn Independence day and I had to listen to some English hack. Fuck the red coat tyranny!

not bad

I'm just not interested. It's well put together, but the songs and performances are not for me.

A (barely) competent album, it’s music, his voice is nice. I mostly did not like ti

sounds like most boring 90’s music lolol the track “if…” was pretty funny imo lots of comparisons to animals????

I don’t dislike Hannon but this is just not that compelling at present. Was it more of a surprise in the mid-90s amidst britpop’s more rock/lad posturing? His just this side of naughty lyrics play as thin or lightweight now, but may’ve stood out a la Jarvis, et al at the time.

Kjedelig coroner?

Bastante teatral y dramático

I have to hold back from giving this a 1 star because it was at least listenable. But dang, this was just really boring and felt unmotivated. Likes: In Pursuit of Happiness

zzzzz

Pretty mediocre.

I won't remember this album even exists a week from today.

a short album about horses and dogs (and frogs)

Kitsch but not in a good way.

I've had double albums feel shorter than this 30 minute snore-fest. The lyrics to "If..." made me embarrassed to be listening to them, and I'm sitting in my house alone.

Not much to like. Not much to hate. Not sure why this is on here, some songs were okay but forgettable.

Utterly shocked to come rate this and see it as released in 1997?! I missed that upon listening, because I was passing this off as some cheesy 70s pop rock bullshit. Somehow it being from the 90s makes this even worse?

Not bad but so schmaltzy. I’m sure that’s what he was going for, just didn’t hit for me today

Väldigt mycket bättre än det förra Divine Comedy-albumet. Nästan helt befriat från trams. Låter rätt ofta som soundtracket till en disney-film. Precis godkänt. Bästa stunden på skivan är avslutningen på Someone (efter att sången har tystnat).

Chamber pop. Doesn't seem that noteworthy and I'm mildly surprised to see the group has a second album on the list. "If..." starts to sound downright sinister at the end, like he's finally made up his mind to cast a spell to turn the woman into a dog or a horse.

This was not good to maybe just ok, kinda annoying voice

Stinky cheese levels of ga-ga

Unremarkable

Schrecklicher Schmonz weil alles gleich und gleich dramatisch. Einzelne Songs funktionieren schon, auch gut, aber schon eine halbe Stunde ist zu viel. Weil es ein Album ist

The last time I came across The Divine Comedy they were backing Ute Lemper on an album that was so overcooked as to be just unpleasant. And so here they are again with a sound that seems like a Broadway show tune that didn't know when to say "enough". That melodrama is at the service of songs that display all the wit and profundity of a toothpaste jingle. All that meat and no potatoes.

Dit album lijkt meer op een parodie van iets, dan dat de artiesten zichzelf serieus nemen. Want als ze zichzelf wel serieus nemen, dan is het echt wel heel corny. Het is een halve kerstplaat met al die toeters en bellen. Het is eigenlijk lachwekkend dat ze er uberhaupt 1x in staan en dan staan ze er nog 2x in ook. Het werkt bijna meer op de lachspieren dan op je irritatiezone, zeker als je teksten hoort als "If you were a horse, I’d clean the crap out of your stable". Ik hou het maar weer op 2 sterren net als hun andere plaat. Het is mij allemaal te theatraal en te lachwekkend.

Another album that sucks in its own right, but really extra sucks in the context of all the great albums left off this list.

This was aggressively boring. 2/5

2.5/5

Wtf are these lyrics.

I really dig a few production and arrangement choices here, but overall, I just don't dig this type of music that music and I really don't like these types of vocalists. 2.5/5

Was pretty excited for this at the start, but soured on it as the album continued. I liked albums that are this short, but these songs were all nothing Favorite Songs: Everybody Knows (Except You), If I Were You (I'd Be Through With Me)

Some things here I liked. Glad it was short. Overall didn’t connect though.

Das nordirische Kammerpopp-Projekt The Divine Comedy – in seiner Kernform das Solowerk des Sängers, Komponisten und Produzenten Neil Hannon – nahm dieses fünfte Studioalbum am 20. Oktober 1996 im Londoner Shepherd's Bush Empire auf: nicht im Studio, sondern live auf einer Theaterbühne, begleitet vom 30-köpfigen Brunei Ensemble. Setanta Records veröffentlichte die sieben Stücke pünktlich zum Valentinstag 1997, und das Ergebnis war weniger Konzertdokument als orchestraler Bewusstseinsstrom über ein einziges Thema: die Liebe in all ihren absurden, sehnsüchtigen und selbstquälerischen Spielarten. Hannon bewegt sich hier klanglich in der Nähe von Scott Walker und dem großen britischen Songwriting der sechziger Jahre, ohne je ins Pastiche abzugleiten. Die Arrangements sind üppig, aber nie schwergewichtig; Streicher, Bläser und Hannons präzise geführter Bariton halten einander in elegantem Gleichgewicht. „Everybody Knows (Except You)" – der einzige ausgekoppelte Single, der bis auf Platz 14 der britischen Charts kletterte – ist das offensichtlichste Meisterstück, doch auch das existenzielle „In Pursuit of Happiness" oder das lakonisch betitelte „If…" zeigen, wie sicher Hannon zwischen Ironie und aufrichtiger Emotion zu navigieren vermag. Das Album schafft in gut 32 Minuten, was vielen Doppel-LPs misslingt: einen eigenen emotionalen Kosmos zu eröffnen und zu schließen. A Short Album About Love steht in der Diskographie The Divine Comedys als konzentriertestes und homogenstes Werk – kein Füllmaterial, keine Ausweichbewegung, nur konsequent eingelöste Versprechen. Dass es 2005 in die kanonisierende Liste 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die aufgenommen wurde, überrascht nicht; es überrascht allenfalls, dass es dort nicht weiter vorn steht. Ein Album, das beweist, dass Kürze und Größe sich nicht ausschließen.

this from a musical?

Much like Dante's original Divine Comedy being about his time in hell, listening to the full playtime of this album felt like I'd been sentenced to the same eternal agony.

At least it was only a half hour.

Day 277 A couple of nice songs. Highlights Everybody Knows.. If..

Nice Nick Cave album so not as fun or interesting.

Pa onako, underwhelming lagano, ništa posebno nisam čula. Bilo je nekih kul dijelova, ali osim toga prosječno rekla bih. 2/5, 3/10

everybody on here is complaining about him comparing his lover to a horse, BUT WHAT ABOUT „IF DOU WERE A LITTLE GIRL I WOULD FIND IT HARD TO LET YOU GO“????? that’s the real crime here

the first song's lyrics are a little cringey. the whole album is kinda cringe

Не можу сказати, що сильно альбом сподобався. Ніяка пісня не зачепила, хоч і сказати, що вони якісь погані, теж не можу. Не вистачило якихось гачків щоб зачепитися.

Not unlistenable, but not enjoyable either.

Overly theatrical chamber pop that doesn’t have the songwriting chops to pull off what it’s trying to do. Despite the attempts at bombast and humor, the endeavor comes across as flat and tiring.

If I were me, I'd be through with you and this album more quickly

I actually sent the song “If” to my children, because 790 albums in, this was the oddest song I’ve ever heard. I.5 stars for this album overall. The lyrics are weird enough that I probably will give it 2, but musically not enjoyable.

4/10

Not quite my thing. Xo

“If you were a horse I’d clean the crap out of your stable and never complain” is an actual lyric. I have to listen to this stable full of crap, and I’m doing plenty of complaining. How the hell did this lounge singer shit make it onto this list?

This was a strange little album. The first word that popped into my head while listening to the first track was "gaudy". Neil Hannon is a pretty good since and it certainly was interesting. Probably wouldn't listen again though.

I like the sound but it's too sad for me. Very depressing music. Really good arrangements with the strings and such and the voice fits in well. I guess it make sense for the genre to be so melancholic in every track but still, I was not in the mood to be sad today so this just didn't hit. Extra points for being from Northern Ireland, I feel like this country that I live in is often overlooked in media so it's always a little spark of joy when I find an artist or thing that relates to NI somehow. Favourite track: In Pursuit of Happiness 2/5

não gostei

There isn't much on this album that's divine, lovely, or comedic. Favorite Track: "Someone".

The first three songs sound like Broaway show tunes. That's not a compliment. The album did not get much better for me. I did like the instrumentation at times, because horns were heard. But overall, this was a miss.

It was an ok album. I thought the lyrics/rhymes were simple and lazy at times.

Another album of Sunday afternoon radio 2 show tunes. Quirky enough, but it’s not floating my boat.

The most pressing question raised by A Short Album About Love is what exactly it’s doing on a list of 1001 essential albums. Not because it’s terrible — it isn’t — but because “not terrible” and “essential” are very different arguments, and this record only really makes the case for the former. Neil Hannon is clearly talented within his specific lane. The orchestral arrangements are lush and carefully constructed, and the chamber pop aesthetic is executed with genuine craft. But the theatrical baritone, the arch romantic sensibility, and the unabashedly narrow emotional palette add up to something that feels more like a very polished niche product than a record with any broad claim to importance or influence. “If” crystallizes the problem — a song so self-consciously whimsical it tips from charming into silly without quite noticing. Seven songs, one mood, zero urgency. It’s pleasant enough in the moment and completely forgettable once it ends. There’s no reason to return to it and no clear reason it belongs in conversation with the genuinely essential records on this list.

This did not grab me at all. Two The Divine Comedy Albums seems in here feels like satire.

It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, but that doesn't mean it's getting any praise. It's still a bit of a chore to get through the whole thing without grinding your teeth.

Little bit better than Casanova because he drops the baroque schtick for a few songs. Works a lot better when he's operating in indie mode but still thin compared to his actual contemporaries, the Magnetic Fields.

I gave this a try but failed to see the reason this was included on the list… 2⭐️

Kanske inte min typ av musik. Halva albumet var bara samma låtar fast live. Lät exakt likadant... Gillade dock "a short film about chance".

Pretty blah 2 stars

Well written but ultimately not very engaging for me

2 stars I’m glad that it stuck to the premise of short. Not that it was terrible but it was slight and forgettable. I listened to it this morning and I honestly don’t remember any of it. But I didnt hate it. I just don’t care for another listen.

Interesting. Not something I'd want to revisit often. A bit too orchestral and ballady for me. Good songs, with slightly nasal, drooling delivery on vocals.

Not short enough.

I could not stand the singers voice.

It’s alright, not sure why it’s on the best of all time

Sappy and underwhelming.

Second album from them from the generator (why are there two albums here). This one was worse than the other. "If you were a horse I'd clean the crap out of your stable and never once complain" has to be one of the worst lyrics I've ever heard 2/5

The Magnetic Fields meets Crash Test Dummies. I don't like it. The singing is a bit over the top and I don't find the arrangements of the tunes interesting.

I almost listened to this twice as I wondered if I missed some joke. But decided I did not like it enough to go through it one more time. I get the "comedy" in the lyrics, but this will be another that is easily forgotten.

Driving crooner.

This gives the vibes of something I would have played in my college band. "Trees don't cry." yeah no shit it was fine I suppose. Uninspiring. I would say 3 stars, but the lyrics are so lame I'll give it 2.

Plutôt nul.

Not my bag

It was OK ish.

I'm partial to a little bit of the Divine Comedy - Gin Soaked Boy in particular is a classic - so was looking forward to this. Unfortunately was a little underwhelmed. Tempo too slow and lacking in joy/fun.

Yeah I’m not sure I get the appeal for this. I think if I heard this when it came out in the 90s I would’ve had a different view but it just falls flat for me.

Sappy in a way I don't really care for. Felt kinda cringe. Look, they're talented musicians, but it's just a dull, uninteresting affair.

Meh! I sometimes think that this style of Baroque / Chamber / Orchestral Pop is a bit pretentious, and this album is no real exception. Quite pleasant to listen to, but it just doesn't grab my attention.

Everything is so fine

Am I in my mom's 60s radio station? I don't necessarily mean that in a bad way, but it doesn't absolve this of a relentless lack of modernity, as if we never went through 6os San Francisco or Liverpool. or 70s New York, etc. Yes there's some lyrical originality but not enough drag this into the 90s.

I was intrigued by this, but his voice doesn't really do it for me, and his lyrics are distractingly terrible.

..

i didn't get anything out of listening to this album. why is this on the list? who knows. can't say the music was terrible though, it was meant to play at the background in cafe shops.

The pick of this album and his other album on the list really feel quite pretentious, which makes enjoying him feel like you have superior taste in music. It really tries to sell the illusion that a well-produced and orchestrated album gives you a great listening experience; in reality, this album is dull. His vocals illustrate this feeling, as it is dull the whole way through, even when he tries to be dynamic. I'm so glad I never have to listen to him again!

When I saw this cover art I expected the album to be very depressing and sad, something like Elliott Smith maybe. But instead I got a Sinatra wannabe with some incredibly corny and cheesy lyrics, that sometimes try to be funny and fails spectacularly. First of all, his voice is not really the problem. The dude definitively knows how to sing and doesn't have a bad timbre. But the lyrics... man they are grating. I usually don't make analysis about them, as most of the times I have problems interpreting them. However, in this instance, they are so amateur that it makes it super easy to criticize them. There are two particular songs I want to stand out: On one hand, "Everybody Knows (Except You)". This track is just basically the guy narrating, in the simplest and boring way possible, how he tells everyone he sees that he loves a certain person, and how obsessed he is with the individual. That's it. There's nothing interesting about it. On the other hand, there's "If..." which has some of the most absurd verses. Here are some of the examples: "If you were a tree I could carve my name into your side And you would not cry Cause trees don't cry", "If you were a horse I'd clean the crap out of your stable", "If you were a dog I'd feed you scraps from off the table Though my wife complains". I find this last one to be the worst one. The songs implies he loves somebody, and the fact that mentions he has a wife also implies that he is just basically admitting to be cheating. Maybe I'm be to harsh? Probably, but I truly believe theses lyrics are incredibly rancid, even if they are trying to be satire. Now into the good part: the instrumentation. It is undoubtedly the best part of the album. It may not be as ambitious as other Chamber Pop records I know, but it is well orchestrated and has some great moments, like the very post-rock-ish electric guitar in "Someone" or the sad and deep melodies in "Timewatching". Does it save the album? Unfortunately, I don't think so, but it makes it way more listenable and enjoyable.

If I were a horse, I'd kick you across the field! There is nothing romantic about a man singing about if his love interest was a horse, he would ride them. The fuck is this? Singing is also barely tolerable. Out of everything the instrumentals are what prevents me from leaving this at a 1.

would you still love me if i was a horse and you'd have to clean my manure

Does zero for me. The songwriting may be solid enough, the lounge-bar crooner delivery leaves me totally cold.

A collection of bad show tunes. yea…..nnnnnnooooooooooooo. No clue how this album made this list of 1001.

As a middle school teacher, this felt like some shit poetry I get from the kid that screws around all semester and thinks he can scribble some notes on a half torn notebook page thinking he deserves an A just for trying. The only reason this doesn’t receive a 1 is because I was forced to listen to that trash Nico album yesterday.

Reminds me of the Magnetic Fields

I suffered through most of this record. The first song was interesting, at least, since about a third of it was a pleasantly discordant orchestral break. I'll admit he's an interesting lyricist, but I just can't stand syrupy music like this. At least it's only 31 minutes long. 2 stars

There's something I'm clearly just not getting, here. Everything's competent, well performed and written, but impossible to take seriously, leading to song after song that just has me feeling nothing. At least he was right- it was short! 2*

A little amusing.

Pretty lame

Dry songs sung wetly.

This guy has a thang for horses, and he should see someone about it.

I wonder if he is partially influenced by Stephin Merrit/Magnetic Fields - he has a low singing voice and is singing about love, often in a sarcastic manner. It's a very theatrical sounding album, he is accompanied by a symphony orchestra. It's pretty adult contemporary though, so not particularly impressive.

orchestral and cinematic. the vocals… not so much but a somewhat enjoyable album experience. the lyrics were pretty awful though

Honestly far too much crooning and unnecessary comparison of his lover to different animals. The whole album just felt a bit forced - trying to imitate better musicians in an overly affected way. Maybe I didn't like this because I can't relate and don't feel like he apparently does about anybody.

This felt like an angsty teenagers take on what love is. Lyrics are laughable (why talking about animals so much!?), vocals could be better but the instrumentation was ok

People are complaining about too much Elvis Costello, when the real overrepresented slog is right here.

If I were a horse I would run as far away from this as possible. His voice is decent. Content is a stretch.

I don't understand? Voice is ok for a sort of crooner. Arrangements are pretty ok. Two stars for its brevity. Listened before? N Saved tracks? N Favorite track? If (if I have to choose) ⭐⭐ Just ok. Don't hate it.

It was ok. Didn't really do much for me but didn't actively hate it. 2.5/5.

My predecessors are right he does go for a whimsical Scott Walker but doesn't quite get there.

I don't know what's been a worse export, post 70's British pop or their food.

A little overwrought for me

Something about this makes me feel uncomfy. I don't like the singer's voice, it lacks tone and depth and it doesn't fit the genre. This album is to love songs as Hallmark is to movies... not sure how to describe it otherwise

Better than Born in the USA

Favourite Songs: Someone

This did very little for me.

Did not get far. Made it casually through five songs and never knew when the song changed. Not my thing.

Huuuuuuge cheesefest. I can’t tell if this is supposed to be some kind of parody. I still did enjoy the production and a few of the songs, but some of the lyrics just aren’t it. Somehow 30 minutes felt like an hour. Alright to listen to at times but so very cheesy.

'A Short Album About Love' by the Irish pop band The Divine Comedy is a strangely bombastic collection of big-band ballads that feels very much rooted in the 1990s. I’m not entirely convinced it works. At times, it seems like the band is aiming for a Frank Sinatra–style crooner aesthetic, but the execution doesn’t fully land. The album isn’t terrible, but it’s also not something I can imagine wanting to listen to regularly—if ever. Had more of the record leaned into the melancholy mood of the tracks “Timewatching,” and "I'm All You Need," (which specifically conveyed the mood of what the album cover looks like), I likely would have enjoyed it more. As it stands, though, this album simply wasn’t for me.

This is one of those albums that seems to be purposefully mediocre. Another strange UK-adjacent group that only people there enjoy. I don't understand how they got more than one entry on this list.

Nice

What is this supposed to be? The vocals are terrible, the songs are dreadful. I don’t know what I was doing in 97 but sure as hell wasn’t listening to this mess.

Very cringy and boring

Super esoteric and strange. Orchestral arrangements were nice but overall it was just too weird for me to enjoy. Most memorable track is "If..." because of it's odd lyrics.

It was a ride will need to come back and listen again

Really not to my taste, made it a third of the way through

Okay, but seriously...what the ACTUAL fuck? This is a late-90s album of orchestral pop that sounds for all the world like something Neil Diamond or Englebert Humperdinck would have released in the early 70s. The arrangements are lush and well-done, and the singer takes it ABSOLUTELY seriously, but the lyrics...well, they vary from absolutely sincere pablum ("Someone") to tortuously overextended metaphors that go to really dark and twisted places ("If..."). Not to mention a recurrent theme of wishing his lover was an animal of some kind (dog, sheep, and especially horse). The best track is probably "Timewatching", which plays with the lyrics to a much better song ("When I Fall in Love"). Overall, the lyrics have intermittent moments, but whoever the target audience for this was, it's not me.

A little too slow for me. Sounded like songs from a bad play. 2/5 Won’t listen again

It was ok…didn’t hold my attention or make me want to listen more

Like he’s making a bond movie song but nobody asked him to.

Dull

Not interested in this at all…

Oh no - I really disliked that other Divine Comedy album on the list. Here’s hoping it’s actually short…(or at least better) --- Well, it’s still not my thing, and some songs were pretty gratingly bad, but others were fine. I begrudgingly started to come around to it. I kind of liked “If…” (“If you were a horse, I’d clean the crap out of your stable”) and Timewatching, and I didn’t feel as aggressively annoyed as I did with the other album. Still, I’d take the 69 Love Songs monster of an album over this “short” one any day. 2.5

The production isn't terrible, but every song felt the exact same, and the lead singer added so little to it all.

Hey ChatGPT, make a Father John Misty album but change the lyrics so it sounds like it’s written by a teenager. Do yourself a favour and go listen to Mahashmashana instead.

A little better than their other album but not enough to make a difference. 2 stars or D.

It's a pretty chill album. He sort of sounds like Jim Morrison which is a unique contrast to the generally upbeat instrumental melody. I almost get cocktail lounge vibes from the arrangements. I wasn't overly impressed by any song in particular but this was a good album. 5/10

This was a sentimental and not particularly well written album. Short but felt like it overstayed its welcome.

Reminded me of a cross between a soundtrack to some Broadway play and a cabaret performance - and not in a good way! Luckily it was only 30th minutes, any longer and it would have gotten a 1 star

First listen. OK, but won't go back to it.

If you like love songs about horses & dogs, this is the album for you!

Could have been shorter.

Fav song: Timewatching Honestly this was kinda dreadful. I can't give it a 1 star because it was well performed, but man, someone needed to remind this guy that Sinatra already did Sinatra. Like 40 years before him.

he had like two good songs here. it was cute but a lot of basic rhymes that i was like ?????

It wasn't bad, but nothing grabbed me either.

Just be a normal person and listen to broadway, Scott Walker, Morrissey — or anything else.

Kind of a Neil Diamond-y sound? Slow but powerful vocals over ballad-like instrumentation. Some of the lyrics kind of cheesy. Overall, not awful; but not great. Rated 2 but maybe more a 2.5.

This album triggered a lot of introspection from me, specifically about whether it is fair to criticize art at all and whether a lack of seriousness is a fair factor in that criticism. This wasn’t for me. But it’s clear that a lot of craft and devotion was applied to create it too, which alone makes it exceptional. The introspection for me was why I can enjoy a comparable like Morissey but shrugged this away … and it kept coming back to the intentional lightness and humor (or humour, I guess) of this music, which served as a negative for me. But that’s unfair too, I realize. I think Neil Hammon will be fine without my support, either way.

Discount Nick Cave Discount Scott Walker

A very theatrical album musically, very orchestral, with string arrangements, piano, and nice touches that make it feel cinematic. I appreciate the suspense, climax, and dynamics created through these arrangements. The songs balance humour and melancholy which present romance in unexpected ways. The album captures and conveys bittersweet, melancholic irony, almost like he's laughing through sadness, signing upbeat cheerful sounding songs paired against sad lyrics, which adds a level of contrast. It’s quite short around 30 minutes, which makes it easy to listen to without getting bored. The album cover evokes melancholy, longing, and emptiness, reflecting the sadder side of the songs. I can appreciate an album like this but it’s not entirely my cup of tea. My favourite track is Someone

Good album but not one of the greatest ever, though it’s hard to fathom 1,001 albums… maybe it’s good enough to creep into a list that large. Rating is grading on a curve.

im not sure i get it.

First listen. It seems like this fellow is in love with someone. I don't know, it's hard to tell. There's a fine line between sweet and saccharine, and this album crosses that line with such gusto that the taste of it turns to pure bitterness in my mouth. The lyrics here are, uh... bad. Really bad. They're an uncomfortable mix of sappy, trite, meandering, and, at times, far too insistent. The text is replete with endless rephrasings of 'I love you,' each as banal as the last, and metaphors that are either so thin that they end up saying nothing at all, or so contrived that they turn into pure nonsense instead. I strongly suspect that a lot of this is meant to be silly on purpose, of course, and very tongue-in-cheek, but alas, the 'humor' doesn't quite land with me. Musically, it's competent enough, but lacks a strong identity. Most of it sounds rather derivative and bland, and though it has its compositional bright spots, they are sadly far too scarce to raise the thing out of mediocrity. The opening track is perhaps the sole exception; it has a decent melody, a punchy enough chorus, and perhaps most importantly, it's bombastic enough to distract the listener from how vacuous the text is. To give this record one more compliment, I do like the arrangements quite a bit, and the album does sound good as far as the instrumentals and the overall production is concerned. That might very well be a case of damning with faint praise, however, as it's still not nearly good enough to salvage songwriting (and singing) of this quality. A Short Album About Love is easily the worst album I've heard on here so far, and the only one that I can confidently say that I outright dislike. Still, I HAVE heard music that is quite a bit worse, so I suppose I should exercise some caution and leave a bit of room at the bottom until I've figured this whole thing out. Fav. Track: In Pursuit of Happiness Reaction: 😕

Better than the other album, but still terrible.

not my cup of tea

Some catching parts, but not for me.

ok

Two albums by this guy, seriously?? At least it actually was short.

I was living out of hotels with my sister. In one of them the Wu-Tang Clan was performing in the basement. The Rza ended up staying at my house and convinced me to watch his newborn baby and insited I wear a tie. I used to wear them all the time but couldn't tie any of them and quit.

I rounded up to two stars due to the wit, but I really didn’t like his voice or the production. There’s an element of theater or melodrama that I like in the Magnetic Fields, but I would rather hear about electric eels under the covers rather than riding your lover like a horse at dawn.

2/5 - There were moments when I got hints of The Decemberists or The Magnetic Fields, who I like, but the orchestral arrangements and excessive crooning here are just too much. The horse and sheep comparisons in the lyrics were also pretty odd. I didn't entirely hate this, but I didn't need to hear it, and I won't be back.

This certainly is a short album, and I certainly is about love. What they didn’t tell in the title, however, is that it sounds very outdated and cringe (especially the lyrics).

Overwrought musically and lyrically. Some of these lyrics are just insane (horses and burgers????)….not something I would ever listen to again. Some of the orchestral arrangements (e.g. Someone) are interesting enough to save this from being a 1.

I was shocked to see that this album was recorded in the late 90's. It sounded like show tunes from the 60's/70's. I think that a generous portion of wine might have made this cheese more enjoyable. This was an album Greg Brady would have wanted to record.

When I saw it's a chamber pop album I thought I would like it but I was wrong. It's overblown and doesn't sound like a genuine album, just a collection of corny theatrical songs. At least it's short.

Pick your favourite vomit onomatopoeia, it's so cheesy you're gonna throw up

Pass, next, no thanks

eh

Rating: 1.5 Cornier than the Iowa-Nebraska border.

Sad man sings about love as if in a Hallmark show.

God this isn’t devoid of value but why the hell is this on the list. So bad. Alright I wrote this a little preemptive. The last song rips.

guessing this guy's dad wrote this book or something

Chamber pot music is not my jam. The best thing I can say about this album is that it is, indeed, mercifully short.

Couple of funny songs here and there (If) but didn't hook me

funny at best. more just a waste for this list

# Album Name: A short album about love # Artist: The divine comedy # Rating: 2/5 # Comments: God damn. This felt like forever considering it is actually a short album. I cant believe shit like this makes it to the list. Im on a bad run. # Top Tunes: # Would I listen to it again? No

A pleasant enough listen on the surface but some weird weird lyrics. A decent album but definitely has one or two off-putting moments that slightly lower the score.

Miðað við nafnið á hljómsveitinni á þetta að vera grín eða það vona ég því textinn við lögin hljómar þannig. Það er bara verst hvað það er ekki fyndið að semja ástarlag og segja ef þú værir hundur myndi ég gefa þér afganga af matarborðinu þótt konan mín væri á móti því. Annars eru lögin næstum því góð ef þau væru ekki öll eins

At least this lived up to billing and was actually short. Still prefer Scott Walker, though.

2.4 rounded down.

Too theatrical and kind of boring. The last song (I'm all you need) was ok, but didn't need the rest.

Not a big fan, voice does lowkey remind me of Scott Walker's. The insturmentals were good except for that one song that was ear-rapey at the end. Glad it was a short album and not a long album about love. Favourite Song: Someone

can’t try and be sinatra

ok but kinda forgettable 50/100

Dude got so tired of questions like “would you still love me if I was a horse?” he wrote a whole song about it

It didn't do much for me🤷‍♀️

Pretty good sound

As the title suggests, this album consists of a series of quippy love songs. The album is, in fact, short, but the songs are not. And this really wasn't as intimate and warm as I would've guessed; every song here sounds grandiose and theatrical. There's just so much happening with the music here at all times, and it grows very tired very quickly. I'd say the only song I truly enjoyed was 'Everybody Knows (Except You)', a solid standalone song. The creeping and swelling strings of 'Timewatching' were nice, but this ended up being one of the more forgettable songs here; it's too slow and uneventful. The vocals and lyrics on the album, while fitting, are just as painstakingly melodramatic as the music. So yeah, didn't like this album. I did like the line "If you were a man, I'd still love you" though.

Just like the other album on this list from The Divine Comedy, this definitely feels more like a musical/Broadway production than an traditional album. His performance is very self indulgent and you know this dude just likes the smell of his own farts...

Not for me.

Could have been about 30 minutes shorter if you ask me. It's well made by competent musicians, I just don't see how this can be in the book while Burt Bacharach and Henry Mancini aren't.

Ikke hørt

I don't get it.

Why is this guy in here TWICE

Meh. Sappy, but I liked "If I were You (I'd Be Through With Me)".

Album name was very on point. Was missing a lot of the eccentricity of other divine comedy songs which is their USP really. The songs were okay but didn't ever really grab me. Now that I'm finishing off this review a day later I can't remember a single song except for the slow one near the end.

Knock-off Nick Cave. As different from Casanova as is possible to be. A lot of it is fine, but not nearly as deep as they think it is. Very little madcap nonsense.

This really did nothing for me. I'm all for melancholy and or sad love songs, but think the impact is lost when you make the lyrics light hearted and a bit comedic. I might just be describing their schtick though... But this one didn't do it for me

Songs that sound like they should be in a bad musical that takes itself too seriously. Some of the orchestral pieces would be alright if they weren't ruined by the singing and lyrics.

"If you were a horse I'd clean the crap out of your stable"... and they say romance is dead huh?

Fucking boring

pass

Maybe I’m shallow, but this guys affect makes me think he’s a creep. And I can’t shake it. The music isn’t bad, and usually I’m a fan of grand chamber pop sounds, but for this one I’m out.

While not bad this album didn't speak to me at all. I felt mostly neither positively or negatively about the song. They were just there, probably something I could have on in the background but if it comes to that I have other things I would rather have playing.

Not short enough! I am not a fan of this dude's voice.

Oddly, I know this band, because ONE of their songs is a favorite of mine, on several of my playlists. But it's not on this album, and the album it is on doesn't have any other tracks that I like very much. The name of it is Songs of Love, from the album Casanova, which came out a year before this one. Most of his stuff is just, frankly, weird. I thought they were a one hit wonder and only now am learning they (really mainly one guy though) made 12 albums, the most recent just this year!

this guys voice pisses me off

Favorite songs are Everybody Knows (Except You) and Timewatching

ei valehdellut tittelissä on tosiaan lyhyt. kiitän tästä. bonus bointseja ehkäpä tästä? miksiei. vasta toinen albumi tältä jätkältä one of the most influenaeklsrjaslktajsloitjaesrlas aiwinfluential pieces of shit of all time.. tarvii kolmannen ja neljännen ja viidennen.. niin uskomattoman jännittävä ja ainutlaatuinen.. aaaaahhhhhh. laulaa niin hienosti.. ja laulut järisyttäviä. kuullutkaan moisia aikaisemmin! waaaaau.. SPESIAAALI TÄMÄ ON JOTAIN NIIN VITUN SPESIAAALIAA!!!!!! omg if you were mountain. i would climb you.. if you were a dog i would fuck you? what did he mean nby this fucking asshole. literally. someine

I really don't understand why I needed to hear TWO Divine Comedy albums before I died. None would have been enough! This one was more tolerable than Casanova. Was this supposed to be super cheesy? Is that what the comedy is all about?

Gave it two listens and can't get past the campy lounge act quality. If the lyrics weren't so banal, they may have saved it for me.

What is this? It feels like something that would be on my drama club mix tape. It's not awful. It feels like a group influenced by the Smiths. Only without the cleverness or charm.

Sure.

meh

Felt too over the top and some of the metaphors I just did not agree with

It has interesting moments where the instrumentation soars and shines but beyond that, this is kind of a jokey (or is it actually self serious) mess. Good thing it was short.

Eh, not for me. I feel like I'm getting a lot of these kind of UK groups where the voices are distracting for me

Love it when this thing doesn't save my review. "If" was so bad it's good, and the rest is just bad.

Slow and boring

2. Not much jam.

It was ok. I won’t download it, but not too bad.

רואים את ההשפעה ממוריסי . אינסטרומנטליות סוחפת ונעימה אבל לא מעניינת מדי . הוא בכיין קצת , מתאים לנסיעות. אהבת את if… גם את im all you need

Really don't know about this one. Kind of weird, and not really in a good way. Annoying theatrical/cinematic vocals and stupid lyrics. Managed to listen to it more than once out of morbid curiosity to see if any of it would resonate - which it didn't, so since it wasn't awfully awful, I guess it gets a 1.5 rounded up to a 2. Will give it a bonus half point for lyrics referencing horse shit.

Interesting dramatic melodies with classical backing.

As I approach the half way point in this project. I am not surprised that the author included "a short album about love". ...This isn't a compliment.

Nothing to write home about

I found the style of this album to be annoying having a kind of Tom Jones throwback sound that is awash with grandiose sentimentality.

It's okay, but not an experience to be repeated. If... is quite funny, and the arrangements are high quality.

I thought I was partial to a soppy love song with comedic twist, I’ve certainly tried to write some myself, but I didn’t enjoy this album. The closest I got was the excellent If… which is the only one which nailed the balance between romance and comedy, with enough focus on the latter to sufficiently undercut and take the curse off of the former. Overall though just too many songs in a row about the same thing that aren’t that funny or entertaining.

Lush and smooth. But the formula gets a little old a little too quick with the fancy music and the, at first, "normal" lyrics that turns slightly absurd halfway through.

Way too much of a lounge act for me. Another surprising choice for the list.

Sounded like pure musical theater, commercial music

is this supposed to be ironic??? i dont get it

No idea why this album is on this list. Is this really one of the 1001 albums you need to hear anytime? Certainly not.

I genuinely don't know what to think of this one but I think it's on here because the guy who made the list is from the UK - I've always heard the list put a bit too much emphasis on british isles based 80s/90s stuff but wow. That said, I didn't hate it? Like the instrumentals were fun. But also: why.

It tries hard via the kitchen sink production but ends up being rather trying instead. The vocals are dour, the melodies are all very insipid and samey, while the orchestration is often overwrought and just swamps it all. There's also plenty of rather dubious lyrics. Disappointing, as some of their singles from the 90s are quite good.

Like his voice and the odd song but found this quite dull and a chore

Not short enough

this is what rye bread sounds like

It was a short album. And it was about love. Promised delivered. Generally uninteresting. Kinda sounded like musical/movie music, especially the first track. So not my taste. I’m surprised it wasn’t written within the last year based on the track “If…” cause it low key sounded like something a guy would write after his girlfriend asked him if he would still love her if she was a worm.

Так себе

OK, not for me

jamen jaja da. Jeg kunne vist bedre lide den sidste med dem

A lot less over the top than the other Divine Comedy album we've heard

Never rated The Divine Comedy, never my taste, and this just reinforces that belief

It's just too subtle. Maybe if it grabbed my attention better I would care but I just don't. It's not bad it's just not good either. Sorry if this is ur favorite album 😢

There are times when I might like an album like this. Today doesn't feel like one of those days. A great vocalist who I've never listened to, but I'm not connected with any of the songs - they seem like they should be nostalgic like Barry Manilow, but they are unknowns to me and really fall into the background. Hard to identify anything noteworthy or memorable.

For an album all about love, be sure does seem to focus on himself a lot and rarely the other person in the relationship. The vocals are uninteresting. The lyrics are absolutely meh at best and offensive at worst. The best part of this was its, promoted, short length. The orchestral arrangements were pretty good, too. I quite enjoyed them. Otherwise, big whatever from me. 2/5

Vocals didn’t do it for me, lyrics didn’t do it for me, album didn’t do it for me.

Meh

Not short enough.

A Mercifully Short Album About Love

It wasn’t that bad. He’s a crooner for sure. Listening with this on in the background was alright, until any lyrics caught my attention. Trite, weird, not good lyrics.

Rather forgettable, unfortunately.

Cómo podría describir este disco? NO 2.0