Tag Archives: The Divine Comedy

The Divine Comedy: Foreverland

On September 2, 2016, “Divine Comedy Records” label released “Foreverland”, the eleventh Divine Comedy (The) studio album. It was recorded 2015 – 2916, and was produced by Neil Hannon.

Personnel:

  • Neil Hannon – vocals, guitars, keyboards, mandolin, banjo, zither, harmonica, bass, drums
  • Andrew Skeet – piano
  • Simon Little – bass guitar
  • Tim Weller – drums
  • Rob Farrer – percussion
  • Ian Watson – accordion
  • Celine Saout – harp
  • Karen Glen – harpsichord
  • Jake Jackson – backing vocals, claps, whistle solo
  • David Jackson – penny whistle
  • Cathy Davey – vocals
  • Billy Cooper – piccolo trumpet
  • Rosie Jenkins – oboe
  • Jake Jackson – mixing
  • Michele G. Catri – mixing
  • Fiona Cruickshank – mixing
  • John Prestage – mixing
  • Luna Picoli-Truffaut – artwork
  • Matthew Cooper – artwork, design
  • Raphaël Neal – photography
  • John Service – packaging production
  • Natalie de Pace – executive producer 

Track listing:

All tracks by Neil Hannon, except where noted.

  1. Napoleon Complex
  2. Foreverland
  3. Catherine the Great
  4. Funny Peculiar
  5. The Pact
  6. To the Rescue
  7. How Can You Leave Me on My Own
  8. I Joined the Foreign Legion (To Forget)
  9. My Happy Place
  10. A Desperate Man
  11. Other People
  12. The One Who Loves You

The Divine Comedy: Victory for the Comic Muse

On June 19, 2006, “Parlaphone” label released “Victory for the Comic Muse”, the ninth Divine Comedy (The) studio album. It was recorded in December 2005, and was produced by Neil Hannon.

Personnel:

  • Neil Hannon – vocals, keyboards, acoustic and electric guitar, banjo
  • Ian Watson – accordion
  • Andrew Skeet – piano, harpsichord
  • John Evans – acoustic and electric guitar
  • Dougie Payne – electric bass
  • Simon Little – electric bass, double bass
  • Tim Weller – drums
  • Rob Farrer – percussion
  • Charlotte Glasson – baritone and tenor saxophone
  • Chris Richards – clarinet
  • Eliza Marshall – flute
  • Matthew Gunner – French horn
  • Ilid Jones – oboe, cor anglais
  • Mike Kearsey – trombone
  • Daniel Newell – trumpet
  • Alison Dods – violin
  • Andrew Haveron – violin
  • Anna Kirkpatrick – violin
  • Calina De La Mare – violin
  • Gillon Cameron – violin
  • Lucy Wilkins – violin
  • Rick Koster – violin
  • Ruth Rogers – violin
  • Sonia Slany – violin
  • John Metcalfe – viola
  • Reiad Chibah – viola
  • Chris Worsey – cello
  • Ian Burdge – cello
  • Camilla Pay – harp
  • Celine Saout – harp

Track listing:

All tracks by Neil Hannon except where noted.

  1. To Die a Virgin
  2. Mother Dear
  3. Diva Lady
  4. A Lady of a Certain Age
  5. The Light of Day
  6. Threesome
  7. Party Fears Two – Billy Mackenzie, Alan Rankine
  8. Arthur C. Clarke’s Mysterious World
  9. The Plough
  10. Count Grassi’s Passage Over Piedmont
  11. Snowball in Negative

The Divine Comedy: Casanova

On April 29, 1996, “Setanta” label released “Casanova”, the fourth Divine Comedy (the) studio album. It was June 1995 – January 1996, and was produced by Darren Allison and Neil Hannon.

Personnel:

  • Neil Hannon– vocals, bass, guitar, percussion, piano, , Wurlitzer, Hammond organ, tympani, arrangements, art direction
  • Darren Allison– drums, percussion, engineer, mixing
  • John Allen – celeste, whistle
  • Joby Talbot– piano, alto saxophone, orchestration, arrangements, conductor,
  • Bryan Mills – bass
  • Alex McRonald – flute
  • Adrian Roach – oboe
  • Titch Walker – trumpet
  • Jane Butterfield – trombone
  • Robin Hayward – tuba
  • Rebecca Hayes – violin
  • Yuri Kalnitz – violin
  • Emile Chitikov – violin
  • Eos Counsell – violin
  • Mark Knight– violin
  • Alison Fletcher – violin, viola
  • Anna Giddey – violin
  • Alex Postlethwaite – violin
  • Laura Samuel – violin
  • Padraic Savage– violin
  • Alice Pratley – violin
  • Charlotte Glasson – viola
  • Ruth Goldstein – cello
  • Kathy Brown – cello
  • Joe Richards – cello
  • Chris Worsey – cello
  • Jane Watkins – cello
  • Alice Reynolds – laughs
  • Andy Chase – engineer, mixing
  • Tom Gurling – engineer assistant
  • Chris Scard – engineer assistant
  • Robbie Kazandjian – engineer assistant
  • Paul Mysiak – engineer assistant
  • Darren Nash – engineer assistant
  • Gerard Navarro – engineer assistant
  • Gareth Parton – engineer assistant
  • Ian Cooper – mastering
  • Rob Crane – design
  • Kevin Westenberg – art direction, photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Neil Hannon.

  1. Something for the Weekend
  2. Becoming More Like Alfie
  3. Middle-Class Heroes
  4. In & Out of Paris & London
  5. Charge
  6. Songs of Love
  7. The Frog Princess
  8. A Woman of the World
  9. Through a Long & Sleepless Night
  10. Theme from Casanova
  11. The Dogs & the Horsess

The Divine Comedy: Liberation

Liberation

On August 16, 1993, “Setanta” label released “Liberation”, the second Divine Comedy (The) album. It was recorded in March 1993, at “Fundamental” in London, and was produced by Neil Hannon and Darren Allison.

Personnel:

  • Neil Hannon- vocals, guitars, bass guitar, piano, keyboards, harpsichord, organ
  • Darren Allison- drums, percussion
  • Lucy Castle – violin, viola
  • Monica Scott – cello
  • Quentin Hutchinson – French horn

Track listing:

All tracks by Neil Hannon; except where noted.

  1. Festive Road
  2. Death of a Supernaturalist
  3. Bernice Bobs Her Hair
  4. I Was Born Yesterday
  5. Your Daddy’s Car
  6. Europop
  7. Timewatching
  8. The Pop Singer’s Fear of the Pollen Count
  9. Queen of the South
  10. Victoria Falls
  11. Three Sisters
  12. Europe by Train
  13. Lucy – additional lyrics by William Wordsworth

The Divine Comedy: Absent Friends

The Divine Comedy - Absent Friends

On March 29, 2004, “Parlaphone” label released “Absent Friends”, the eighth Divine Comedy (The) studio album. It was recorded 2001 – 2003, at “RAK Studios”, and “Konk Studios” in London, and was produced by Neil Hannon.

Personnel:

  • Lauren Laverne– vocals
  • Yann Tiersen– accordion
  • Simon Little – double bass
  • Miggy Barradas – drums
  • Rob Farrer – percussion
  • Crispin Robinson – congas

All tracks by Neil Hannon.

  1. Absent Friends
  2. Sticks & Stones
  3. Leaving Today
  4. Come Home Billy Bird
  5. My Imaginary Friend
  6. The Wreck of the Beautiful
  7. Our Mutual Friend
  8. The Happy Goth
  9. Freedom Road
  10. Laika’s Theme
  11. Charmed Life

The Divine Comedy: Promenade

Promenade

On March 28, 1994, “Setanta” label released “Promenade”, the third The Divine Comedy (The) album. It was recorded October 1993, at “Elephant Studios”, “The Church” in London, and was produced by Neil  Hannon  and Darren Allison.

Personnel

  • Neil Hannon- everything else
  • Darren Allison- drums, percussion
  • Joby Talbot- oboe, saxophone, cor anglais
  • Natalie Box – 1st violin
  • Catherine Browning – 2nd violin
  • Jessamy Boyd – viola
  • Alan Simpson – viola
  • Chris Worsey- cello
  • Darren Allison – engineer
  • Kevin Westenberg – photography

Track listing:

All tracks by Neil Hannon

  1. Bath
  2. Going Downhill Fast
  3. The Booklovers
  4. A Seafood Song
  5. Geronimo
  6. Don’t Look Down
  7. When the Lights Go Out All Over Europe
  8. The Summerhouse
  9. Neptune’s Daughter
  10. A Drinking Song
  11. Ten Seconds to Midnight
  12. Tonight We Fly
  13. Ode to the Man

Ute Lemper: Punishing Kiss

Punishing_kiss

On March 27, 2000, “Decca” label released “Punishing Kiss”, studio album by Ute Lemper. It was recorded in 1999, at “The Town House” in London, and “Right Track Studios” in New York, and was produced by Jon Jacobs, Scott Walker and Hal Willner.

Personnel:

  • Ute Lemper – vocals, arranger
  • Stuart Bates – accordion, Hammond organ,
  • Ivor Talbot – guitar, mandolin, arranger
  • Bryan Mills – upright and electric bass, arranger
  • Miggy Barradas – drums, arranger
  • Rob Farrer – percussion, arranger
  • Joby Talbot – piano, keyboards, Cor Anglais, arranger, conductor, musical director
  • Andy Scade – engineer
  • Jon Jacobs – engineer, mixing
  • Jay Reynolds – engineer, mixing
  • Tim Burrell – mastering
  • Conor Brady – art direction
  • Lorenzo Agius – photography

Track listing:

  1. Little Water Song – Bruno Pisek, Nick Cave
  2. The Case Continues – Neil Hannon, Joby Talbot
  3. Passionate Fight – Elvis Costello, Steve Nieve
  4. Tango Ballad – Bertolt Brecht, Kurt Weill
  5. Couldn’t You Keep That to Yourself – Elvis Costello
  6. Streets of Berlin – Martin Sherman, Philip Glass
  7. The Part You Throw Away – Tom Waits, Kathleen Brennan
  8. Split – Neil Hannon, Joby Talbot
  9. Punishing Kiss – Elvis Costello, Cait O’Riordan
  10. Purple Avenue – Tom Waits
  11. You Were Meant For Me – Neil Hannon, Joby Talbot
  12. Scope J – Scott Walker

The Divine Comedy: A Short Album about Love

ashortalbum

On February 10, 1997, “Setanta” label released “A Short Album about Love”, the fifth Divine Comedy album. It was recorded in October 1996 at the “Shepherd’s Bush Empire” in London.

Personnel:

  • Neil Hannon – vocals, guitar
  • Ivor Talbot – guitar
  • Joby Talbot – piano, orchestral arrangements
  • Stuart “Pinkie” Bates – Hammond organ
  • Bryan Mills – bass guitar
  • Miguel Barradas – drums

The Brunel Ensemble:

  • Simon Baggs – violin, orchestra leader
  • Lisa Betteridge, Kate Birchall, Krista Juanita Caspersz, Emily Davis, Benjamin Harte, Mary Martin, Timothy Myall, Benjamin Nabarro, Juliet Warden – violins
  • Yannick Dondelinger, Zoe Lake, Jong On Lau, John Murphy – violas
  • Betsy Taylor, Robbie Jacobs, Douncan Moulton – celli
  • Peter Devlin, Philip Dawson – double bass
  • Max Spiers – oboe
  • Charlotte Glasson – saxophone, flute
  • Matthew Gunner – horn
  • Simon Jones – trumpet
  • Adam Howard – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Jane Butterfield – trombone
  • Robert Farrer – percussion
  • Christopher Austin – conductor

Track listing:

All tracks by Neil Hannon except where noted.

  1. In Pursuit of Happiness
  2. Everybody Knows (Except You)
  3. Someone
  4. If…
  5. If I Were You (I’d Be Through with Me)
  6. Timewatching
  7. I’m All You Need
  8. Motorway to Damascus
  9. Love Is Lighter Than Air – Stephin Merritt
  10. Birds of Paradise Farm
  11. Make It Easy on Yourself – Burt Bacharach, Hal David