Comedy Gold
Welcome my friends to the weird and wonderful world of Neil Hannon, an incredibly talented and insightful man whose work has enlightened and enlivened many a shrivelled existence. He is a man of many words, oozing wit and wisdom through every pore. Life’s agonies are retold here in his own inimitable style and perception, even the track list makes for hilarious reading. There is a mystery about The Divine Comedy, which is intangible, yet this is what sends the quality of his work skywards, leaving everyone else sobbing into their comfort blankies.
Getting straight to the point it’s everyone’s pain in the backside, the ‘Queuejumper’ as they boldly brag about being ahead of the game. Set to jungle rhythm you know this is gonna be a crazy adventure. With ‘Office Politics’ it’s the madcap lyric
‘there was no stopping her taking a ride on the photocopier’. No one tells them quite like our Neil. A tale of love in ‘Norman And Norma’ speaks of how life effects our personal relationships, there is a sadness and a hopefulness in the message.
His work may seem off the beaten track, but it is genuine, heartfelt and compassionate while still being highly creative and has that important laugh out loud character.
Halfway through and it’s a helluva tongue twister as we are educated in the joys of the synthesiser, totally bonkers, extremely unusual, but I wouldn’t expect anything else. Neil is in fine mad scientist/genius form.
It’s time to get on down and boogie as we celebrate ‘The Life And Soul Of The Party’ as Mr Hannon ‘picks our brains’ with his ‘million questions’ in this disco number as he drinks a little too much ‘because I’m all alone in here’. The tragedy continues with ‘A Feather In Your Cap’ as the sensitive topic of having relations that end up meaning nothing is showcased.
A gloomy outlook in ‘Dark Days Are Here Again’ as we enter a quite sinister and foreboding time and we revisit the ‘winter of discontent’ and your world closes in.
Trying his hand at every possible aspect of music making, there is nothing he won’t tackle, even a song about a furniture removal company, it has a child-like feel, almost merry go round music that finishes in a grand and uproarious style.
Skipping along to ‘Opportunity Knox’ in this bright and bubbly little song that glides effortlessly in the ‘Drink L’Chaim’ vein.
Laying us gently down to rest with the final two tracks, we are reminded of how boring, tired, and mental our lives have become. We didn’t need to be reminded but it’s somehow more acceptable and valid when told by an artist of this calibre. The album is peppered with what are seemingly throwaway lyrics, but they contain an immense amount of grief, hurt and anguish.
Time for your own psychological evaluation, please come in, the doctor will see you now.
The Divine Comedy – Office Politics out 7th June via Norman Records.