- Casanova (album)
Infobox Album | Name = Casanova
Type =Album
Artist = The Divine Comedy
Released = April 29, 1996
Recorded = June 1995 - January 1996
Genre =Baroque Pop
Length = 51:52
Label = Setanta
Producer =Darren Allison andNeil Hannon
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:p95f8qnzbt94]
*"Q Magazine " Rating|4|5 [http://web.archive.org/web/20040531082949/divineguitar.co.uk/articles/qmag1996_06.php]
*"Rolling Stone " Rating|4|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/_/id/106391]
*"Dotmusic " (90/100) [http://web.archive.org/web/20040830063206/www.divineguitar.co.uk/articles.php?ref=18&lang=]
*"Mojo" (Positive) [http://web.archive.org/web/20030605221815/divineguitar.co.uk/articles/mojo1996_05.php]
Last album = "Promenade"
(1994)
This album = "Casanova"
(1996)
Next album = "A Short Album About Love "
(1997)"Casanova" is The Divine Comedy's fourth album. It was the band's commercial breakthrough. It was released on Setanta and certified gold in the UK in July 1997. This was helped by the release of The Divine Comedy's first single "Something for the Weekend" which reached number 13 on the charts. There were two other singles released from the album "Becoming More Like Alfie" and "The Frog Princess" which charted at 27 and 15 respectively. The album is also less classical sounding than "Promenade" and adopts more of a
Britpop feel. An instrumental version of "Songs of Love" was used as the theme tune toFather Ted .The central theme of the album is sex. All songs on the album center around this theme except "The Dogs and the Horses". The album begins with Neil saying "Hello" and ends with him singing, "Goodbye."
The album sounds over-produced and Neil has said that he wanted it that way. It had the longest recording period of any Divine Comedy album up to that point and subsequently cost more too. Setanta was able to indulge Neil's desires because of the success of
Edwyn Collins ' hit single "A Girl Like You." The album's last track, which was recorded atAbbey Road Studios , features a large orchestral ensemble.This album is the first to feature the "band" lineup with:
Neil Hannon ,Joby Talbot ,Stuart 'Pinkie' Bates ,Rob Farrer , andBryan Mills .Joby Talbot was beginning to play an increasingly important role in the band. On this album Joby arranged and orchestrated "The Dogs and the Horses," and he co-arranged "Theme from Casanova" with Neil."The Dogs and the Horses" is very close to the musical style of Scott Walker's first four solo albums. "Through a Long and Sleepless Night," a track off "Casanova", shares the same title as a track off of Scott's first solo album.
Track listing
*All songs written by
Neil Hannon
**Tracks 1-9 arranged byNeil Hannon
**Track 10 arranged byNeil Hannon andJoby Talbot
**Track 11 arranged and orchestrated byJoby Talbot #"Something for the Weekend" – 4:19
#"Becoming More Like Alfie" – 2:59
#"Middle-Class Heroes" – 5:26
#"In and Out of Paris and London" – 3:27
#"Charge" – 5:27
#"Songs of Love" – 3:26
#"The Frog Princess" – 5:13
#"Woman of the World" – 4:12
#"Through a Long and Sleepless Night" – 6:12
#"Theme from Casanova" – 5:51
#"The Dogs and the Horses" – 5:14ingles
*A Casanova Companion No.1
*#"Something for the Weekend" – 4:20
*#"Birds of Paradise Farm" – 3:52
*#"Love is Lighter than Air" – 3:54 (written byStephin Merritt )
*#"Songs of Love" – 3:22 (Theme from "Father Ted ")*A Casanova Companion No. 2
*#"Becoming More Like Alfie" – 3:02
*#"Untitled Melody" – 2:09 (written byEdwyn Collins )
*#"Your Daddy's Car" – 4:14
*#"The Dogs and the Horses" – 4:27 (NYC acoustic)*A Casanova Companion No.3
*#"The Frog Princess" – 5:13
*#"Motorway to Damascus" – 4:22
*#"A Woman of the World" – 4:16 (band version)
*#"Lucy" – 4:03 (Demo)*A Casanova Companion No.4
*#"The Frog Princess" – 5:13
*#"Something Before the Weekend" – 2:02 (Demo)
*#"Neptune's Daughter" – 5:08
*#"Tonight We Fly" – 2:40Notes
# Crumlish, Niall [http://eccentrick.co.uk/indulgence/] "Hot Press" May 1996 Retrieved
December 31 2005 .
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