Gig review - Sault, Drumsheds London 14th December 2023

Well, where to start with this? 7 days before this gig, Sault was just a mysterious studio collective of unknown musicians helmed by top producer Inflo (co-creator of fantastic albums by Little Simz, Michael Kiwanuka, Jungle and Adele(!)) who had released quite a number of albums since 2019, ranging from progressive R&B concept albums to choral and orchestral works, all released with zero information and minimal artwork. But on Saturday 9th of December, Sault fans were informed via one extremely brief Instagram post that on that Monday morning, we would be able to buy tickets for something called “Acts of Faith” that would be happening on Thursday 14th. 

Somewhere around 3000 tickets for this event sold out in seconds with absolutely no idea of what it would entail - would it be a gig? How would that work with an anonymous band? Maybe a live stream of some sort? Or just some kind of elaborate prank? Luckily for Sault, thousands of us were willing to take that leap and that is why I found myself heading to a closed down IKEA building in Tottenham to see what would happen.

—-

On arriving at the venue I get myself into a fairly lengthy and slowly moving queue, cursing the presumably incompetent security at this ramshackle venue, but the reason for our slow progress becomes clear when I step in through one of the former loading bays and find myself in a labyrinth of industrial filing boxes, which kicks us out suddenly into a grimy, dated apartment where two actors are sitting watching TV and looking bored, before we exit through their fridge and into a metal tunnel, climbing up towards a bright white light which turns out to be a shiny mirror maze room - all glass and lights except for some exotic plants and copies of the band’s albums in Perspex boxes on plinths. This eventually leads us up a ramp through a huge concrete circle and that’s where we are “born” into the gig venue itself.

I should mention that Drumsheds is actually a sort of mega-club; the entire floor of what used to be the IKEA warehouse, normally hosting 15,000 clubbers in one massive open space. The reason for only 3,000 tickets being sold becomes immediately apparent, as the whole venue has basically become the performance area - elaborate sets and structures throughout referencing album names and art; two stages in opposite corners of the cavernous room set up for a large choir and an orchestra; tall viewing platforms on each side, and in the middle of the room, a sealed Perspex capsule with a band set-up inside, surrounded by amphitheatre bench seating.

This is clearly going to be the place to be, so I grab one of the last available seats and wait a good 20 minutes chatting to a fellow fan before being asked to move by security, who let us into the secret that this isn’t actually a real stage and that this isn’t where the show is going to be happening at all. Skeptically, I move away like a good obedient gig-goer, albeit cursing under my breath, especially since the next time I look the security guys are cordoning off this area and only letting people with wristbands in (Chris Martin and Dua Lipa don’t want to hang out with me? Their loss…)

But now what? Whether this is or isn’t where the band are going to be, I now need to find somewhere else to stand, so after wandering the entire circuit of this enormous space a couple of times, I decide that this orchestra set-up is almost certainly not fake, and plonk myself directly in front of it and and wait for something to happen…

—-

I don’t have long to wait by the orchestra before something happens over to my right - on a raised platform I’ve not even noticed until now, a set of Japanese -looking percussion instruments are being set up, and then out comes a guy (possibly Joji Hirota?) who proceeds to whack the heck out of them for 20 minutes to gee up the crowd. The support is as conventional as everything else so far, then… 

Eventually the members of the orchestra quietly take their seats in my tiny corner of the venue, dressed in matching outfits with matching silver streaks in their hair (yes, even the bald double bass player) and start proceedings proper with the title track from 2022’s “Air” album, a sort of contemporary orchestral work recalling everything from David Axelrod to Mike Oldfield’s “Orchestral Tubular Bells”. And then suddenly from the opposite corner of the warehouse, the choir springs into life and my part of the audience spin around to see what’s going on over there. This aural and visual ping pong continues throughout this first part of the set (though thanks to the immaculately mixed sound we can hear everything perfectly balanced wherever we are in the venue) and then suddenly we realise there’s a third area between the orchestra and choir where dancers have started coming out and along an extended stage into the middle - starting like a fashion show catwalk and then introducing all sorts of dance from expressive, lyrical movement to terrifying law enforcement-styled pursuits.

So far, there’s no sign of Sault, whoever or whatever they are - but at the end of “Time is Precious” one of the people on the catwalk stage, veiled in an enormous hat with impressive dangly bits, starts singing to an enormous cheer; marking the first obvious appearance tonight of anyone connected to Sault - as even through the disguise, those closer to the stage recognise Cleo Sol, widely believed to be the voice of many of Sault’s songs (plus the fact that she’s married to Inflo is perhaps a bit of a giveaway :D)

Twenty minutes into this mammoth gig and things take a turn into what the setlist in front of the conductor calls the “Africa section”, with a group of drummers and percussionists starting up on a stage that’s now become visible tucked in a corner behind the catwalk, as dancers in bright costumes explode out into the audience for a real celebration of rhythm. And as if we hadn’t already had enough variety, when the Africa section is done, up pops London rapper Little Simz kicking the shit out of her Inflo-produced track “Fear No Man” whilst hidden under a silver balaclava (this is all getting a bit Masked Singer, isn’t it?) followed by Tamil musician Ganavya, the only singer this evening not in disguise, who performs what starts as a beautiful piano and voice cover of Monsoon’s 1982 hit “Ever So Lonely” and then morphs into something of her own making whilst trying to get the crowd involved a little bit of light singalong (“I heard there are a lot of you who can sing out there!”), which doesn’t work out too well because nobody seems to know the song and frankly we’re all a bit too dumbstruck. 

Then the orchestra starts up again behind me playing “Gods Will”, so I spin around to watch that, but at the same time the perspex capsule in that central VIP area from which I’d been so rudely ejected earlier lights up like a spaceship - here we go, I think, Sault are going to start playing in that box and I’m going to become overwhelmed with rage that I’m not 100m over thataway - but wait, what’s going on? The capsule, I can see from the video feed across the room, has hollow walls which are now filling up with a smoke screen so that it’s impossible to see anything that may or may not be happening in there.

And then, up starts a proper sounding band for the first time this evening, but I can tell it’s not coming from anywhere near that capsule … wait - what’s that in the wall between the choir and the stage behind the catwalk? Oh, it’s a massive semi-transparent light box in which we can now see silhouettes of some musicians and a vocalist… making the people in that VIP area now some of the furthest people away from the action. Thank you security for saving me from my worst gig fear, and I apologise for mentally cursing you out for the last hour! 

——

Now that we know where the stage is and where the band are, things start to feel a bit more like a regular gig, but only a bit. Another cryptic Instagram post a couple of weeks before the gig talked about a “new unreleased album live for the first and only time” and so that’s what they proceed to play next: a brand new 9-song album entitled “Acts of Faith”, which on this showing would slot in very nicely alongside the band’s other progressive R&B concept albums but will never get the chance to, because it’s seemingly confirmed after the show that “first and only time” actually meant that nobody will ever be hearing this music again after tonight. It’s hard to imagine just how much most artists would love to have the luxury of discarding an entire album of this quality after a single airing but it seems these guys can churn this stuff out in their sleep?

The “Acts of Faith” set sees the band playing in the big light box alongside lots more dancers, who start out as human swans - and there are occasional forays onto the stage from Cleo Sol (in a variety of disguises). This bit of the gig ends with her belting out a rousing song called “Pray for Me” which everyone present agrees will be a highlight of the new album when it comes out (probably a good job they don’t announce there and then that nobody is ever hearing it again…)

And finally, 90 minutes after the show started, it’s time for the crowd-pleasing encore of “hits” from across the band’s catalogue (except that with 19 songs over 75 minutes it’s longer than some bands’ headline sets.) This also sees various members of the band leaving the confines of their privacy box at times, with a small band setup on the main stage for a couple of songs (with all the performers in ski masks, naturally) as well as more dancers, Brazilian drummers and guest appearances from not-terribly well disguised musicians like Jack Peñate, Michael Kiwanuka, Kid Sister, Little Simz again and rapper Chronnix. The is-it-isn’t-it-a-stage capsule actually gets used for some extra band action at one point, and they even find time to appear on another previously unnoticed mini-stage up in the wall of the warehouse for half a song - seriously, hadn’t they spent enough money on this event yet? 

Cleo even spontaneously breaks protocol at one point and pops out of the light box to ask if we’re all having a good time and tell us how much fun she’s having, in the only audience interaction we get all night. Things are getting dangerously close to being fun and exhilarating rather than mysterious and cryptic -not sure how to feel about this!

But after an epic “best of” set, and with fan favourite “Wildfires” bringing everything to a close, the lights finally come up and this completely unrepeatable experiences draws to a close, and I am genuinely caught by confused surprise at the realisation that I now have to go and catch a train to go home. A more immersive gig I will likely never see: the use of the space to confound typical gig-going behaviours, the creative ways of obscuring the band’s identities, the hundreds of supporting dancers and musicians, the numerous clues and puzzles hidden in the set design; oh and the fantastic music, some of which we are the only people who will ever hear - it’s a lot to take in but it’s easily the best thing I’ve seen this year and quite possibly over time will go down as the thing I was most lucky to be a part of. 

For a debut gig, it’s not a bad effort. ;) 

The Divine Comedy's "The Booklovers" - A detailed runthrough...

(This blog is just basically now my dumping ground for Divine Comedy-related lists, isn't it?)

I recently had cause to be posting a load of background information about "The Booklovers" onto a forum, and I thought, wouldn't it be interesting to have a complete list of all the authors mentioned, who they are, what the little speech samples say, and what they're referring to?

And then I found that a lot of the job had been done by Ashortsite.com - a fantastic start there by Alphi and various other helpers. I have copied a lot of that text to use as a basis so thanks Alphi for making such a great jumping off point available!

It just remained then for me to fill in the gaps by listening 37 times to the song very loudly on headphones, Googling the authors' names (how did it always seem to know which one I was looking for next, is everyone playing this game?) and making some of my own deductions! (Still very proud of my Daniel Defoe sleuth work...) Thanks also to a few members of the SHTV forum for their corrections and additions!

It may also be interesting to know that some of the voices are Neil, some are samples from films and TV shows, and some of them are other people who visited the studio whilst "Promenade" was being recorded. Apparently Neil would hand visitors a list of names and ask them to choose a couple to impersonate in whatever way they saw fit!

Here we go then, buckle up...

The Booklovers

"This book deals with epiphenomenalism, which has to do with consciousness as a mere accessory of physiological processes whose presence or absence... makes no difference... whatever are you doing?" - The opening sample is from the 1957 film "Funny Face", where Audrey Hepburn is trying to sell someone a book - a direct influence on the reason this song came to be, as mentioned by Neil in his new liner notes for Promenade!

• Aphra Behn (“Hello” in a hoarse voice) (England, 1640-1689) is said to be the first female novelist.
• Miguel De Cervantes (“Donkey”) (Spain, 1547-1616) wrote Don Quixote, where the hero’s sidekick Sancho Panza rides a donkey instead of a horse. Presumably the joke here is that most British people pronounce Don Quixote as “Donkey Oaty” 😉
• Daniel Defoe (“it’s a Crisp ‘N Dry day!”) (England, 1660-1731) wrote Robinson Crusoe, where the hero christens his companion Friday, because it’s the day they meet. Crisp ‘N Dry is a British brand of cooking oil – with a famous advertising catchphrase claiming to make any day into a “Fry day” ….! (torturous, but oh so funny)
• Samuel Richardson (“Hello?”) (England, 1689-1761), a novelist best known for 3 epistolary novels.
• Henry Fielding (“tittle tattle, tittle tattle”) (England, 1707-1754) wrote Tom Jones, a novel of a gossipy style (i.e tittle-tattle). The corresponding extract is said to be taken from the film of the same name with Albert Finney.
• Lawrence Sterne (“Helloooohhh…”) (Britain, 1713-1768) wrote Tristram Shandy, a novel displaying much bawdy humour, hence the Leslie Phillips-style “Hello…”.
• Mary Wollstonecraft (“Vindicated!”) (Britain, 1759-1797) was one of the first feminists and wrote A Vindication of the Rights of Women.
• Jane Austen (“Here I am!” in a posh girly voice) (England, 1775-1817) Austen’s heroines are somewhat perky and childish.
• Sir Walter Scott (“We’re all doomed” in a Scottish accent) (Scotland, 1771-1832) inspired Private Fraser in the sitcom Dad’s Army, another Scot, whose catchphrase was indeed “We’re all doomed!”
• Leo Tolstoy (“Yes!”) (Russia, 1862-1910) a Russian writer who is regarded as one of the greatest authors of all time.
• Honore de Balzac (“oui!”) (France, 1799-1850) A French novelist and playwright.
• Edgar Allan Poe (*horror movie scream*) (US, 1809-1849) wrote short-stories in the fantasy / horror genre
• Charlotte (“hello?”) England, 1816-1855), Emily (“hello?”) (England, 1818-1848) and Anne Brontë (“hello?” in a deep man’s voice) (England, 1820-1849). It has been suggested that this is a reference to the fact that they used male pseudonyms to publish their works initially, but Neil confirmed in a 1999 interview that he just thought it was funny and unexpected to have the third voice be a man! One of the female voices was recorded by Alice Lemon of The Catchers, who were recording at The Church studio at the same time.
• Nikolai Gogol (“Vas chi”??) (Russia, 1809-1852) A Russian novelist, short story writer and playwright. No idea what “vas chi” refers to, any ideas?
• Gustave Flaubert (“Oui?”) (France, 1821-1880) A French novelist, and the leading exponent of literary realism.
• William Makepeace Thackeray (“Call me William Makepeace Thackeray”) (England, 1811-1863) Known for Vanity Fair. Presumably a joke on the standard phrase “Call me Jim” etc.
• Nathaniel Hawthorne (“The Letter A”) (US, 1804-1864) wrote The Scarlet Letter, where the heroine stitches a red A for adultery on her clothes.
• Herman Melville (“Ahoooooy theeeere!”) US, 1819-1891) wrote sea stories, such as Moby Dick.
• Charles Dickens (“London is so beautiful at this time of year…”) (Britain, 1812-1870) wrote many novels which took place in London. The sample comes from Michael Palin playing Cardinal Richelieu in an episode of Monty Python (Series 1, Episode 3 – “Court Scene” sketch)
• Anthony Trollope (“good e-good-e-goo-goo-good-evening”) (England, 1815-1882) was an English novelist and civil servant. Not sure why the voice stammers his introduction, but he did apparently die from a fit of the giggles, so maybe that’s why? (Another Monty Python quote, apparently, from Series 1 episode 6.)
• Fyodor Dostoevsky (“Here come the sleepers…”) (1821-1881, Russia). Novelist and journalist. A quote from his piece “The Adolescent”: “Some sleepers have intelligent faces even in sleep, while other faces, even intelligent ones, become very stupid in sleep and therefore ridiculous. I don't know what makes that happen; I only want to say that a laughing man, like a sleeping one, most often knows nothing about his face.” 
• Mark Twain (“I can’t even spell Mississippi!”) (US, 1835-1910) wrote stories about the Mississippi river including Huckleberry Finn. Mississippi is also a notoriously difficult word to spell. The voice playing Mark Twain is Ben Wardle, an A&R man who wanted to sign Neil at the time.
• George Eliot (“George reads German?”) (Britain, 1819-1880) this is a sample from the film A Room with a View, which as we all know, Neil was obsessed with. The movie quote does not actually relate to George Eliot, but a character in the film. 
• Emile Zola (“J’accuse!”) (France, 1840-1902) wrote J’accuse! a letter in support of Jewish colonel Dreyfus against anti-Semites.
• Henry James (“Howdy, Miss Wharton!”) (British of American origin, 1843-1916) He and Edith Wharton (US, 1862-1937) (“Well hello, Mr James!”), mentioned later in the song, were lovers.
• Thomas Hardy (“Ooo-arrrhhh!”) (Britain, 1840-1928) wrote stories set in the fictional British county of Wessex, meant to be in the West Country, hence the accent.
• Joseph Conrad (“I’m a bloody boring writer”) (British of Polish origin, 1857-1924) was an impressionist writer. Evidently whoever picked this voice to record wasn’t much of a fan!
• Katherine Mansfield (*pathetic cough*) (Britain, 1888-1923) died of TB.
• DH Lawrence (“Never heard of it”) (Britain, 1885-1930) wrote highly controversial novels with emancipated heroines. Some were even censored (for instance, Lady Chatterley’s Lover). Thus, people who had read him might deny having ever heard of him. This is a sample from the film A Room with a View, based on a novel by EM Forster. 
• EM Forster (*sighing*“Never heard of it”) (Britain, 1879-1970) This is yet another sample from the movie A Room with a View (different from the one before). Presumably a little joke, as everyone who was paying attention would know by now that Neil was obsessed with Forster.
• James Joyce (“Hello there” in an Irish accent) (Ireland, 1882-1941) Irish novelist, short story writer, poet, teacher, and literary critic. Author of "Ulysses", a novel in which everything happens on one day. Neil was trying to read this novel whilst writing "Promenade", which gave him the idea for the album's central concept.
• Virginia Woolf (“I’m losing my mind!”) (Britain, 1882-1941) suffered from mental health issues and ultimately committed suicide.
• Marcel Proust (“Je ne m’en souviens plus”  = “I don’t remember it any more”) (France, 1871-1922) wrote Remembrance of Things Past. Good joke, someone!
• F Scott Fitzgerald (“baaah bababa baaaah”) (US, 1896-1940) wrote ‘Bernice Bobs Her Hair’.
• Ernest Hemingway (“That’s ‘Papa’ to you, son”) (US, 1899-1961) A recently worked out connection, the 2020 mix makes this quote much clearer and now seems to be a clear reference to Hemingway’s nickname of “Papa”.  (Previous attempts you can find online say “I forgot the ether”, which doesn’t make much sense.)
• Herman Hesse (“Oh es ist so häßlich” = “oh, it’s so ugly”) (Switzerland, 1899-1961) Presumably a play on the similar sound between “Hesse” and the first syllable of “häßlich”.
• Evelyn Waugh (“Whooooaaarrrr!”) (Britain, 1903-1966) A wordplay on his name.
• William Faulkner (“Tu connais William Faulkner?” = “Do you know William Faulkner?”) (US, 1897-1962) – this is a sample taken from the movie Breathless (A Bout de Souffle), which pops up again later, and also in “When the Lights Go Out All Over Europe”.
• Anaïs Nin (“The strand of pearls”) (US, 1903-1977) She wrote erotic books, but it’s not exactly clear what the pearls refer to.
• Ford Madox Ford (“Any colour as long as it’s black”) (Britain, 1873-1939). A joke on the famous quote from car-maker Henry Ford. 
• Jean-Paul Sartre (“Let's go to the Dôme, Simone!”) France, 1905-1980) and Simone de Beauvoir (“C'est exact, present” = “That’s right, here!”) (France, 1908-1986) were a famous couple of intellectuals. Le Dôme was a bar in Paris frequented by many writers it seems.
• Albert Camus (“The beach… the beach!”) (France, 1913-1960) wrote The Outsider, where the protagonist kills a man on a beach.
• Franz Kafka (“WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?”) (Czechoslovakia, 1883-1924) wrote paranoiac works like The Trial. The sample is perhaps taken from the film with Harold Pinter.
• Thomas Mann (“Mam”) (Germany, 1875-1955). Mam/Mann? With bad handwriting, it works…!
• Graham Greene (“Call me Pinkie, lovely…”) (Britain, 1904-1991) Greene wrote Brighton Rock, a novel which was adapted into a film with Richard Attenborough as Pinkie. The sample is taken from the film.
• Jack Kerouac (“Me car’s broken down!” in a Yorkshire accent) (US, 1922-1969) The amusing accent is quite a juxtaposition with his book “On The Road”, the story of a road trip across the US.
• William S. Burroughs (“Woowwwwww!”) (US, 1914-1997) took LSD and wrote some quite hallucinatory stuff.
• Sir Kingsley Amis (*cough*) (Britain, 1922-1995) Not sure if there is any significance to the cough!.
• Doris Lessing (“I hate men!”) (Britain, 1919-2013) is a feminist writer. I can recall in the 1990s feminists (particularly female comedians) having a reputation for hating men, so this was probably amusing at the time...
• Vladimir Nabokov (“Hello, little girl…”) (British of Russian origin, 1899-1977) wrote Lolita, where the protagonist is obsessed with a young girl.
• William Golding (“Achtung, Busby!”) (Britain, 1911-1993) wrote Lord of The Flies, which describes how a group of young boys beached on a desert island regress to a tribal and violent stage. One of the protagonists is called Busby, and the joke is a reference to the album Achtung Baby by U2 (1991).
• JG Ballard (“Instrument binnacle”) (Britain, 1930-2009) wrote Crash. “Instrument binnacle” is an expression Ballard uses for a car’s dashboard. This is another line recorded by Ben Wardle.
• Richard Brautigan (“How are you doing?”) (US, 1935-1984) an American novelist, poet, and short story writer. His work often clinically and surrealistically employs black comedy, parody, and satire, with emotionally blunt prose describing pastoral American life intertwining with technological progress.
• Milan Kundera (“I don’t do interviews”) (Czech Republic, 1929- ) A quick Google suggests that plenty of interviews have been done with the author of “The Unbearable Lightness of Being” so not sure what this is about…
• Ivy Compton Burnett (“Hello…”) (Britain, 1884-1969) An author of several novels consisting mainly of dialogue and focusing on family life among the late Victorian or Edwardian upper middle class.
• Paul Theroux (“Have a nice day!”) (US, 1941-) A travel writer, whose best-known work is The Great Railway Bazaar. The quote is presumably some Brit’s dig at the perceived fake cheerfulness of Americans!
• Günter Grass (“I’ve found snails!”) (Germany, 1927-2015) A novelist, poet and playwright. Snails… in the grass… get it? 😉
• Gore Vidal (“Oh, it makes me mad…”)(US, 1925-2012) Another sample taken from Monty Python, in a sketch from series 1, episode 3, where John Cleese is dressed as a chef, hitting a table with a meat cleaver (quite… gory?). Also Vidal was known for getting worked up about various causes. 
• John Updike (“Run rabbit, run rabbit, run run run”) (US, 1932-2009) wrote “Rabbit, Run”. A novel whose title is presumably based on the wartime song “Run Rabbit run”, whose rhythm is used in the quote here.
• Kazuo Ishiguro (“Ah so, old chap!”) (British writer, born in Japan in 1954) wrote The Remains of the Day, where the main character is a butler in a country house. A juxtaposition between a Japanese-sounding expression (from Japanese ā sō, interjection signaling attention or understanding in conversation), and an English one, which might be used by people in country houses.
• Malcolm Bradbury (“Stroke John Steinbeck, stroke JD Salinger”) (Britain, 1932-2000) I can’t find any particular connection between these 3 authors, so my strong guess here is that Neil had all 3 written on his list to choose between (i.e. “Malcolm Bradbury / John Steinbeck / JD Salinger”) and whoever picked that line decided to read them exactly like that.
• Iain Banks (“Too orangey for crows!”) (Scotland, 1954-2013) One of Banks’s most famous books is called The Crow Road. The sample is a reference to an advert for Kia-Ora orange squash, which starred… animated crows.
• Dame AS Byatt (“Nine tenths of the law, you know…”) (born in Britain in 1936) wrote Possession. A reference to the legal proverb “Possession is nine-tenths of the law”.
• Martin Amis (*Grunt*) (born in the UK, 1949) Presumably a reference to the vulgar behaviour of the characters in many of his books.
• Brett Easton Ellis (*blood-curdling scream*) (born in the US in 1964) - wrote American Psycho.
• Umberto Eco (“I don’t understand this either”) (Italy, 1932-2016) wrote books which are considered quite hard to understand.
• Gabriel García Marquez (“Mi casa, tu casa” = “My house is your house”) (Colombia, 1927-2014). Presumably this was the only Spanish phrase that whoever recorded this voice could remember…
• Roddy Doyle (“Ha ha ha!”) (born in Ireland in 1958) wrote Paddy Clarke, Ha Ha Ha.
• Salman Rushdie (“Names that will live forever…”) (born in India in 1947). It seems that this quote is not specifically related to Salman Rushdie, but a general comment to wrap up the song. It most likely again relates again to “A Bout de Souffle”, where the film’s heroine is interviewing a journalist and they discuss how artists become immortal once their works are famous. (as once again referenced in “When The Lights Go Out…”!). This is yet another Monty Python sample, from series 1, episode 6. 

So now you know.

Please feel free to leave any corrections in the comments below!

What's missing from the Divine Comedy's new boxset? (Extra tracks for "Venus, Cupid, Folly & Time")

Hello! What have we here? 

A young reader... to what do I owe this pleasant surprise? 

How may I be of service this dark and wintry night? Ahh, I see. You wish me to look into the boxset. 

Your boxset! After demos... B-sides... half finished doodles..

After your last badly recorded dance music pastiche...

Okay, my pretty.

Just cross my social media with shares, and I'll see what I can do.

Wait! The fog is lifting...

-----

*ahem*

Sorry for that, I don't know what came over me. I'm just in a bit of a Neil Hannon zone right now, having spent the last week listening to the man's every recorded note, and what a wonderful experience it has been. But hold on, is it really every note?

Well, yeah, pretty much - I have counted precisely 6 original songs* officially released under the name The Divine Comedy which don't appear on the set in any form whatsoever. And there are probably good reasons for those (he recently explained how much he hated one of them, for example...)

But, having bought the boxset and enjoyed the wonderful new mastering, packaging and bonus tracks, can you retire all those old CD singles and promo discs? That depends on your level of collector-OCD, I guess. But here's a chronological list of everything** previously officially released***, that doesn't appear on the boxset in that exact form. And to make it more fun, I've organised them into Bonus Discs so that, if you so desire, you can burn your own CDs and slot them into the boxset yourself (assuming you own all the tracks  - actually even I don't have more than 95% of them... yet.)

* "Soul Destroyer", "I Am", "Too Young to Die", "This Side of Paradise", "Oscar the Hypno-Dog" and "Don't Mention the War"

**  ok, by "everything", I mean "everything I am aware of", please feel free to let me know if I missed something... but please be nice about it.

*** I've included things only released on promo CDs, just to mess with you and make collecting them all extra-hard, because that's the kind of person I am.

-----

Liberation "Disc 3"

Live at La Cigale 6-11-1993 (French Promo CD):

1. Bernice Bobs Her Hair (live)

2. Three Sisters (live) (is on the bonus disc but should live here really)

3. I Was Born Yesterday (live)

4. Your Daddy's Car (live)

5. Life's What You make It (live)

6. Europe By Train (live)

7. Lucy (live)

8. Jackie (live - Jacques Brel cover)

---

9. Hate My Way (Throwing Muses cover- from "Indulgence No. 1")

10. Untitled Melody (original mix) (Edwyn Collins cover - from "Indulgence No. 1") - it has been suggested by readers that the version on the boxset is a remix!

11. Europe by Train (Traveller's Companion mix) (from "Indulgence No. 1")

12. Bleak Landscape (home demo 1993 - from "A Secret History - Rarities" CD)

13. Moon River (Henry Mancini cover, home demo 1991 - from "A Secret History - Rarities" CD)

14. Soul Destroyer (Studio Demo, Bonbridge 1989 – from “A Secret History – Rarities” CD)

Promenade “Disc 3”

1994 live tracks from the Secret History "Rarities" CD

1. A Drinking Song (live in Dublin)

2. Bernice Bobs Her Hair (live in London)

3. The Booklovers (live in Paris)

4. The Model (live in Dusseldorf)

Indulgence Number 2 (7" EP, live in April 1994)

5. A Drinking Song (live)

6. Tonight We Fly (live)

( "When the Lights Go Out" on the Liberation bonus disc seems to be from this release)

A Promenade Companion (bonus CD from initial pressing of "Promenade"

7. Don't Look Down (acoustic)

8. Queen of the South (acoustic)

9.Your Daddy's Car (acoustic)

10. I Was Born Yesterday (acoustic) 

11. The Booklovers (instrumental, from 2006 BMG promo sampler)

Casanova “Disc 3”

1. There is a Light That Never Goes Out (The Smiths cover, from "The Smiths is Dead" compilation album)

2. Your Daddy's Car (Mark Radcliffe Session, 29/04/1996 - from "Becoming More Like Alfie" CD single

3. The Dogs and the Horses (NYC acoustic, September 1994) - from "Becoming More Like Alfie" CD single

September Sound Session August 1996:

4. A Woman of the World ("band version") - (from "Frog Princess" CD single)

5. Tonight We Fly ("band version") - (from "Frog Princess" CD single)

6. Through a Long and Sleepless Night (live in the studio) - (from "Volume 17" compilation CD)

7. Neptune's Daughter (live at Newcastle Riverside, 13/10/1996 - from "Frog Princess" CD single

8. Songs of Love (alternate “pre-mix” – from a Setanta promo sampler CD) 

Live in London 13-Nov-1996, From BBC Promo CD "The Mix 144"

9. Something for the Weekend (live London 13-11-1996, “The Mix 144” BBC promo CD)

10. Becoming More Like Alfie (live London 13-11-1996, “The Mix 144” BBC promo CD)

11. A Woman of the World (live London 13-11-1996, “The Mix 144” BBC promo CD)

12. The Frog Princess (live London 13-11-1996, “The Mix 144” BBC promo CD)

I'm open to suggestions that this doesn't belong here, being a radio show, but hey, it was pressed on a real CD which some people apparently own!

13. Comme Beaucoup De Messieurs (alternate version, from promo CD)

14. Something Before the Weekend (from CD single) - possibly a different version to the one on the boxset?

A Short Album About Love "Discs 3&4"

Live at Shepherds' Bush Empire, 20th October 1996

Ok, so here's my idea: between the soundtrack of the new DVD, the "Everybody Knows" CD singles and the "Rarities" CD, you can now assemble all but one track from the real concert into a stunning live album. (the tracks on ASAAL itself were recorded in rehearsal, with vocals mostly from studio overdubs, as admitted by Neil in the liner notes...)

This does mean including some tracks which actually ARE included in the boxset, but I think it's worth it...

1.Bath (from the "Everybody Knows" CD single) - actually on the ASAAL bonus disc but using this version allows it to seamlessly flow into...

2. Tonight We Fly (from the "Everybody Knows" CD Single)

3. Middle Class Heroes (from the "Everybody Knows" CD Single)

4. Your Daddy's Car (from the "Everybody Knows" CD Single) - actually on the ASAAL bonus disc but lives here

"Becoming More Like Alfie" goes here in the setlist but has only ever been released on an impossibly rare promo VHS so good luck tracking that down...

5. Johnny Mathis' Feet (from the "Everybody Knows" CD single) - actually on the ASAAL bonus disc but lives here

6. Europe By Train (from the "Everybody Knows" CD single) - actually on the Liberation bonus disc but lives here

7. The Frog Princess (from "A Secret History – Rarities” CD)

--- (interval) ---

8. In Pursuit of Happiness (actual live version, from the "A Short Film DVD")

9. Everybody Knows (Except You) (actual live version, from the "A Short Film DVD")

10. Someone (actual live version, from the "A Short Film DVD")

11. Timewatching (actual live version, from the "A Short Film DVD")

12. If… (actual live version, from the "A Short Film DVD")

13. If I Were You (actual live version, from the "A Short Film DVD")

14. I’m All You Need (actual live version, from the "A Short Film DVD")

15. Make it Easy On Yourself (from the "Everybody Knows" CD single) - actually on the ASAAL bonus disc but lives here)

--- encore 1 ---

16. A Drinking Song (from the "Everybody Knows" CD single) - actually on the Promenade bonus disc but lives here

17. Something for the Weekend - (from the "Everybody Knows.." CD single)

--- encore 2 ---

18. The Dogs and The Horses  - (from the “A Short Film" DVD)

Fin de Siecle "disc 3"

1. Generation Sex (home demo) - (from "A Secret History - Rarities" CD)

2. Time Lapse (Michael Nyman Cover - from "Generation Sex" CD1)

3. Chasing Sheep Is Best Left to Shepherds (Michael Nyman Cover - from "Generation Sex" CD2)

4. Miranda (Michael Nyman Cover - from "Certainty of Chance" CD1)

5. Knowing the Ropes (Michael Nyman Cover - from "Certainty of Chance" CD2)

6. The Heart of Rock and Roll (acoustic version of "Sweden" with different lyrics - from National Express cassingle)

7. Going Downhill Fast (acoustic version - from "National Express" CD1)

8. Radioactivity (Kraftwerk cover - from "National Express" CD1)

9. Famous (Magnetic Fields cover - from "National Express" CD2)

10. Commuter Love (live in London 1998) - from "Secret History" Rarities CD)

11. National Express (live "somewhere in a large field" in 1999 - from "Secret History" Rarities CD)

12. Life on Mars (David Bowie cover - live with Yann Tiersen in Rennes 1998 - from "Secret History" Rarities CD)

13. Generation Sex (“Katie Puckrik version”) – (from the original retail CD of “Fin De Siecle”)

14. Certainty of Chance (“Neil’s monologue version”) - (from the original retail CD of “Fin De Siecle”)

15. Here Comes the Flood (instrumental, from 2006 BMG promo sampler)

16. Lucy (live at Eurorockeenes de Belfort festival, 5th July 1998 - from the CD "Les Eurockéennes de Belfort 100 %")

17. I've Been to a Marvellous Party [Trouser Enthusiasts Formaldehyde Spritzer Mix] (I've Been to a Marvellous Party 12")

18. I've Been to a Marvellous Party [Sharp South Park Remix] (I've Been to a Marvellous Party 12")

19. I've Been to a Marvellous Party [Floorgazm Remix] (I've Been to a Marvellous Party 12")

20. I've Been to a Marvellous Party [Pink Noise Mix] (I've Been to a Marvellous Party 12")

(I put the remixes last so you don't have to listen to them  ;) )

A Secret History Bonus Disc, aka "what do you have against this period, Neil?"

1. Europop (live at the Bowlie weekender 24/04/1999, from Gin-Soaked Boy cassingle)

2. Songs of Love (Phil Thornalley remix) (from Gin-soaked Boy CD 1)

3. I Am (with Brian Eno) (from Gin-soaked Boy CD 1)

4. The Pop Singer's Fear of the Pollen Count ('99 version) (from "A Secret History")

5. Your Daddy's Car ('99 remix)(from "A Secret History")

6. Too Young to Die (from "A Secret History")

7. Eric the Gardener (acoustic version, from Pop-Singer's Fear CD 1)

8. This Side of Paradise (from Pop-Singer's Fear CD 2)

9. Vapour Trail (Ride cover, from Pop-Singer's Fear CD 2)

10. Jackie (Jacques Brel cover, from Pop-Singer's Fear cassingle)

Regeneration "Disc 3"

1. Love What You Do (Deadly Avenger Mix) (from "Love What You Do" CD1)

2. Edward The Confessor (alternate version) (from "Regeneration" Japanese CD) The version on the boxset is confirmed to be the "official B-side", not this version.

Live at Oxford Brookes University, 21/03/2001 (from "Bad Ambassador" CD and 7" singles)

2. Bad Ambassador (live)

3. Pictures of Matchstick Men (live - Status Quo cover)

4. Sweden (live)

5. Life on Earth (live)

6. Les Jours Tristes (Yann Tiersen featuring Neil Hannon) (from "Perfect Lovesong" CD1)

7. Thinking The Unthinkable (finished version, from "Perfect Lovesong" CD2) 

8. Oh Yeah (Roxy Music cover, from "Perfect Lovesong" CD2)

9. Perfect Lovesong (iMonster's Perfect Lovebirds mix) (from "Perfect Lovesong" DVD Single)

10. Bad Ambassador (acoustic - Stratford Upon Avon, 02/02/2001) - (from "Re:Regeneration" promo CD)

11. Generation Sex (live - Dublin Temple Bar 22/01/2001) - (from "Re:Regeneration" promo CD) This is a really terrible version, Neil sounds SO bored ;)

12. The Power of Love (Frankie Goes to Hollywood cover - live Dublin 20/11/2001) - (from "Fan Club CD #1")

13. Geronimo (live Dublin 20/11/2001) (from "Fan Club CD #1")

14. Love What You Do “Radio Edit” (from French promo CD, actually a remix with added percussion)

15. Regeneration (Acoustic - Oui FM Session) (from French 3-track promo CD called "Regeneration")

16-19. "Love What You Do", "Timestretched", "Perfect Lovesong" and "Lost Property" (instrumentals - from unknown promo CD)  - I have now heard these and they sound great, but not sure how "officially released" they are...

Absent Friends "Disc 3"

1. Come Home Billy Bird (demo version) - (from "Come Home Billy Bird" CD1)

2. All Things (original version) - (from "Come Home Billy Bird" 7" single and the "Absent Friends Companion" CD) With the daft computerised voices ...!

3. Something for the Weekend (live Ken Bruce Radio 2 session - 30/03/2004) - (from Absent Friends CD2)

4. Absent Friends (live Ken Bruce Radio 2 session - 30/03/2004) - (from Absent Friends CD2)

5. Anthem for Bored Youth (final version) - (from "Absent Friends" 7" and the "Absent Friends Companion" CD)

6. No One Knows (Queens of the Stone Age cover - live Dublin 02/05/2004) - (from "Bavarian EP" Digital single)

7. Three Sisters (live Dublin 02/05/2004) - (from "Bavarian EP" Digital Single)

8. Our Mutual Friend (acoustic demo 2003) - (from "Bavarian EP" Digital Single)

9. Do You Realize? (Flaming Lips cover, Rehearsal, London 2004) - (from "Fan Club CD #2)

10. Going Downhill Fast (live, London 16/06/2004) - (from "Fan Club CD #2)

11. Lucy (live, London 16/06/2004) - (from "Fan Club CD #2)

12. I Hold Your Hand in Mine (live, London, 16/06/2004) (MySpace exclusive track)

13. The Wreck of the Beautiful (early idea, circulating mp3, not sure if officially released?)

14. Our Mutual Friend (Home demo) (from "To Die a Virgin" CD2) 

15. When the Lights Go Out All Over Europe (Live, Haldern Festival, August 2004) (from the compilation CD "Vollmilch 2004 - Ein Wochenende am Niederrhein")

16. Our Mutual Friend (live on the TV Show "Other Voices", December 2004 -from the compilation CD "Other Voices 3"

17. October (U2 Cover - Today FM live recording) - from ("Even Better Than The Real Thing, Volume 3" compilation, 2005)

18. Three Cheers For Pooh, Cottleston Pie, Piglet Ho (from the "Colours are Brighter" kids' CD, 2006)

Victory for the Comic Muse "Disc 3"

1. Elaine (Demo version) - from "Diva Lady" 7" and digital singles

2. Births, Deaths and Marriages (final version) - from "Diva Lady" CD 2

3. Diva Lady (Black Holes demo) (from "Diva Lady" digital single)

4. Diva Lady (finished demo) (from "Diva Lady" digital single)

5. To Die a Virgin (live, London 06/07/2006) - (from "To Die a Virgin" Digital Single)

6. A Lady of a Certain Age (live, from the Basement, credited to Neil Hannon) (from "From the Basement" compilation DVD, 2008)

“Others” EP

1. At The Indie Disco (Mk1) – (from the Indie Disco digital single)

2. Napoleon Complex (original demo) – (from the “Bang Goes the Knighthood” iTunes deluxe edition) - the boxset has a different demo

3. On the Barge (from the Indie Disco digital single) - the boxset has a different demo

4. Time to Pretend (live - MGMT Cover) - (from the compilation "Dermot O'Leary Presents the Saturday Sessions, 2010)

From "Oscar the Hypno-Dog" Various Artists charity album (2012)

5. One Ear Up One Ear Down (ok, not TECHNICALLY credited to TDC but since the demo is on the boxset I think this one counts...)

6. Oscar the Hypno-Dog

7. Don’t Mention the War (from the ”Modern Love” soundtrack, 2019)

------

So there you have it! A veritable treasure trove of live, acoustic and remixed tracks, covers, and a teeny tiny number of originals.  

Now, if you really want to, you can also take these entire previously released CDs, and try to somehow jam them in your boxset, too- but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it...

Absent Friends “Instrumentals”

• The Wreck of the Beautiful (instrumental, from promo CDR)

• Sticks & Stones (instrumental, from promo CDR)

• Leaving Today (instrumental, from promo CDR)

• Come Home Billy Bird (instrumental, from promo CDR)

• My Imaginary Friend (instrumental, from promo CDR)

• Absent Friends (instrumental, from promo CDR)

• Our Mutual Friend (instrumental, from promo CDR)

• The Happy Goth (instrumental, from promo CDR)

• Freedom Road (instrumental, from promo CDR)

• Charmed Life (instrumental, from promo CDR)

Live at the Palladium, 26th April 2004 (DVD)

01 Absent Friends

02 In Pursuit Of Happiness

03 Becoming More Like Alfie

04 Sticks & Stones

05 Leaving Today

06 Come Home Billy Bird

07 The Certainty Of Chance

08 When The Lights Go Out All Over Europe

09 No One Knows

10 National Express

11 Generation Sex

12 Songs Of Love

13 The Happy Goth

14 Our Mutual Friend

15 Three Sisters

16 Charmed Life

17 Tonight We Fly

18 Something For The Weekend

19 Sunrise

“Victory for the Comic Muse” instrumentals

• To Die A Virgin (instrumental, from promo CDR)

• Mother Dear (instrumental, from promo CDR)

• Diva Lady (instrumental, from promo CDR)

• The Light Of Day (instrumental, from promo CDR)

• Party Fears Two (instrumental, from promo CDR)

• Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World (instrumental, from promo CDR)

• The Plough (instrumental, from promo CDR)

• Snowball In Negative (instrumental, from promo CDR)

Live at the cite de la Musique, Paris, September 2008 (bonus CD from "Bang Goes the Knighthood")

1: Amsterdam  (Jacques Brel cover)

2: L'Amour Est Bleu (Andre Plopp, Pierre Cour cover)

3: Poupée De Cire Poupée De Son (Serge Gainsbourg cover)

4: Les Playboys (Jacques Dutronc, Jacques Lanzmann cover)

5: The Songs That We Sing (written by Jarvis Cocker, Jean-Benoît Dunckel, Neil Hannon, Nicolas Godin)

6: Les Copains D'Abord (Georges Brassens cover)

7: Anita Pettersen (Vincent Delerm cover)

8: Joe Le Taxi (Franck Langolff, Étienne Roda-Gil cover)

9: Je Changerais D'Avis (Ennio Morricone, Ghigo De Chiara, Maurizio Costanzo cover)

Live at Somerset House, 17th July 2010 (Live at Somerset House Live album)

1-1 The Complete Banker 4:51

1-2 Assume The Perpendicular 4:01

1-3 Everybody Knows (Except You) 4:00

1-4 Your Daddy's Car 3:27

1-5 The Pop Singers Fear Of The Pollen Count 3:43

1-6 National Express 4:02

1-7 If... 5:01

1-8 Neapolitan Girl 3:08

1-9 Becoming More Like Alfie 2:55

2-1 Snowball In Negative 4:38

2-2 At The Indie Disco 4:14

2-3 Time To Pretend 4:24

2-4 Geronimo 2:02

2-5 Don't Look Down 5:17

2-6 A Lady Of Certain Age 5:18

2-7 Songs Of Love 6:07

2-8 When A Man Cries 4:19

2-9 Have You Ever Been In Love 3:14

2-10 Our Mutual Friend 4:35

2-11 Tonight We Fly 4:43

2-12 Can You Stand Upon One Leg 4:30

2-13 I Like 5:13

2-14 Jiggery Pokery 4:15

2-15 Down In The Street Below

"In May" (bonus CD from "Foreverland" - 2016)

2-1 6th Of December 3:54

2-2 11th Of December 4:18

2-3 13th Of December 2:39

2-4 23rd Of December 3:01

2-5 3rd Of January 4:13

2-6 13th Of January 1:43

2-7 15th Of January 2:00

2-8 30th Of January 3:35

2-9 7th Of February 2:15

2-10 22nd Of February 3:51

2-11 8th Of March 3:12

2-12 27th Of March 1:09

2-13 4th Of April 3:35

2-14 4th Of April (Midnight) 2:36

2-15 3rd Of May 4:18

2-16 10th Of May 2:19

2-17 21st Of May 3:14

2-18 28th Of May 1:09

2-19 31st Of May 3:22

"Loose Cannon" live album, 2017

1. How Can You Leave Me On My Own [Live Europe 2016/2017] 

2. Napoleon Complex [Live Europe 2016/2017] 

3. Catherine The Great [Live Europe 2016/2017] 

4. Bad Ambassador [Live Europe 2016/2017] 

5. To The Rescue [Live Europe 2016/2017] 

6. The Complete Banker [Live Europe 2016/2017] 

7. Bang Goes The Knighthood [Live Europe 2016/2017] 

8. Generation Sex [Live Europe 2016/2017] 

9. Our Mutual Friend [Live Europe 2016/2017] 

10. Funny Peculiar [Live Europe 2016/2017] 

11. A Lady Of A Certain Age [Live Europe 2016/2017]

12. At The Indie Disco [Live Europe 2016/2017]

13. I Like [Live Europe 2016/2017] 

14. National Express [Live Europe 2016/2017] 

15. Assume The Perpendicular [Live Europe 2016/2017] 

16. A Drinking Song [Live Europe 2016/2017] 

17. Tonight We Fly [Live Europe 2016/2017] 

"Swallows and Amazons - the Original Piano Demos" - bonus disc from Office Politics, 2019

1 Whistle For A Wind 06:04

2 The Swallow 06:21

3 The Conquering Heroes 04:23

4 Fighting Swallow 01:15

5 The Amazon Pirates 03:42

6 The Parley 03:49

7 Better Drowned Than Duffers 03:25

8 Let's Make The Best Of It 04:00

9 Navy Stroke 03:00

10 Like Robinson Crusoe 03:48

11 Titty's Dream 04:10

12 Conquering Heroes, Victory Chorus 01:55

13 The Black Spot 03:22

14 The Parley - Flint's Apology 03:26

15 Swallows And Amazons Forever 02:57

----

Still not enough for you? How about these "Bonus bonus discs" of tracks not released under the name of "The Divine Comedy", but which contain Neil's voice, or composition, or both? Obviously I am not really suggesting most of these should have been included, but hey, it was fun to compile this list! (and by "fun" I mean "hard and time-consuming"...)

"Neil Hannon and Friends" bonus Discs:

1. Oh Yeah (Ash live, featuring Neil Hannon) (from "Hot Press" Promo CD, 1998)

2. Need Your Love So Bad (Elvis Da Costa and Pinchers, featuring Neil Hannon on vocals) (CD single, 1998)

3. No Regrets (Robbie Williams featuring Neil Tennant and Neil Hannon on vocals) (from "I've Been Expecting You", 1998)

4. All Mine (Portishead cover by Tom Jones and The Divine Comedy) (from Tom Jones' "Reload" album, 1999) Features the whole Divine Comedy band

5. The Case Continues (Ute Lemper, written by Neil Hannon and Joby Talbot) (from the album "Punishing Kiss", 2000) Features the whole Divine Comedy band

6. Tango Ballad (Kurt Weil cover, vocals by Ute Lemper and Neil Hannon) (from the album "Punishing Kiss", 2000) Features the whole Divine Comedy band

7. Split (Ute Lemper and Neil Hannon, written by Neil Hannon and Joby Talbot) (from the album "Punishing Kiss", 2000) Features the whole Divine Comedy band

8. You Were Meant for Me (Ute Lemper, written by Neil Hannon and Joby Talbot) (from the album "Punishing Kiss", 2000) Features the whole Divine Comedy band

9. The Good Life (Sacha Distel cover, credited to Neil Hannon) (from the Gangster No. 1 soundtrack, 2000)

10. The Dead Only Quickly (The 6ths, vocals by Neil Nannon) (from The 6ths album "Hyacinths and Thistles", 2000)

11. Les Jours Tristes (studio vocal version, written by Neil Hannon and Yann Tiersen) (from Yann Tiersen's "L'absente", 2001) 

12. So Long and Thanks for All the Fish (written by Joby Talbot, vocals by Neil Hannon) (from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy soundtrack, 2005)

13. Vote Beeblebrox (written by Joby Talbot, vocals by Neil Hannon) (from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy soundtrack, 2005)

14. Home (performed by Jane Birkin, from her album "Fictions", 2006.) Writing credited to "The Divine Comedy" - a demo version is on the boxset.

15. The Songs That We Sing (performed by Charlotte Gainsbourg, written by Air/ Jarvis Cocker / Neil Hannon, Neil also plays guitar and Joby Talbot arranged the strings) (from the Charlotte Gainsbourg album "5:55", 2006)

16. Aliens (written by Matt Lunson, vocals by Neil Hannon) (from "The Cake Sale" project, 2006)

17. Song for Ten (written by Murray Gold, vocals by Neil Hannon) (from "Doctor Who Original TV Soundtrack, 2006)

18. Love Don't Roam (written by Murray Gold, vocals by Neil Hannon) (from "Doctor Who Original TV Soundtrack, 2006)

19. Favourite Song (Vincert Delerm featuring Neil Hannon) (from Vincent Delerm's album "Les piqûres d'araignée, 2006)

20. Somewhere Between Waking and Sleeping (by Air, vocals and lyrics by Neil Hannon) (from Air's album "Pocket Symphony", 2007)

21. Our Love Goes Deeper Than This (Duke Special, vocals by Neil Hannon and Romeo Stodart) (From Duke Special's album "Songs from the Deep Forest", 2007)

22. Drink to Me Only With Thine Eyes (Duke Special, featuring Neil on vocals) (From Duke Special CD single "Freewheel", 2007)

23. Cluster Bomb (Pugwash, vocals by Pugwash and Neil Hannon) (from Pugwash album "Eleven Modern Antiquities, 2008) Neil actually does backing vocals and plays on most of this album, but this is the only one to credit him with "vocals".

24.Perfection as a Hipster (written by Stuart Murdoch, vocals by Neil Hannon) (from "God Help the Girl", 2009)

25. Pay Later (EG, written by EG and Neil Hannon, Neil plays guitar and does backing vocals) (from the EG album "Adventure Man", 2009)

26. If You Run (EG, written by EG and Neil Hannon, Neil plays guitar and does backing vocals) (from the EG album "Adventure Man", 2009)

27. Cathy (Rodrigo Leão & Cinema Ensemble, featuring Neil Hannon), (from the Rodrigo Leão & Cinema Ensemble album "A Mãe", 2009)

28. Wanda, Darling of the Jockey Club (by Duke Special, written by Neil Hannon) (from Duke Special's album "The Silent World of Hector Mann", 2010)

29. Mess (Ben Folds featuring Neil Hannon - live in Boston, 2007) (From Ben Folds "Fifty-Five Vault" collection, 2011)

30. What Becomes of the Broken Hearted (Pugwash, featuring Neil Hannon and Matt Berry) (from "The Shortest Night" Charity CD, 2012)

31. Smile (Charlie Chaplin cover by Scott Matthew featuring Neil Hannon on vocals) (from Scott Matthew album "Unlearned", 2013)

32. My Beautiful Monster (Coque Malla featuring Neil Hannon on vocals) (from Coque Malla live album "Irreptible", 2018)

33. Absent Friends (Coque Malla featuring Neil Hannon on vocals) (from Coque Malla live DVD "Irreptible", 2018)

34. With a Little Help from My Friends (Lisa Hannigan, Jerry Fish, Gavin Glass, Paddy Casey, Rhob Cunningham, Cathy Davey, Mundy, Valerie Francis, Neil Hannon) (From "Loves Vinyl EP07", 2019)

------------

Alright then, in the words of General Lafayette, What did I miss?

Gigging Forever Awards 2014: Part 6 (The 'Funny Music' edition)

Okay, this is really it, I promise. I've held you captive here so long at this fictional awards ceremony that Earl's Court itself has become fictional (Yes, it saw its last ever gig this year and the demolition men moved in shortly after...) Go, read, and then fly and be free, my pretties...

(but don't forget to check out all the previous parts before you go.)

Part 1
Part 2
Part 3 (The moany edition)
Part 4
Part 5


This time around, we are dedicating our attention to 'Funny Music' - music that is never going to get played on mainstream radio, music that your mates have never heard of, music that strives to go where nobody has gone before, music which last year I would probably have called 'Prog' but I'm so sick of the bloody word that I've nicked an alternative expression from 'Funny Music' Pioneer Matt Stevens which says it far better, especially since none of the albums below really fall into that increasingly narrow bracket, yes, what's that, you'd like me to shut up and get on with it? Oh, alright then.


The "How to Run a Record Label" Award (part 1)

So last year I had something to say about how a couple of my mates had started up a record label and released a couple of albums largely played on my more of my mates (don't worry about going to read it cause that's pretty much exactly what I said), and I cunningly separated those albums out from the rest of the countdown so that I didn't have to rate them and upset anyone.

This year, I actually got involved (in the smallest possible way) in helping out with said record label, so I feel even less like I ought to rave about them this time around but, dammit, they've only gone and released some of the finest and most interesting music of the year.

For that reason, I can't possibly award them Record Label of the Year, however, I could direct you to "Prog" magazine's critics end of year lists, of which no fewer than 7 contained one or more BEM albums (even though 3 out of 4 of them aren't really Prog.)

I could direct you to the times raw and noisy rock band Trojan Horse got airplay on BBC6 music, to the time celebrity Waterloo Road acting Mark Benton gave The Fierce and The Dead a namecheck on Twitter, or to the many, many times that snooker legend Steve Davis has bigged up BEM acts on his Radio show or in the press. I could even direct you to Norman Wisdom impersonator Simon Godfrey and his 'Letters from America' magazine column, his beautifully personal 'Motherland' acoustic album, or his legendary Facebook statuses, each eagerly awaited by his army of followers, but your lives would probably never be the same again.

I suppose I could even mention that instrumental masterpiece album 'Bloody Marvels' by Emmett Elvin (which, frankly, sounds like Michael Nyman, Anthony Phillips, Stephane Grappelli and King Crimson decided to take some 'shrooms and have a jam) beat out competition from Pink Floyd, Steve Hackett, The Enid and Yes in a public poll in which over 500 fans of interesting music voted.

I could do all that, but I'd better not.


The "How to Run a Record Label" award (Part 2)

I'm fairly convinced that if Kscope didn't already exist, I would have tried to set them up by now. The type of label that's a mark of quality, that makes you sit up and think "Well, it's on Kscope, it must be good." (Even if you don't get it - sorry Gazpacho.) A label where even the artwork looks reassuringly expensive (and I'm not just saying that because senior artwork designer Scott Robinson was in my class at school.)

The kind of label that doesn't just release the same old safe-sounding stuff over and over again, but encourages acts who want to take a risk with their music and create weird mixes of genres that shouldn't work, like Shoegaze and Prog, Metal and Indie, Celtic and Doom, ok you get the idea. Perhaps Kscope has a reputation as a Prog label, but if you examine its output, certainly in 2014, you won't be finding any 'Supper's Ready' rip-offs, and hobbits remain distinctly unbothered.

In fact, a sense of musical adventure and willingness to push the boundaries is really all the above-displayed albums have in common, which is probably why Kscope released more albums that were serious contenders for my 'Best of the Year' list this year than any other label.

From 'Distant Satellites' , the latest in a trilogy of epic, widescreen, emotionally draining albums from Anathema, which saw them experimenting with a few different sounds this time around to an admittedly mixed reception, to 'Magnolia', The Pineapple Thief's most recent collection of catchy but edgy alternative rock tunes with strings, quality album after quality album tumbled out of their stable this year, encouraging me to check out all kinds of things based largely on the Kscope reputation of quality.

There was even a collection of cover versions from some guy called Steven Wilson, which showed promise (I reckon he might go places in 2015), and an album from a new duo called Se Delan which someone else on the internet (Femme Metal Webzine, to be exact) described as not being "out of place in a David Lynch movie", so I won't bother trying to come up with anything more descriptive than that.

But there were two Kscope albums this year which really got me going in all the right places, and we shall call them (for these are their names)...

North Atlantic Oscillation: The Third Day

Last year, Sam Healy's 'SAND' side-project raced up the rankings even as I was writing my list, so it's hardly surprising that I was eagerly awaiting what the band had in store next. And from the first few notes of opener 'Great Plains II', off I went on yet another voyage of discovery; from the drum'n'bass meets Porcupine Tree sound of 'Elsewhere' to the horror movie 'tron of 'A Nice Little Place' , all the way through to the wonderfully uplifting penultimate track 'Dust' and closer 'When To Stop', which is accompanied by what sounds like someone bouncing Christmas Tree baubles on a glockenspiel.

Along the way, there's the mighty instrumental 'Penrose' which (if you'll allow me a little Genesis ultra-geekery here) sounds much like Tony Banks' 'Charm' would have sounded if he'd invited Phil Collins along to play Duke-era toms all over it and got Steve Hackett back in to do some of his patented scratchy guitar in the background.

Plus, the cover looks a lot like one of the bizarre objects you're expected to decipher and open in iPad game 'The Room', which is never a bad thing.


Engineers - Always Returning

I once picked up Engineers' first album in a charity shop for a quid, brought it home, listened to it, and thought "Yeah, that's alright," and promptly forgot all about it.

Imagine my surprise, then, when my mate Tim brought their new album round for a double date and I ended up asking it to move in with me. Everything about this album is exactly what I wanted to hear in 2014, the warmth and cosiness of the sound (analogue loveliness FTW), the dream-state it invokes from start to finish, the echo-ey, reverby, space-y wonder that is 'Fight or Flight', the mix of sequenced bass parts and real drums, the close harmony vocal wonder of 'Drive Your Car', the fact that it sounds bloody marvellous reverberating around in my new kitchen, you name it. There are even a couple of instrumentals, one of which ('Smoke and Mirrors') accidentally sounds a bit like 'Poor Leno' by Royksopp, which is a mighty fine thing.

I *think* I might even love it more than NAO, but it's ok, there are no winners and losers this time around, everyone on Kscope gets a gold star this year. It's just that a couple of albums are a fair bit more equal than others...



The 'Best Funny Music album that isn't on BEM or Kscope', yes I really am running out of inspiration now award

Ok, let's not pretend that my two favourite labels have the monopoly on all the interesting music this year... Here's a few others:


Matt Stevens: Lucid

I reviewed this before it was even out, you know.


Tim Bowness: Abandoned Dancehall Dreams

Good on Tim for deciding he didn't want to be 'The Warm-up Man Forever', sticking two fingers up to old Chuckletrousers and putting out this material which could have been a No-Man album all by himself. Well worth a listen. And then another one.


Knifeworld: The Unravelling

I'm still not sure whether I love Knifeworld or am just terrified by them, but this year's album put me the closest to the former camp that I've ever been, so they must be doing something right.


Lazuli: Tant que l'Herbe est Grasse

French world-rock music made by Medieval biker blacksmiths - it's all in French, which you might think would be an issue if you can't speak it, but to be honest, I can and I'm none the wiser really, so I wouldn't sweat it. Just sit back and groove to the Gabriel-esque rock, and try not to crap your pants when Fish suddenly pops in and starts singing in Scottish. And GO SEE THIS BAND LIVE, because they are in the top 5 live acts I have ever seen, and I don't say that kind of thing lightly unless I've just had 5 bottles of Big Big Train Chocolate Porter.

And the winner is... Matt Stevens. Obviously. 

The "Completely Sodding Bonkers" Award


Ashley Reaks - Compassion Fatigue

An album where the first song is in the key of A and is one minute long, the second is in B, and is two minutes long, and so on. It's probably lucky that an octave only contains 8 notes otherwise I'd still be listening to it now...

Actually, that sounds ridiculous but it works surprisingly well, with the first couple of short tracks being punchy and fierce and the later ones being allowed to stretch out in a groovy sort of way. Some of the lyrics are off-the-scale weird and frankly slightly scary, but who cares about such things when the music rocks?

Just don't look at that album cover too close to bedtime and give yourself nightmares, will you?


Most "Better Than It Had Any Right To Be" Album

A hotly contested category this year...

And the nominees are...

Manic Street Preachers: Futurology

I lost track of the Manics several albums ago, as they seemed to be releasing one every few hours - so much so that I had this album on my Spotify 'To Check out' list for about 4 months before I could be bothered to even listen to it for free. More fool me - this is a fine return to form with nice short, punchy songs, a bit of Kraftwerk influence and some guest vocalists.



Pain of Salvation: Falling Home

An acoustic album with some reworkings of their old songs in jazz/rockabilly/country stylee, a Circus-music sounding version of 'Stress' and a comedy cover version of Dio's 'Holy Diver'. Sounds rubbish, doesn't it?

NO. NO IT DOESN'T. It's amazing. Bad luck in Eurovision this year, though, Daniel... :(


Pink Floyd: The Endless River

Yeah, the cover is a bit self-help book / inspirational Facebook meme, isn't it? And the idea of a bunch of leftover fragments from The Division Bell sessions cobbled together isn't exactly inspiring. And no 68-year-old man should use the word 'Diss' in any kind of song lyric.

But, bugger me, this is lovely. Mostly soothing, chilled and gentle, recalling 'Shine On' and other more ambient moments of the Floyd's history, it rocks gently when required, and showcases the beautiful sound of Rick Wright's organ and piano in one last fitting tribute, which, let's be honest, was the whole point here.


And the winner is.... Pink Floyd. It's their last chance, so it'd be churlish not to.



My Actual Top 16 Albums of the Year

Oh come on, it had to happen in the end, didn't it? We've had all the messing about and silly categories, trying to shoehorn in as much music as I can possibly claim to have liked in one year... but here's the real deal - the best of the best of the best. (Sir)

In no special order:

That is to say...

Emmett Elvin, Jimi Goodwin, Snarky Puppy, I Break Horses
Engineers, Owen Pallett, iamamiwhoami, St Lucia
Todd Terje, Royksopp & Robyn, SOHN, Temples
First Aid Kit, Sia, North Atlantic Oscillation, Matt Stevens

Cheers to all of the above, and indeed everyone I've mentioned during this 6 part epic, for making my 2014 so pleasurable. Apart from the people I was slagging off, obviously. You can all sod off.



And another thing,,,

If you want to get an idea of why I'm a bit fed up with the whole Prog scene, you could do worse than click this link and have a gander at this well-intentioned but unfortunately unintentionally hilarious Wikihow article about "How to Enjoy Progressive Rock". It seems to start from the premise that most normal people will find Prog far too complicated for their tiny little minds, which pisses me off right from the start, and then moves on to assuming that the best way to get into Prog is to listen to ALL OF THE GENESIS and then stick your head out of the cave and see what else is going on.

Here's a sample picture:

Quite why 'Duke' makes this woman pull a face like Kryten's spare head in the Red Dwarf IV episode 'DNA', I'm not entirely sure.

Sample text: "Pay no attention to the people who say you need drugs to enjoy and create progressive rock."

Right-oh.