Promenade

The Divine Comedy includes: Neil Hannon.
Neil Hannon idolizes '60s art-pop oddball Scott Walker in much the same way that Walker idolized French cabaret-style balladeer Jacques Brel. PROMENADE, the second album from Irish singer/songwriter Hannon as the Divine Comedy, takes much of its sound and tone from Walker's cult masterpieces SCOTT 3 and SCOTT 4, particularly in Hannon's aping of Walker's theatrically arch singing style. But where earlier Walker acolytes like Bryan Ferry and David Bowie contented themselves with merely aping Walker's vocal mannerisms, Hannon has obviously studied Walker's work in earnest, and has recreated it almost in toto. A comparison of photos will show that Hannon even dresses like Walker!
PROMENADE is a lush, wryly romantic album full of beautiful melodies, luxuriant and overstuffed arrangements and tongue-in-cheek lyrics portraying the singer as a charming rogue. Fans of Ferry or '80s pop sophisticates The Monochrome Set will be pleased.