WORTH A LOOK?: ****

It’s on repeated listens that the downbeat melancholy charms of this lead single from a new album have revealed themselves.

• Read on for reasons including how to see The Divine Comedy on tour in 2025

Key lyric is the concluding: ‘I saw a man this morning he was turning 53 and his pampered mind was turning to thoughts of mortality. One day I will be nothing, think how funny that will feel. For we, the living, death is the Achilles heel.’

Lead singer Neil Hannon says: ‘My musical output is, for better or worse, a representation of my personality. A good chunk of that personality revels in the rumbumptious; celebrates the silly. And I made ample use of that for the Wonka songs.

‘I have, though, like everyone, a darker, more melancholy side. And for one reason or another it has been much in evidence of late,’ Neil explains. ‘I needed to use this album as an outlet for those feelings. To work through some stuff. Mortality; memories; relationships; political and social upheaval. Everyone should get to make an orchestral pop album once in awhile. It should be available on the NHS.’

Said album Rainy Sunday Afternoon is out 19 September 2025 and there are 16 gigs this autumn including 2 at the Barbican, the scene of The Divine Comedy’s greatest triumph thus far and where we join them again.

Achilles reflects on the greatest of all Greek warriors invulnerable but for 1 unexpected spot on his foot that has passed into common use. There’s even a nod to A.E. Housman’s A Shropshire Lad with its themes of the military and dying young.

Orchestral pop album as life’s cure? Most definitely.

• Main pictures via Facebook by Kevin Westenberg courtesy The Divine Comedy Tickets
• Have you seen a show by The Divine Comedy before and what did you think of this 1? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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