Bang Goes the Knighthood
Album | The Divine Comedy (band)
The Randy Newman of Northern Ireland returns.
Neil Hannon, helmsman of The Divine Comedy, has somehow become the Randy Newman of U.K. baroque-pop revivalists over the course of the 20 years leading up to Bang Goes The Knighthood. That is, he employs an irony-laden lyrical arsenal capable of skewering any subject that crosses his mind, while his deft compositional chops sweep you away so sumptuously that you might not even notice the carnage unless you’re paying attention. On the band’s 10th album, Hannon sets his sights on everything from failing banks ("The Complete Banker") and alternative rock ("At the Indie Disco") to the philandering of the upper classes (the title track) and even his own songwriting process ("Can You Stand Upon One Leg"). Stately string arrangements and elegant piano lines are put into service, not to cushion the blow but to make the impact more pleasing to the ear. But, again like Newman, Hannon lets his soft spot show once in a while, and the contrast makes those moments feel all the more poignant; by the end of "When a Man Cries," for instance, don’t be surprised if you haven’t dampened a Kleenex or two yourself, regardless of your gender.
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