Casanova (album)

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Professional reviews
Casanova

Studio album by The Divine Comedy
Released	April 29, 1996
Recorded	June 1995 - January 1996
Genre	Baroque pop
Length	51:52
Label	Setanta
Producer(s)	Darren Allison and Neil Hannon
All Music Guide [1] Q Magazine [2] Rolling Stone [3] Dotmusic (90/100) [4] Mojo (Positive) [5]
The Divine Comedy chronology
Promenade (1994)	Casanova (1996)	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 of 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 to Father 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 at Abbey 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, and Bryan 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.

[edit] Track listing

All songs written by Neil Hannon
- Tracks 1-9 arranged by Neil Hannon
- Track 10 arranged by Neil Hannon and Joby Talbot
- Track 11 arranged and orchestrated by Joby 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" – 5:14

[edit] Singles

A Casanova Companion No.1
1. "Something for the Weekend" – 4:20
2. "Birds of Paradise Farm" – 3:52
3. "Love is Lighter than Air" – 3:54 (written by Stephin Merritt)
4. "Songs of Love" – 3:22 (Theme from Father Ted)

A Casanova Companion No. 2
1. "Becoming More Like Alfie" – 3:02
2. "Untitled Melody" – 2:09 (written by Edwyn Collins)
3. "Your Daddy's Car" – 4:14
4. "The Dogs and the Horses" – 4:27 (NYC acoustic)

A Casanova Companion No.3
1. "The Frog Princess" – 5:13
2. "Motorway to Damascus" – 4:22
3. "A Woman of the World" – 4:16 (band version)
4. "Lucy" – 4:03 (Demo)

A Casanova Companion No.4
1. "The Frog Princess" – 5:13
2. "Something Before the Weekend" – 2:02 (Demo)
3. "Neptune's Daughter" – 5:08
4. "Tonight We Fly" – 2:40