1994 was the year of yob rock. Oasis and Blur were heading both the music charts and the front pages of newspapers, broadsheet and red top. A small review in Uncut talked about the Divine Comedy's Promenade and while ginving it a good but not brilliant rating made it sound interesting enough to pursue. I bought Promenade In Comet records in temple bar and being stunned and delighted by what i heard I rushed back to buy the previous album, Liberation.

An awful yellow sleeve showing the sole surviving member of the DC, Neil Hannon, clad in a suit, women's sunshades and clutching some Victorian railings doesn't augur well for the music. Or does it? It suggests that what's within is not interested in fashion, other people's ideas or impressing the music media.

Festive road starts off soundling like a chamber orchestra and well, that's fine because that's what it is. Musicians play drums and percussion, viola and violin, cello and the french horn. Its beautiful! All these instruments are put to great effect backing Neil's Scott Walker like baritone relating great 19th and 20th century literature in catchy melodies full of pop bliss and irresistible hooks. We are told a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald in Bernice bobs her hair before ending up with a poem by William Wordsworth. (Lyrics that Neil memorably forgot in a gig I attended). Along the way we pass off for a teenage love affair in "Your Daddy's car", some disco in "Europop" and a greek sounding tribute to Eurorailing in "Europe by train".

The only low point of the set is the track "Timewatching" which from what I hear is universally derided by fans but seems to be a favourite or ongoing project by Neil as it has been recorded at least three times. It seems to be related to his search for love. So now that he's married perhaps he won't feel the need to sing it anymore.

Packaging is minimal and sound quality is average. Setanta(the record label)'s sound quality never being the best.

But this is a recording everyone should own even if on CD. And its companion piece, Promenade.