| Divine Comedy singer and songwriter Neil Hannon has always been a frustratingly erratic talent. At his best, he is a writer and singer of ballads without peer among his contemporaries, capable of producing songs, such as "The Dogs & The Horses" or "Sunrise", of which Tom Waits might be proud. At his worst, he is an insufferably smug perpetrator of bumptious novelty hits, notably the fatuous sing-along "National Express". Watching Neil Hannon's career has been a little like witnessing the spirits of Scott Walker and Jonathan King fighting for control of the same mind. Regeneration hopefully marks the point at which Walker finally triumphs: there is, happily, not a single joke, punch line or zany sound effect to found. Hannon has taken his inspiration from his previous best effort, A Short Album About Love, but replaced the rueful gloominess of that fine record with a heartfelt and touching optimism: "Perfect Lovesong" and "Love What You Do" are guilelessly joyful, and even when anger manifests itself on "Dumb It Down" and "The Beauty Regime", there is a sense of the righteousness that comes of fighting the good fight. The tunes and arrangements are exquisite throughout: Hannon is right back on form. --Andrew Mueller |
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