LP Dark Green vinyl
Divine Comedy Records Limited (2025) EU
Recorded at Abbey Road last autumn, Rainy Sunday Afternoon is The Divine Comedy's thirteenth album and their first studio album since 2019's UK top 5 Office Politics.
The band's last release was 2022's Best Of compilation Charmed Life which also reached 5 in the UK album charts. Neil Hannon most recently wrote the original songs for the Warner Bros blockbuster Wonka.
Neil 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. 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 a while. It should be available on the NHS.“
The band remastered and re-released their entire back catalogue in 2020. The campaign culminated in residencies in London and Paris in 2022 where they played ten albums live over 5 nights in each city.
Deluxe editions of Rainy Sunday Afternoon will include the bonus live album Live in Paris and London - deep cuts and fan favourites taken from those landmark shows.