The Divine Comedy Rainy Sunday Afternoon
The Divine Comedy's Rainy Sunday Afternoon opens like a well-thumbed scorebook of memory and longing, and critics largely agree it succeeds in marrying orchestral pop craftsmanship with a quietly devastating emotional core. Across two professional reviews the record earned an 85/100 consensus score, with Mojo and Clash Music both highlighting the album's blend of cinematic grandeur and intimate reflection. The best songs on Rainy Sunday Afternoon emerge clearly: “I Want You” and “The Last Time I Saw the Old Man” are singled out for their ornate melancholy and Scott Walker -ish sweep, while “All The Pretty Lights” and “Invisible Thread” are praised for their lyrical memory-work and lush choruses.
Critics consistently note recurring themes of loss and grief threaded through a childlike fable sensibility, where political critique and personal reflection surface beneath sumptuous arrangements. Mojo frames the title as a record of "beautiful melancholy," spotlighting Hannon's knack for dramatic, bittersweet storytelling on “The Last Time I Saw the Old Man”; Clash Music emphasizes how “All The Pretty Lights” and “Invisible Thread” trade emotional ache for deft orchestration and textural surprise. Across these professional reviews, reviewers agree the collection balances grandeur with restraint, making several tracks feel like instant touchstones in the band's catalogue.
While the sample of reviews is small, the consensus suggests Rainy Sunday Afternoon is a richly arranged, emotionally resonant addition to The Divine Comedy's work that will satisfy those searching for the standout tracks and the record's thoughtful, elegiac mood, and it sets up the detailed reviews below for deeper listening notes.
Critics' Top Tracks
The standout songs that made critics take notice
I Want You
2 mentions
"‘I Want You’ has the scope and scale of some of the most gigantic moments from 1997’s ‘A Short Album About Love’"— Clash Music
The Last Time I Saw the Old Man
2 mentions
"‘The Last Time I Saw The Old Man’ is, exactly as you might expect, a reflection on the loss of a parent"— Clash Music
Rainy Sunday Afternoon
2 mentions
"The former reflects on a lockdown disagreement... winding down to a tender, wistful moment of realisation."— Clash Music
‘I Want You’ has the scope and scale of some of the most gigantic moments from 1997’s ‘A Short Album About Love’
Track Ratings
How critics rated each track, relative to this album (0-100). Only tracks that made critics feel something are rated.
Achilles
The Last Time I Saw the Old Man
The Man who Turned Into a Chair
I Want You
Rainy Sunday Afternoon
All the Pretty Lights
Down the Rabbit Hole
Mar-a-Lago by the Sea
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
Can't Let Go
Invisible Thread
What Critics Are Saying
Deep insights from 3 critics who reviewed this album
Critic's Take
The Divine Comedy's Rainy Sunday Afternoon feels like Neil Hannon clearing the decks, and the best songs - notably “The Last Time I Saw The Old Man” and “I Want You” - are where that orchestral pop melancholy pays off. McNair writes with affectionate precision, calling the title a record of "beautiful melancholy" while singling out the ornate, Scott Walker -ish grandeur of “The Last Time I Saw The Old Man” as a centerpiece. He frames “I Want You” as a "darkly potent portrait," which is why listeners searching for the best tracks on Rainy Sunday Afternoon should start there. The album's mix of childlike fable and profound personal material makes those standout songs feel built to last.
Key Points
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The Last Time I Saw The Old Man is the best track for its ornate, Scott Walker -ish grandeur and personal subject matter.
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The album's core strengths are its orchestral pop arrangements, melancholic tone, and a balance of whimsical fable and heartfelt personal songs.
Themes
mu
Critic's Take
The Divine Comedy has rarely sounded so quietly devastating as on Rainy Sunday Afternoon, where the best songs - particularly “All The Pretty Lights” and “Invisible Thread” - find Hannon leaning into memory and longing with orchestral sweep. The reviewer's voice lingers on the bewitching centrepiece “All The Pretty Lights”, calling it a kaleidoscope trawl through pop history that questions cherished childhood memories. There is equal praise for the album closer “Invisible Thread”, described as a truly beautiful track that pairs ache with a luscious chorus. Together these tracks exemplify why Clash judges this one of The Divine Comedy's finest records, balancing emotional wallow with deft arrangments and subtle textures.
Key Points
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The best song is “All The Pretty Lights” because it is called the bewitching centrepiece that interrogates memory with orchestral sweep.
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The album’s core strengths are its deft arrangements, emotional nuance and the balance of melancholy within upbeat melodies.