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In Episode #245 of the XS Noize Podcast, host Mark Millar is joined by Neil Hannon — the brilliant mind behind The Divine Comedy — for a revealing conversation about his new album Rainy Sunday Afternoon, out this September on Divine Comedy Records.
Recorded at Abbey Road, the album blends lush orchestration with Hannon’s trademark wit and lyrical bite. Across its songs, he reflects on memory, mortality, melancholy and absurdity — making this perhaps his most personal and direct collection yet.
Making Rainy Sunday Afternoon
“With this album, it’s a little bit more what you see is what you get. I just couldn’t find any suitable ways of disguising the themes — so I said what I saw and let the music do the rest.” – Neil Hannon
Hannon explains how recording at Abbey Road influenced his creative choices and why this album demanded a different kind of honesty. Lead single “Achilles”, inspired by a WWI poem, is a moving meditation on bravery and loss, while songs like “The Last Time I Saw the Old Man” channel raw grief into orchestral beauty.
Songs, Stories & Satire
“I was sitting in Abbey Road thinking, why can’t my records sound like this? Then I realised — it’s because I’m not usually in Abbey Road. So I pushed the boat out and made the album that suited that studio.” – Neil Hannon
The conversation ranges from the album’s intimate title track — born out of lockdown tensions — to the surreal satire of “Mara Lago by the Sea.” Hannon also talks about writing songs for the hit film Wonka, his daughter Willow’s appearance on “All the Pretty Lights,” and how old fragments like Achilles finally found their place.
Songwriting as Self-Therapy
“The joke is this album is my way of self-therapy, self-psychoanalysis. I don’t need a psychiatrist — I investigate my own thoughts all the time by writing songs.” – Neil Hannon
Reflecting on three decades of music, Hannon shares why songwriting still feels like “emotional alchemy,” why he revisited The Divine Comedy back catalogue for recent remasters, and what fans can expect on the upcoming UK tour.
Whether you’ve followed The Divine Comedy since Casanova or are discovering Neil Hannon’s genius for the first time, this is a witty, profound and deeply human episode not to be missed.
Ahead of the release of their stunning new album Rainy Sunday Afternoon this Friday, The Divine Comedy have announced four UK headline shows for summer 2026. The new headline dates run alongside a series of outdoor events as special guests to David Gray.
The Divine Comedy will play the following extra dates:
June 2026
Sat 27th Norwich, The LCR UEA
July 2026
Fri 3rd Edinburgh, Usher Hall
Tue 7th Portsmouth, Guildhall
Wed 8th Aylesbury, Waterside Theatre
Tickets go on sale at 10am on Thursday 15th. Ticket links HERE
The 2026 dates follow a headline tour this October which include two sold out dates at London’s Barbican:
October 2025
Mon 6th Liverpool, Philharmonic Hall (SOLD OUT)
Tue 7th Nottingham, Royal Concert Hall
Wed 8th Bath, Forum (SOLD OUT)
Fri 10th Gateshead, The Glasshouse (SOLD OUT)
Sat 11th London, Barbican (SOLD OUT)
Sun 12th London, Barbican (SOLD OUT)
Mon 13th Brighton, Dome (SOLD OUT)
Wed 15th Cambridge, Corn Exchange (SOLD OUT)
Thu 16th Sheffield, City Hall
Fri 17th Wolverhampton, Uni The Civic Hall
Sat 18th Swansea, Building Society Arena
Mon 20th Glasgow, Royal Concert Hall (SOLD OUT)
Tue 21st York, Barbican (SOLD OUT)
Thu 23rd Oxford, New Theatre (SOLD OUT)
Fri 24th Manchester, Bridgewater Hall (SOLD OUT)
Sat 25th Bristol, Beacon (SOLD OUT)
March 2026
Fri 27th Belfast, Waterfront Hall
Sat 28th Dublin, National Concert Hall (SOLD OUT)
Sun 29th Dublin, National Concert Hall (SOLD OUT)
Previous XS Noize Podcast Guests
Over 240 episodes in, XS Noize has welcomed legends and trailblazers, including:
Matt Beringer, Saint Etienne, D:Ream, Gavin Rossdale, The Farm, Snow Patrol, John Lydon, Will Sergeant, Ocean Colour Scene, Gary Kemp, Doves, Gavin Friday, David Gray, Anton Newcombe, Peter Hook, Razorlight, Sananda Maitreya, James, Crowded House, Elbow, Cast, Kula Shaker, Shed Seven, Future Islands, Peter Frampton, Bernard Butler, Steven Wilson, Travis, New Order, The Killers, Tito Jackson, Simple Minds, The Divine Comedy, Shaun Ryder, Gary Numan, Sleaford Mods, Michael Head — and many more.
Find The XS Noize Podcast’s complete archive of episodes here.
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