The Divine Comedy - Your Daddy's Car (Acoustic Version) (Setanta, 1994)

Delightful baroque pop.

The Promenade album was my introduction to the delights of The Divine Comedy. Pre-Britpop loucheness, Neil Hannon was knocking out a stream of arch but heartfelt songs and adorning them with oodles of strings and romantic lyrics.

If I'm honest I probably only bought this because there wasn't much else out that Monday and it came with a free bonus CD. I'm eternally thankful I did - firstly, because Promenade is a splendid album; and, secondly, it led me to his wonderful debut album via the bonus disc's live acoustic takes on four tracks from said album.

'Your Daddy's Car' somehow conjures images of The Great Gatsby, The House Of Eliot and the Famous Five. A sprightly tune, here just acoustic guitar, cello and pizzicato violin, it's smells of cucumber sandwiches, cricket pavilions and unrequited love. Tidy.

Download The Divine Comedy 'Your Daddy's Car (Acoustic Version)' (Setanta, indie, pop, mp3) (Divshare)

Prefab Sprout - Pearly Gates (Kitchenware, 1989)

Paddy McAloon ponders The End.

454 posts into the blog and no Prefab Sprout - until now.

Another graduate of the Academy of the Underrated, Paddy McAloon, is a songwriter of no little genius, capable of breathtaking beauty both lyrically and musically.

'Pearly Gates' is from their 'Protest Songs' album which was a quickly recorded follow-up to 'Steve McQueen' that wasn't released until after the chart-bothering 'From Langley Park To Memphis'. It is perhaps the most gentle and thoughtful set of protest songs ever, ending with this rumination on death.

Happy Sunday.

Download Prefab Sprout 'Pearly Gates' (songwriting genius, Prefab Sprout mp3) (Rapidshare)