The Divine Comedy unveil regal new number "Catherine The Great"

20 June 2016, 16:02 | Written by Laurence Day

(News)

(The Divine Comedy)

You can now check out "Catherine The Great", the first track/video from The Divine Comedy's upcoming record Foreverland.

French director Raphaël Neal directs the video, which stars Elina Löwensohn as the Russian empress. It's regal, romantic, bittersweet, triumphant, and endlessly hooky - twinkling harpsichords, deep male harmonies, and rolling brass all combine to stunning effect.

Speaking about the track and video, The Divine Comedy's Neil Hannon says: "This is my new song. It's called 'Catherine The Great'. It's about... well... Catherine The Great. We also made a little film to go with it. It's directed by super young and talented French director, Raphaël Neal, and features the wonderful Elina Löwensohn as... well, you know who. Apart from being in awesomely cool Hal Hartley films, Elina was also in an episode of Seinfeld called 'The Gymnast'! Awesome! Anyways, in the video (or 'clip' as the French would have it) we get to be in our own little costume drama/bodice-ripper. Another ambition ticked off my bucket list."

Foreverland is out 2 September, and it follows 2010's Bang Goes The Knighthood.

Check out "Catherine The Great" below. The single's out 24 June. Have a look over the LP's tracklist and The Divine Comedy's upcoming UK/IRE shows after.

Tracklist:

1. Napoleon Complex
2. Foreverland
3. Catherine The Great
4. Funny Peculiar
5. The Pact
6. To The Rescue
7. How Can You Leave Me On My Own
8. I Joined The Foreign Legion (To Forget)
9. My Happy Place
10. A Desperate Man
11. Other People
12. The One Who Loves You

October

7 - ABERYSTWYTH, Aberystwyth Arts Centre
8 - CARDIFF, Tramshed SOLD OUT
9 - BRISTOL, St. Georges SOLD OUT
11 - LEEDS, City Varieties Music Hall SOLD OUT
12 - GLASGOW, Royal Concert Hall
14 - LIVERPOOL, St. George’s Hall SOLD OUT
15 - SHEFFIELD, The Foundry
16 - SCUNTHORPE, Baths Hall
17 - NEWCASTLE, Sage Gateshead
19 - LEAMINGTON SPA, Assembly Rooms
20 - CAMBRIDGE, Junction
21 - FOLKSTONE, Quarterhouse
22 - NORWICH, Open
24 - BIRMINGHAM, Town Hall
25 - BEXHILL, De La Warr Pavilion

February 2017

21 - LONDON, Palladium
22 - LONDON, Palladium
25 - MANCHESTER, Albert Hall
26 - DUBLIN, Bord Gáis Energy Theatre