HAVING now completed his third full decade as a recording artist, The Divine Comedy – aka Neil Hannon, an Enniskillen native – has announced the treasure trove that is ‘Charmed Life: The Best Of The Divine Comedy’, a collection of his finest moments that will be released next February 4.

Featuring a 24-track career-spanning roster of hit singles and fan favourites, compiled by Neil and remastered at Abbey Road Studios, Charmed Life includes monumental tracks ‘National Express’, ‘Something For The Weekend’, ‘Songs of Love’, ‘Our Mutual Friend’, ‘A Lady of A Certain Age’, ‘To The Rescue’ and ‘Norman and Norma’.

It also features a brand-new track, ‘The Best Mistakes’.

“I’ve been luckier than most,” Neil reflects. “I get to sing songs to people for a living, and they almost always applaud! So when asked what to call this collection, I thought of ‘Charmed Life’. I like the song and it rather sums up how I feel about my life.”

The best-of will arrive as a 24-track standard two-CD set; or a double heavyweight black vinyl collevtion in a gatefold sleeve; a limited edition double heavyweight colour vinyl in a gatefold sleeve; and as a limited edition three-CD edition containing the 24-track best-of, as well as ‘Super Extra Bonus Album’ – a collection of new and unreleased recordings.

Discussing the bonus album, Neil says: “It felt right to celebrate 30 years of The Divine Comedy. I can’t give you an overview of these songs. They’re a crazy, mixed-up bunch.

“Some are strangely seasonal, some relate to what we’ve all been going through recently, some are just nuts. Enjoy!”

In 1990, musical history was made when a then 20-year-old Neil signed his first record deal and began releasing one glorious album after another under the name The Divine Comedy.

Some 12 magnificent albums and hundreds of spellbinding shows later, Neil Hannon is now a national treasure and one of the finest singer-songwriters of his generation.

The Divine Comedy will be touring the UK and Ireland from next April, including a show at the Waterfront Hall, Belfast on Saturday, May 21, 2022.

Neil says: “I am so looking forward to playing live again. The past couple of years have been a reminder of how much it means to me personally; it really is my favourite thing.

“And it seems fitting that we’ll be coming back with a greatest hits set. You know, in case everyone’s forgotten who I am and what we do!”

Belfast tickets go on sale at 10am this Friday, September 10.