Victory For The Comic Musewas first released in 2006. Recordedvirtually live in the studio over a two-week period, Victory...showcased Neils restless creativity and his flair for observation and narrative. Pitchfork said,These songs set lofty goals, and realize themwhileThe Guardian called it a triumphant comebackandSpin declared[Hannondeserves to be recognized as the unsung genius of symphonic pop. Singles from the album includeTo Die A Virgin,Diva Ladyand live favouriteA Lady Of A Certain Age. The CD release consists of 2 discs: the original remastered album, with a second CD of B-sides, demos and alternate versions lovingly curated by Neil Hannon, much of which has never been heard before. The CD comes with a booklet of photos, credits and extensive liner notes written by Neil covering the context and inspiration behind the album and its songs.To mark the release, The Divine Comedy play five nights at the Barbican in London in early September and then later the same month, five nights at the Cite de la Musique in Paris. Performing as an eleven-piece ensemble, the bandwill play two albums from their catalogue in full each night. Absent Friends and Victory For The Comic Muse will be performed on the 5th Septemberin London and the 28th Sept in Paris.