The Divine Comedy (album) - Music and Lyrics

Music and Lyrics

"They presented her with some bubble-gum pop cover tunes designed to be released as singles with a five-week life span on the international dance charts; she initially complied, then balked, insisting on using her poetry for lyrics and recording her own material. The impasse was resolved in her favor; SBK eventually relenquished creative control and those embarrassing early sessions never saw the light of day." - taken from Milla's site.

In August 1990, she asserted in an interview that the then-forthcoming album would be "a mix between Kate Bush, Sinéad O'Connor, This Mortal Coil, and the Cocteau Twins". After it was initially presented by SBK strictly as a pop album, Jovovich protested, insisting on using her personal poetry for lyrics and recording her own instrumental material. Jovovich had written the songs when she was fifteen, with the exception of a Ukrainian folk song, "In a Glade", that she covered. The album features pop-infused traditional Ukrainian folk songs that led to comparisons with musicians Tori Amos and Kate Bush. Slant Magazine said about the album: "The Divine Comedy remains one of the best kept musical secrets of the 90's. Acoustic, folky, and hard to categorize, Milla's music is similar to that of Kate Bush (who she cites as a major influence) and Sarah McLachlan. Her rich voice is coupled with seldom used instruments like the mandolin, dulcimer, and flute to create an oddly unique and airy sound. The final track, In a Glade, is a beautiful traditional Ukrainian folk song that Milla sings in her native tongue."

The songs in this collection are for the most part acoustic, and are inspired by Jovovich's Slavic background, as well as from other philosophical roots based on various authors and poets she enjoys. She also credited Kate Bush as a musical influence.