Neil Hannon's Absent Friends…

• 9th Mar 2004

The Divine Comedy release a new single and album on the Parlophone label in March.

Single: COME HOME BILLY – out March 22nd

Album: ABSENT FRIENDS – out March 29th

The Divine Comedy, now pared back down to the nucleus of Neil Hannon, are soon to release the album “Absent Friends”. The album was recorded in London during the latter part of 2003 and was produced and largely performed by Neil Hannon, recorded by Guy Massey and mixed by Nigel Godrich.

“Absent Friends” was written over the course of a year which saw the disbanding of the old Divine Comedy line-up, the birth of Neil's first child, extensive US touring, and a move from London to Dublin. These events contributed to the subject matter of the album and its title “Absent Friends”.

Neil says, “Most of the songs use stories and characters as a framework for the loose theme of coming, going and not being quite sure where you want to be”.

Long-standing collaborator Joby Talbot scored the orchestral arrangements, whilst XFM DJ Lauren Laverne and French multi instrumentalist and Amelie composer Yann Tiersen both guest on the album.

The track listing for the album is:

ABSENT FRIENDS
STICKS AND STONES
LEAVING TODAY
COME HOME BILLY BIRD
MY IMAGINARY FRIEND
THE WRECK OF THE BEAUTIFUL
OUR MUTUAL FRIEND
THE HAPPY GOTH
FREEDOM ROAD
LAIKA¹S THEME
CHARMED LIFE

The single “Come Home Billy Bird”, featuring guest vocals by Lauren Laverne,will be released on March 22.