Anyone heard Divine Comedy's Absent Friends yet?

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And if so, any good?

― lee ward (lee ward), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 03:30 (twenty-two years ago)

i wonder if the title is meant to be ironic? no, i haven't heard it yet

― the surface noise (electricsound), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 03:35 (twenty-two years ago)

Gasp! Link to mp3s plz

― retort pouch (retort pouch), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 04:02 (twenty-two years ago)

is he back to string quartets and wordsworth?

― keith m (keithmcl), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 04:52 (twenty-two years ago)

does it have a cover of the genesis song on it? because he could actually do that song quite well.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 05:08 (twenty-two years ago)

The new album from The Divine Comedy, entitled 'Absent Friends' is set to be released on March 29th. The album was written largely over the course of a year which saw the dissolution of the old DC line up, the birth of Neil's first child, extensive US touring and a move from London to Dublin. These events all contributed to the general subject matter of the album and its title 'Absent Friends.' Neil says: 'Most of the songs employ stories and characters as a framework within which are discussed the loose themes of coming, going and not quite being where you want to be'.

Recorded in London during the latter part of 2003, the album was produced and largely performed by Neil Hannon, recorded by Guy Massey and mixed by Nigel Godrich. Longstanding collaborator Joby Talbot contributed the orchestral arrangements. XFM DJ / indie rock goddess Lauren Laverne and French multi-instrumentalist / Amelie composer Yann Tiersen both guest on the album.

The tracklisting is:

1. Absent Friends
2. Sticks and Stones
3. Leaving Today
4. Come Home Billy Bird
5. My Imaginary Friend
6. The Wreck Of The Beautiful
7. Our Mutual Friend
8. The Happy Goth
9. Freedom Road
10. Laika's Theme
11. Charmed Life

The first single from the album, 'Come Home Billy Bird', featuring guest vocals from Lauren Laverne, will be released in the UK on March 22nd.

Some good points:
Lauren Laverne!
Yann Tiersen!
and most importantly -
'The album was produced and largely performed by Neil Hannon'!

Some bad points:
'The Happy Goth' is a fucking awful song.
Nigel Godrich

― retort pouch (retort pouch), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 05:29 (twenty-two years ago)

i wish he'd go back to being bombastic and easily ridiculed. serious doesn't suit him.

― keith m (keithmcl), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 05:40 (twenty-two years ago)

What I've heard indicates a return to the strengths/whimsy of 'Liberation'/'Promenade'.

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 05:42 (twenty-two years ago)

OMG

If it's a return to Lib/Prom territory I will be a happy camper.

― retort pouch (retort pouch), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 05:49 (twenty-two years ago)

And I reiterate: links to mp3s, PLZ.

― retort pouch (retort pouch), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 05:50 (twenty-two years ago)

hey come on people.... it's on Slsk....

what's it LIKE??

― lee ward (lee ward), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 06:30 (twenty-two years ago)

And Joby Talbot = Return Of The Orchestra!

Yay a million times!

― Johnney B (Johnney B), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 11:45 (twenty-two years ago)

What I've heard indicates a return to the strengths/whimsy of 'Liberation'/'Promenade'

Duuuuuuuuuude. Give it to me now! Are they still signed to Parlophone/EMI/whatever?

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 11:49 (twenty-two years ago)

It does sound a lot like Promenade/Liberation. I have a couple songs up at www.mysticalbeast.blogspot.com today. On first listen I'm underwhelmed, but I'm not really in the proper mood for it right now.

― dlp9001, Tuesday, 27 January 2004 15:24 (twenty-two years ago)

I've just had a first listen too. Stylistically it made me swoon what with its old skool lib-prom-div-comitude. I'm yet to be convinced on the actual quality of the songwriting.

― Lynskey (Lynskey), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 15:26 (twenty-two years ago)

I downloaded it on the weekend, and agree with the others that it is rather old-school DC. Unfortunately, Hannon didn't put much effort into the lyrics. I may have to give it a better listen.
The version I found has a different order than above, which may one of the problems for me, because mine opens with Charmed Life, which is a song likely written for his new child, and it's just really shitty. I'll have to check the songs I have when I get home, but am positive I found 12 tracks, so maybe I have a b-side as well.

Our Mutual Friend is likely my favourite so far. It kind of has a Something For the Weekend feel in the lyrics, where he's telling you this story with a (gasp!) surprise ending. heh. Musically and lyrically, this song is the best on the album to me.

― Jonathan (Jonathan), Tuesday, 27 January 2004 16:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Is there a song with "Idaho" mentioned in the lyrics? He played it during the last Seattle show at the Crocodile, and said it'd be on the next album. I don't see it listed - hoping it's just been retitled, or will be a b-side.

― Chris Hill (Chris Hill), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 16:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Disappointing. Quite like Billy Bird - but it's not even as good as Regeneration.

Saw Neil Hannon walking around Bath once. He had shit hair and was very short. Will he ever find his way back to the glory years of 1996-1999? Here's hoping...

― Marcel Gallingez (Marcel Gallingez), Wednesday, 28 January 2004 22:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Just DLed Billy Bird and have played it 3 times in a row. Damn good. And why isn't Lauren Laverne making music anymore?

― Michael F Gill (Michael F Gill), Thursday, 29 January 2004 00:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Billy Bird was initially disappointing, but is growing on me in a big way. Freedom Road still kinda blah, however.

― retort pouch (retort pouch), Friday, 30 January 2004 04:26 (twenty-two years ago)

Further re: Billy Bird, chorus somewhat reminiscent of the last Black Box Recorder album, me likes

― retort pouch (retort pouch), Friday, 30 January 2004 04:31 (twenty-two years ago)

The Divine Comedy always have at very least BITS on each album which are glorious VFM but Billy Bird is beyond magnificent, am loathe to attribute this entirely to presence of Lauren L but, well, clearly it IS she who makes it warm and comforting and kind of north-easterly and tea-cosies and cobbles and whippets and thora hird after globe-trotting'n'jetsetting, like returning to warm besem of t'family after reet glamorous planet-conquering. um, or something.

― Alex in Doncaster (Alex in Doncaster), Friday, 30 January 2004 16:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Update: Billy Bird is fucking fantastic, shame nobody's gonna buy it. Damn.

― retort pouch (retort pouch), Sunday, 1 February 2004 03:41 (twenty-two years ago)

three weeks pass...

Finally scored a complete copy of this album - truly shocked to find out that it has two songs about babies on it, and only one kind of makes me want to vomit.

Highlights:
Abesnt Friends
Sticks & Stones
Come Home Billy Bird
My Imaginary Friend
Our Mutual Friend
The Happy Goth (even after I'd dissed it upthread, it sounds really good in this arrangement)
Charmed Life

Lowlights:
Leaving Today (quite revolting)
Freedom Road (awful)
Laika's Theme (totally pointless attempt to follow in the footsteps of Europe By Train, ie. instrumental right before uplifting album finale)

Middling:
Wreck of the Beautiful (quite good, but ruins the flow of the album)

The reports of a return to Promenade/Liberation territory were slightly mistaken.. The songwriting is kind of reminiscent of that, but most of the best songs sound more like A Short Album About Love - big, orchestral sound rather than the quartet sound of the earlier albums. Still, it's better to my ears than 'Regeneration' and miles better than 'Fin de Siecle'.

ps Chris: the 'Idaho' song is gonna be one of the b-sides to 'Billy Bird.'

― retort pouch (retort pouch), Tuesday, 24 February 2004 03:42 (twenty-two years ago)

Did anyone else see the Divine Comedy at the Horseshow in Toronto in or around November 2002? I went expecting so little, and he put on such an insanely entertaining show that it was impossible NOT to fall for his charm.

― Alexis (Alexis), Tuesday, 24 February 2004 04:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I have never liked the band. And I have said so often enough.

Yet I have been hearing the new 45 on R2 and it has actually moved me. Not Hannon's standard gurning purr, but Laverne's very deliberate Northern vowels on the circling, overlapping chorus - yet, these do something to or for me.

― the bellefox, Thursday, 26 February 2004 15:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Not 'yet': no, 'yes'.

― the bluefox, Thursday, 26 February 2004 15:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Listening to the new album as I type - and I'm pleased to report that after the slight hiccough that was 2001's Regeneration, Neil's back on track with some delicious Walkeresque baroque pop. Joby Talbot's arrangements are spot-on, the single "Come Home Billy Bird" with Laurrrrren Laverrrne is lovely, and Neil's keen eye for a modern social archetype is present and correct with "The Happy Goth".

So, I'm interviewing Neil next Tuesday morning - any questions?

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Thursday, 4 March 2004 12:35 (twenty-two years ago)

I really like it. It's much better than Regeneration, and has some gorgeous arrangments in it.

― jellybean (jellybean), Thursday, 4 March 2004 12:57 (twenty-two years ago)

The lyrics are poor I think. He seems to have got carried away with the idea of himself as a "Storyteller".

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Thursday, 4 March 2004 12:59 (twenty-two years ago)

He seems to have got carried away with the idea of himself as a "Storyteller".

Perhaps. Of the new album, Neil's quoted as saying "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."

So the stories hemselves take second place to the "message"? Ugh.

― CharlieNo4 (Charlie), Thursday, 4 March 2004 13:04 (twenty-two years ago)

never been a fan. couldn't believe that he had sorted out a new label etc. unfortunately my review copy is badly messed up and many tracks are ruined. but what i heard made perfect sense on a sunny sunday morning with a raging hangover.
and thats a good thing yes ?

― mark e (mark e), Thursday, 4 March 2004 14:49 (twenty-two years ago)

Haven't checked this one out yet, but I love a lot of his earlier stuff.

Godrich is controversial, but I think he did an excellent job last time around.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 4 March 2004 15:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Charlie - could you ask Neil whether he feels he was pushed into a corner and became something of a caricature of one social class, cf Oasis as a caricature of another, as a result of being championed by Chris Evans? because i've always thought, however much success it may have brought him, that was the worst thing that ever happened to him - i love the idea of the Divine Comedy and i love their early stuff and i did think much of _Casanova_ was great, but i fucking hated "Generation Sex" and "National Express", and even "Everybody Knows (Except You)" now sounds as dated as the Mike Flowers Pops).

whoever it was who referred to "the glory days of 1996-1999" (the days when he presented a persona easily assimilable to Oasis fans who liked A Bit Of Posh On The Side, more like) is mad. i do like the sound of this new album.

― robin carmody (robin carmody), Thursday, 4 March 2004 23:51 (twenty-two years ago)

three weeks pass...

you guys will love "a mutual friend" from the absent friends album

― shane54, Tuesday, 30 March 2004 22:39 (twenty-two years ago)

I attended the Toronto Horshoe show in November of 2002, and it was amazing. I destinctly remember the song 'Our mutual friend' and thinking how amazing it was. Neil on piano, Rob on Drums, Ivor on guitar, and the bass guy? I bought the album from Sam the Record man last night(who are the only one's who have it right now, because it's still an import in canada) I did'nt enjoy the version of that song on the album as much as the live kick ass one. However overall it is a pleasant album.

― John Flatman, Tuesday, 13 April 2004 22:03 (twenty-two years ago)

will this be released in the usa?

― keith m (keithmcl), Tuesday, 13 April 2004 23:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Soundscapes in Toronto have it too John.

― Shooz (shooz), Monday, 19 April 2004 14:30 (twenty-two years ago)

Sites I've checked claim that Nettwerk is releasing it in North American in early May.

― Jonathan (Jonathan), Monday, 19 April 2004 15:32 (twenty-two years ago)

Am listening to a burn of it now, and will be buying the Nettwerk release when it comes out. It gets better with every listen. "Come Home Billy Bird" knocks me out - whoever the backing vocalist is, she gives me shivers. The Star Wars' "Hoth" reference in "The Happy Goth" cracks me up - that's another potential single. This album has a number of single possibilities. "Our Mutual Friend", as mentioned above, is a stellar track. "Laika's Theme" has a spacey, lullaby vibe - along with "Leaving Today" and "Charmed Life", obviously influenced by Neil's love of wife and child. The album has a "whole" album feel, too - flows very quickly, and is over too soon. Just ordered the "Come Home Billy Bird" singles - the b-sides will be great, particularly concert favorite, "Idaho".

― Chris Hill (Chris Hill), Friday, 30 April 2004 16:30 (twenty-two years ago)

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