Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
With Absent Friends, Neil Hannon returns to the glorious whimsical form of his crooning pop masterpieces. While Regeneration seemed mired in murkiness and awkwardly styled angry tunes, and some wondered if Hannon would recover from sacking his bandmates, Absent Friends sees Hannon blending the finest themes of his previous albums into a gorgeous, mature tapestry of musical adventures. Longtime associate Jobi Talbot lends his usual magic and Regeneration producer Nigel Godrich stays on as mixer, allowing Hannon to expertly man the production boards himself. Album closer "Charmed Life," which marries twinkling pianos with airy orchestration and a thoroughly jolly sense of self-discovery, is perhaps most indicative of Hannon's rediscovered optimism. The song perfectly blends the light, literary style of Promenade and Liberation, but with the added crunch and bombast of Hannon's West End-leaning Casanova and Fin de Siècle. "Sticks & Stones" also traverses Casanova territory, while "Come Home Billy Bird," "Absent Friends," and "The Happy Goth" all feel like souped-up versions of Promenade and Liberation tunes. "Come Home Billy Bird" seems like the mature artist's version of "Bernice Bobs Her Hair." Where Hannon sang of schoolgirl pettiness on the latter, he moves onto the problems business travel causes family life on the former. Thus, Hannon has found a way to mix semi-autobiographical subject matter with the witty pop melodies that are his bread and butter. As always, it's Hannon's superb wit and impeccable sense of timing that allow him to mingle delicate and simultaneously revelatory turns of phrase for maximum emotional and musical effect. Who else could pull off a touching yet hilarious song like "The Happy Goth," where Hannon sings of lonely yet happy young lady "who wears Doc Martens and a heavy cross"? It is perhaps "Our Mutual Friend" that really drives home the confidence and sublime nature of Hannon's songwriting and execution at this stage of his career. Hannon had mined the orchestral strings and minimalism of composer and associate Michael Nyman in the past, but "Our Mutual Friend" is his finest stab at merging Nyman-like strings and rhythm with devastating, dramatic vocals. Singing of infidelity and the damage it causes, Hannon sounds absolutely floored. In an interview with Kitty Empire talking of his aspirations going into the album's recording, Hannon claimed he simply wanted to create a beautiful album, one that "sounds gorgeous on [his] stereo, with a roaring fire and a glass of sherry and a Labrador at [his] feet." With the thrilling and poignant Absent Friends, he has more than succeeded. It ranks high among his finest albums.
© Tim DiGravina /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From £10.83/month
Guy Massey, Engineer - Neil Hannon, Composer, Producer, Vocals, All Instruments, Performed by - Rob Farrer, Drums - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist - Joby Talbot, Conductor
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2004, 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Guy Massey, Engineer - Neil Hannon, Composer, Producer, Vocals, All Instruments, Performed by - Yann Tiersen, Accordion - Miguel J Barradas, Drums - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist - Joby Talbot, Conductor
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2004, 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Guy Massey, Engineer - Neil Hannon, Composer, Producer, Vocals, All Instruments, Performed by - Rob Farrer, Vibraphone - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist - Joby Talbot, Conductor
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2004, 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Guy Massey, Engineer - Neil Hannon, Composer, Producer, Vocals, All Instruments, Performed by - Lauren Laverne, Vocals - Miguel J Barradas, Drums - Rob Farrer, Timpani - Crispin Robinson, Congas - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist - Joby Talbot, Conductor
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2004, 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Guy Massey, Engineer - Neil Hannon, Composer, Producer, Vocals, All Instruments, Performed by - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2004, 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Guy Massey, Engineer - Lucy Wakeford, Harp - Neil Hannon, Composer, Producer, Vocals, All Instruments, Performed by - Rob Farrer, Drums, Repeater - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist - Joby Talbot, Conductor - Gareth Newman, Bassoon
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2004, 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Guy Massey, Engineer - Neil Hannon, Composer, Producer, Vocals, All Instruments, Performed by - Rob Farrer, Timpani - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist - Joby Talbot, Conductor
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2004, 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Guy Massey, Engineer - Neil Hannon, Composer, Producer, Vocals, All Instruments, Performed by - Miguel J Barradas, Drums - Rob Farrer, Glockenspiel - Crispin Robinson, Triangle, Congas - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist - Joby Talbot, Conductor - Simon Little, Double Bass - Jay Craig, Saxophone
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2004, 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Guy Massey, Engineer - Neil Hannon, Composer, Producer, Vocals, All Instruments, Performed by - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist - Joby Talbot, Conductor, Piano
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2004, 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Guy Massey, Engineer - Neil Hannon, Composer, Producer, Vocals, All Instruments, Performed by - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist - Joby Talbot, Conductor
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2004, 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Guy Massey, Engineer - Neil Hannon, Composer, Producer, Vocals, All Instruments, Performed by - Miguel J Barradas, Drums - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist - Joby Talbot, Conductor
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2004, 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
DISC 2
Neil Hannon, Composer, Vocals - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2006 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Neil Hannon, Composer, Vocals - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Neil Hannon, Composer, Vocals - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Guy Massey, Mixer - Neil Hannon, Composer, Producer, Guitar, Vocals - Rob Farrer, Percussion, Shaker - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist - Simon Little, Double Bass - Mark Wyllie, Engineer - Ivor Talbot, Guitar
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2004 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Guy Massey, Mixer - Neil Hannon, Composer, Producer, Piano, Vocals - Rob Farrer, Drums, Percussion - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist - Simon Little, Bass - Daniel Marsden, Flugelhorn - Mark Wyllie, Engineer - Ivor Talbot, Guitar
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2004 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Steve Rooke, Masterer, MasteringEngineer - Neil Hannon, Composer, Producer, Vocals, All Instruments, Performed by - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2004 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Neil Hannon, Composer, Vocals - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Guy Massey, Mixer, Engineer - Chris Worsey, Strings - Everton Nelson, Strings - Bruce White, Strings - Neil Hannon, Composer, Producer, Instruments - Lucy Shaw, Strings - Rob Farrer, Percussion - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist - Natalia Bonner, Strings - Roy Theaker, Strings
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2004 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Neil Hannon, Composer, Vocals - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Neil Hannon, Composer, Vocals - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Neil Hannon, Composer, Vocals - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Neil Hannon, Composer, Vocals - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Neil Hannon, Composer, Vocals - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Neil Hannon, Composer, Vocals - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Neil Hannon, Composer, Vocals - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Neil Hannon, Composer, Vocals - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Neil Hannon, Composer, Vocals - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Neil Hannon, Composer, Vocals - The Divine Comedy, MainArtist
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Album review
With Absent Friends, Neil Hannon returns to the glorious whimsical form of his crooning pop masterpieces. While Regeneration seemed mired in murkiness and awkwardly styled angry tunes, and some wondered if Hannon would recover from sacking his bandmates, Absent Friends sees Hannon blending the finest themes of his previous albums into a gorgeous, mature tapestry of musical adventures. Longtime associate Jobi Talbot lends his usual magic and Regeneration producer Nigel Godrich stays on as mixer, allowing Hannon to expertly man the production boards himself. Album closer "Charmed Life," which marries twinkling pianos with airy orchestration and a thoroughly jolly sense of self-discovery, is perhaps most indicative of Hannon's rediscovered optimism. The song perfectly blends the light, literary style of Promenade and Liberation, but with the added crunch and bombast of Hannon's West End-leaning Casanova and Fin de Siècle. "Sticks & Stones" also traverses Casanova territory, while "Come Home Billy Bird," "Absent Friends," and "The Happy Goth" all feel like souped-up versions of Promenade and Liberation tunes. "Come Home Billy Bird" seems like the mature artist's version of "Bernice Bobs Her Hair." Where Hannon sang of schoolgirl pettiness on the latter, he moves onto the problems business travel causes family life on the former. Thus, Hannon has found a way to mix semi-autobiographical subject matter with the witty pop melodies that are his bread and butter. As always, it's Hannon's superb wit and impeccable sense of timing that allow him to mingle delicate and simultaneously revelatory turns of phrase for maximum emotional and musical effect. Who else could pull off a touching yet hilarious song like "The Happy Goth," where Hannon sings of lonely yet happy young lady "who wears Doc Martens and a heavy cross"? It is perhaps "Our Mutual Friend" that really drives home the confidence and sublime nature of Hannon's songwriting and execution at this stage of his career. Hannon had mined the orchestral strings and minimalism of composer and associate Michael Nyman in the past, but "Our Mutual Friend" is his finest stab at merging Nyman-like strings and rhythm with devastating, dramatic vocals. Singing of infidelity and the damage it causes, Hannon sounds absolutely floored. In an interview with Kitty Empire talking of his aspirations going into the album's recording, Hannon claimed he simply wanted to create a beautiful album, one that "sounds gorgeous on [his] stereo, with a roaring fire and a glass of sherry and a Labrador at [his] feet." With the thrilling and poignant Absent Friends, he has more than succeeded. It ranks high among his finest albums.
© Tim DiGravina /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 29 track(s)
- Total length: 01:50:15
- Main artists: The Divine Comedy
- Composer: Neil Hannon
- Label: Rhino
- Genre: Pop/Rock Pop
© 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company ℗ 2020 Parlophone Records Ltd, a Warner Music Group Company
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.