Absent Friends (2020)

2020 celebrates the 30th anniversary of Neil Hannon’s The Divine Comedy, a three-decade period that has seen the band release 12 incredible albums. To mark the occasion, nine of the band’s classic back catalogue have been remastered from the original tapes at Abbey Road Studios and reissued on vinyl. Absent Friends is the eighth studio album from The Divine Comedy and was released in 2004. Frontman Neil Hannon described the record at the time as an album about the battle between personal freedom and the comfort of domesticity. The CD reissue edition includes a bonus disc of never-heard-before demos and alternative versions curated by Neil Hannon himself.

Released: August 2020
Cat: DCRL080RLP
Label: Divine Comedy Records

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Tracklist

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

Bonus CD:

1. Absolute Power
2. Our Mutual Friend (Early Idea)
3. The Bird Evolution
4. Girl Least Likely
5. Mr Right
6. Sticks And Stones (Demo)
7. The Dark Horse
8. Idaho
9. All Things (Alternate Version)
10. Rose For The Lady
11. Smiler
12. Absent Friends (Demo)
13. Anthem For Bored Youth (Demo)
14. Our Mutual Friend (Alternate Version)
15. Antidepressant
16. Windy Pop
17. Laika's Theme (The Promise)
18. Charmed Life (Alternate Version)