Description

In 1990 Neil Hannon started recording and releasing under the name The Divine Comedy. Thirty years and twelve great albums later, Hannon is rightly adjudged one of the finest singer songwriters of his generation. To celebrate,nbspDivine Comedy Recordsnbspare remastering and reissuing nine of the bands classic albums.The reissuesnbspwill be released by Neil Hannonrsquos own label Divine Comedy Records on August 21st, 2020Absent Friendsnbspwas first released innbsp2004. Describing the album,nbspNeil saidnbspThe songs use stories and characters as a framework to pin my ideas on. Its mostly about the eternal battle between the pull of personal freedom and the comfort of domesticityrdquo.nbspThe album was recorded by Guy Massey, mixed by Nigel Godrich and features guest appearances by 6 Music DJ Lauren Laverne and French multiinstrumentalist Yann Tiersen.nbspldquoThe whole album is rich, beautiful and can make you smile and cry on the turn of a chorusrdquonbspstated Phill Jupitus in the Radio Times, while the Guardian described it as annbspldquoornate gemrdquonbspand Word magazine said,nbspldquoitrsquos Neil Hannonrsquos best yetrdquo. Stand out tracks from the album include singlesnbspCome Home Billy BirdnbspandnbspAbsent Friends,nbspas well as fan favouritesnbspOur Mutual FriendnbspandnbspCharmed Life.The album has been remastered from the original tapes at the legendary Abbey Road Studios by mastering engineer Frank Arkwright Blur, The Smiths.nbspOverseeing the audio throughout the campaign is engineermixerproducer Guy Massey, whose work on the Beatles Stereo Remasters won him a Grammy Award.The LP release consists of the original remastered album, cut at Abbey Road, packaged with a download code for the album and bonus tracks. The LP is heavyweight black vinyl in a gatefold sleeve accompanied with photos, credits and Neils liner notes. The Divine Comedy LP is available for home delivery from Vinyl Records London, only £23