Absent Friends (album)

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Absent Friends
Studio album by The Divine Comedy
Released	29 March 2004 (UK & Europe) 4 May 2004 (US)
Recorded	2001–03
Studio	RAK, St John's Wood, London and Konk, London
Genre	Chamber pop, alternative rock
Length	45:56
Label	Parlophone (UK & Europe) Nettwerk (US)
Producer	Neil Hannon
The Divine Comedy chronology
Regeneration (2001) Absent Friends (2004) Victory for the Comic Muse (2006)
Singles from Absent Friends
"Come Home Billy Bird" Released: 22 March 2004 "Absent Friends" Released: 14 June 2004
Music video
The Divine Comedy - Absent Friends on YouTube

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[1]
BBC	favourable[2]
Blender	[3]
The Guardian	[4]
Mojo	[5]
musicOMH	favourable[6]
Pitchfork Media	(7.8/10)[7]
PopMatters	favourable[8]
Q	[9]

Absent Friends is the eighth studio album by Northern Irish chamber pop band the Divine Comedy, released in 2004 by Parlophone in the UK and Nettwerk in the U.S. Two singles were released from the album in the UK: "Come Home Billy Bird", which features former Kenickie vocalist Lauren Laverne on vocals, and the album's title track.

Neil Hannon was the only member of the Divine Comedy by this point, as the band had split up shortly after the release of 2001's Regeneration. Hannon had decided to continue using the Divine Comedy name for this album and was aided by long-time collaborator Joby Talbot, who arranged and conducted the orchestra.

The album was recorded at RAK Studios and Konk Studios in London by Guy Massey, with help from Raj Das and Chris Bolster. It was mixed at Mayfair Studios by Nigel Godrich, who was assisted by Dan Grech-Marguerat.