Absentee (band)
Absentee | |
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Absentee playing live at the Summer Sundae festival 2006 | |
Background information | |
Origin | London, England |
Genres | Alternative rock |
Years active | 2003–present |
Labels | Memphis Industries |
Members |
Dan Michaelson Melinda Bronstein Babak Ganjei Laurie Earle Che Albrighton |
Absentee are a band from London, signed to Memphis Industries. They are Dan Michaelson (vocals/guitar), Melinda Bronstein (vocals, keyboards, melodica, glockenspiel), Babak Ganjei (guitar/lap steel), Laurie Earle (bass) and Che Albrighton (drums).
Career
Before forming the band, Michaelson and Bronstein collaborated to make the self-produced mini-album Hawaiian Disco. Five songs from that mini-album, and other unreleased material was used in the 2003 film Twisted, shown in the Raindance Film Festival.[1][2]
Later in 2010, the band contributed a song to Missed Connections, a short film which is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.[3][4]
The band have had two previous major releases. Donkey Stock in 2005 was a six track EP, which helped get the band noticed. In 2006, the band released the album, Schmotime, which was well received by the music press, including a 7.1 Pitchfork rating. Much was made of the up-beat nature of the songs, in stark contrast to the morbid nature of the lyrics.
The album Schmotime was produced by James Ford, of Arctic Monkeys and Mystery Jets fame.
They toured with The Magic Numbers, Brakes, Broken Family Band, Bloc Party and Silver Jews.
When not recording and touring with Absentee, all the band members have side projects. Michaelson has Dan Michaelson and the Coastguards, Babak, Melinda and Laurie have Wet Paint and Melinda has The Bronsteins. In 2011, Michaelson released his debut solo album, Sudden Fiction.
Discography
Singles
- 2006 "Something to Bang" #180 UK
- 2006 "Weasel"
- 2006 "We Should Never Have Children"
- 2006 "There's A Body In A Car Somewhere"
- 2008 "Boy, Did She Teach You Nothing?"
EPs
- 2005 Donkey Stock
- 2008 Bitchstealer EP
Albums
- 2004 Hawaiian Disco
- 2006 Schmotime
- 2008 Victory Shorts
References
- ↑ "Absentee", DrownedInSound.com; URL accessed May 20, 2006.
- ↑ "Full Cast and Crew for Twisted (2003/I)", IMDB ; URL accessed May 20, 2006.
- ↑ "Missed Connections website"
- ↑ "Missed Connections (2010/I) - Soundtracks", IMDB
External links
- Official website
- Absentee at memphis-industries.com
- Absentee at Crossthepond Music
- Review of Donkey Stock EP at PopMatters.com
- Interview with Absentee at SoundsXP
- Review of Absentee's Donkey Stock by James Jam at NME
- Jelbert, Steve, "Something to bang on about", Times Online, February 25, 2006.
- Jelbert, Steve, "Absentee : Donkey Stock -- East London countryists' lugubrious wonder", Times Online
- Absentee at Allmusic
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