duggup

Absentee

While checking out some recent additions to the NPR Second Stage RSS feed, I spotted  Absentee and their song “Shared“. Now on paper, if there was ever a band that I shouldn’t like, these guys would be right up there near the top. Why? Well let’s see..

1. They’re a countryish band
2. As a rule I prefer female singers

Now after a quick listen it turns out

1. They are an “ambient countryish band” and
2. they have a female vocalist as well as lead singer Dan Michaelson.

Trust me on this one, this guy has a stunning vocal delivery. To quote from their website

Sounds Like? Leonard Cohen singing from the trouser backed up with a mix of incompetence and occasional surprise.

Michaelsons voice is deep and sonorous, with a bit of grit at the edges (Hmm that is like early Leonard Cohen when I think about it), it’s the kind of voice that will grab hold of a hold of a listeners and just not let go.

“Shared” is a the combination of Michaelson’s deep baritone and Melinda’s (keyboards, vocals) delicate female harmonies. It is such a gentle and spaciously arranged ballad (oh yeah… as a rule I don’t like ballads either – Going well isn’t it?). The guitars are just beautiful and the rythm section are just so brilliantly understated, there hardly seems to be an extraneous note.

I find it amazing that Absentee are an English band, everything about them is just so counter intuitive- well to my way of thing.

Needless to say, Highly Recommended (and most of the songs at MySpace are a little more “vigorous”)

Websites at www.myspace.com/donkeystock and www.absenteemusic.co.uk/

thatch is fascinated by guitars, music, guitars, production, silly noises, guitars and used to be a musician. Did I mention the thing about the guitars?
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