Absentstar

Absentstar, the forceful Chicago outfit blending Brit-pop sensibilities with American rock & roll traditions, obtained its major-label contract through time-honored methods by issuing an independent album and accepting every available live booking. Derek Ingersoll on vocals, Andy Dixon and Marshall Hanbury, Jr. on guitars, Noel Arnim on bass, and Heath Hamilton on drums assembled the group in 2005 after each had participated in earlier projects that had dissolved. Persuaded that this configuration possessed greater longevity, the musicians enlisted producer C.S. Gladfelter to capture their debut album, To All That Buy In, during that same inaugural year. Sustained road work in support of the release, together with repeated appearances at showcases and music conferences, drew the interest of major labels, beginning with RCA and subsequently moving to Canvasback, Sony’s newly established imprint. In 2007 the label recruited producer Dan Wilson to oversee recording of the second album, Sea Trials.