Biography
The London-based indie rock quintet Absentee consists of Dan Michaelson on vocals and guitar, Melinda Bronstein handling vocals, keyboards, melodica, and glockenspiel, Babak Ganjei playing guitar and lap steel, Laurie Earle on bass, and Jon Chandler at the drums. Memphis Industries signed the group, which then issued its debut EP Donkey Stock in 2005. James Ford produced the follow-up full-length Schmotime, released in 2006. Michaelson and Bronstein maintain separate endeavors away from Absentee, the former with Dan Michaelson & the Coastguards and the latter with the Bronsteins; Bronstein further collaborates with Babak Ganjei in Wet Paint. The band nevertheless treats Absentee as its central priority, issuing the second album Victory Shorts in fall 2008.
Albums