The Go-Betweens "Oceans Apart" (2005)

Oceans Apart
release date: May 3, 2005
format: 2 cd (Deluxe)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]
producer: Mark Wallis and David Ruffy
label: Lo-Max Records - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Here Comes a City" - 2. "Finding You" - 3. "Born to a Family" - 4. "No Reason to Cry" - 6. "Darlinghurst Nights" - 7. "Lavender" - 8. "The Statue" - 9. "This Night's for You" - 10. "The Mountains Near Dellray"

9th and the irrevocably final studio album by The Go-Betweens following just over two years after Bright Yellow Bright Orange (Feb. 2003) sees a reunion with producer Mark Wallis, who stood behind the acclaimed 16 Lovers Lane (1988). The 2 CD Deluxe edition comes with the addition of a live recording from The Barbican Concert Hall, London, Jun. 27, 2004.

For once, the quartet is intact compared to their most recent album but what makes the biggest difference here is concerning the actual production of the album. Forster and McLennan themselves were in complete control when producing the band's last two outings, and these are both quite good, but when listening to Oceans Apart, you clearly sense the bond to 16 Lovers Lane. It's not just similar, as it doesn't merely copy what was successful on the '88 album but the new collection of songs has a presence of the same 'multi-layering' without obvious attempts in reproducing the instrumental contributions by Amanda Brown and John Willstead of yesterday.

Another significant positive quality is that it feels and sounds like a band effort, whereas the two previous albums had an unmistakable imprint of the Forster / McLennan guitar duo weaving on all tracks. Here, it's as if bass, keyboards, additional guitars, and drums all contribute to colour the whole picture and, overall, create a sonic complexity that fits together ever so nicely. That said, the songs demonstrate the two songwriters' abilities as skilled storytellers and the end product is no less than the band's second best studio album - ever.

Oceans Apart won the prize for best Adult Contemporary Album at the Australian Grammy Awards in 2005 - first time happing for Forster and McLennan - and as a new experience, the album made its mark on the albums chartc in a number of countries besides Australia. Two tracks were released as singles: tracks #1 and #2, which didn't garner significant chart entries. And that's maybe not too strange, because it's the album itself that appears as a coherent strong album, basically without fillers. It's just extraordinary well-made from start to finish.

Unfortunately, just as the band was finally experiencing growing international recognition - again, the project was brutally interrupted when Grant McLennan suddenly died of a cardiac arrest around the anniversary of the album's release on May 6, 2006. With McLennan's passing, The Go-Betweens ended for good and Robert Forster returned to his solo career and subsequently released the album The Evangelist (Apr. 2008). In 2007, two recurring awards were founded: an annual prestigious Australian honour award "Grant McLennan Lifetime Achievement Award", as well as the annual 1-year music scholarship "Grant McLennan Fellowship" awarded emerging talents in Queensland.

Highly recommended.

[ 👍allmusic.com, Blender, Uncut 4 / 5, 👎Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, The Guardian, Mojo 5 / 5 stars ]

The Go-Betweens "Bright Yellow Bright Orange" (2003)

Bright Yellow Bright Orange
release date: Feb. 24, 2003
format: digital (10 x File, FLAC)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,66]
producer: The Go-Betweens
label: Trifekta - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Caroline and I" - 2. "Poison in the Walls" - 3. "Mrs. Morgan" - 6. "Crooked Lines" - 8. "Make Her Day"

8th studio album by The Go-Betweens released 2½ years after The Friends of Rachel Worth (Sep. 2000) is once again with a changed line-up in the 'supporting roles' of a band that is essentially no more than a duo-project. Now officially, the band is back as a quartet with the two founders at the front, the songwriters and composers Robert Forster and Grant McLennan, who are both credited on vocals and various guitars (Forster is also credited on organ and piano). As on the predecessor, they are here backed by bassist Adele Pickvance, who is also credited on keyboards and backing vocals, and then new member Glenn Thompson is seen on drums, electric guitar, organ, keyboards, and backing vocals. Beyond these, only a small duo of string instrumentalists are credited musical contributions.

Stylistically, there are no major changes since the 2000 revival release, but as a positive contrast, this is a much more cohesive collection of songs, with the two songwriters actually sounding like they've been working together on the new tracks and not 'only' have met in the studio with a handful of their own individual tracks, as they had become accustomed to in the years after their break-up in '88. The album contains an expected even number of 10 new tracks, which typically indicate five songs by Forster and five by McLennan, only this time they don't make a big fuzz about telling us who wrote what song. Instead, all tracks are credited Forster / McLennan, although they are believed to have contributed roughly equally with lyrical and musical contributions. They match each other in unison - and not that they didn't do that before, but it's as if they rise together on more optimistic notes, and perhaps the title suggests exactly what is seen on the cover - the only album by the band without actual photos of the band members - a reflection of a lighter lyrical content. Fact is, many of their earlier songs were woven and soothed in bittersweet melancholy. In contrast, they here sort of narrate in lighter spheres adding tailored vocal harmonies and chamber pop arrangements. The only thing I miss are a number of distinctive strong songs, and seen as a whole the album is perhaps a bit too cohesive with the two songwriters tiptoeing along more or less down the same path on golden rays of sunshine.

Expectedly, Bright Yellow Bright Orange was met by positive reviews and was even nominated, without winning, Best Album at the Australian Music Awards but The Go-Betweens now sound like they have found their footing and are back on course again. And nevertheless, it's always a pleasure to hear new songs with this classic songwriting duo.

[ allmusic.com, Blender, Q Magazine, Uncut 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3 / 5, 👉The Guardian 5 / 5 stars ]

The Go-Betweens "The Friends of Rachel Worth" (2000)

The Friends of Rachel Worth
release date: Sep. 16, 2000
format: cd
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,48]
producer: The Go-Betweens
label: Clearspot / EFA - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Magic in Here" - 3. "The Clock" - 5. "He Lives My Life" - 6. "Heart and Home" - 7. "Surfing Magazines" - 8. "Orpheus Beach" - 9. "Going Blind" - 10. "When She Sang About Angels"

7th studio album by The Go-Betweens released twelve years after 16 Lovers Lane (Aug. 1988) is the band's first since its recent reformation. Robert Forster and Grant McLennan had stayed friends and never lost touch in the years following the band's break-up in '89, although they were now busy pursuing individual solo careers. Forster released four solo albums - most recently Warm Nights from 1996 - and he produced a few releases for wife Karin Bäumler's band Baby You Know, whereas McLennan seems to have been more productive by also releasing four solo albums - most recently In Your Bright Ray from 1997 - one of these is a double album, and then he also released two albums with the band Jack Frost, as well as a single with the band Far Out Corporation. In the run-up to the reformation of The Go-Betweens, the two songwriters played a number of live gigs together assisted by bassist Adele Pickvance, either announced as Forster / McLennan or occasionally as The Go-Betweens, performing songs from their respective solo releases as well as songs from their time with The Go-Betweens. In Forster's autobiography "Grant & I" he recalls how the French music magazine 'Les Inrockuptibles' got in contact with Forster because they wanted to bring a longer article on the band's story and simulaneously they hired a version of the reformed band to perform as The Go-Betweens in Paris. The concert was quite successful and other European concerts soon followed. One night after a performance in '96, Grant aired the idea that they really should reform the band, an idea Forster didn't immediately reject, but it didn't materialise on that occasion as they had too many things going on. Forster had just released Warm Nights, which he intended to promote, and he and Karin were also expecting their first child, and then the near-always prolific McLennan was working on what would turn out to be his final solo album, the fine In Your Bright Ray (Sep. '97). Concurrently, he had also formed the band Far Out Corporation together with guitarist Ian Haug (of Powderfinger), Adele Pickvance, and drummer Ross McLennan (no relation to Grant), who had sometimes replaced Glenn Thompson when playing live with Forster, and together they released the album FOC (Oct. '98). So clearly, thoughts about new music from The Go-Betweens were still well and truly stoved away. As of May '99, Beggars Banquet released the album Bellavista Terrace: Best of The Go-Betweens - and the company wanted the band's aid to promote the album, and a new live tour was soon set up. The concerts were again powerful experiences and yet again McLennan had asked Forster whether it was time to reform the band and perhaps focus their joint songwriting on producing a new album. Forster first had to return home to ask his family in Germany how they felt about him doing a new shot at the old band, and with Karin's approval, Forster then moved with his family to Australia to make sure Forster and McLennan could work closely together on new music, just as they had found working was best years before - getting together with a handful of new drafts and then in a mutual process making a first rough sorting and testing out arrangements before the tracks were presented to the rest of the band.

For this album, the new quintet of The Go-Betweens consists of the two founding members, vocalist and guitarists Forster and McLennan, together with bassist and backing vocalist Adele Pickvance, who, in addition to having assisted McLennan on his solo tours, also was part of the band Far Out Corporation. Pickvance was to prove to be the only other and third stable member in the band's new short life cycle. Much like years before, all tracks are credited the Forster / McLennan unit, with one half of the songwriting credited Forster and the other half to McLennan, while all songs feature both as composers. The album is the band's first to be recorded in the US (Portland, Oregon), and to support the band they are assisted of the trio Sleater-Kinney, consisting of Carrie Brownstein, Corin Tucker, and Janet Weiss (drummer in three bands: Sleater-Kinney, Quasi, and The Go-Betweens). Officially, Brownstein and Tucker are only credited on track #9 for additional guitar and vocals, but apparently they contribute (uncredited) harmony vocals on several tracks. However, the album is the one and only with a line-up featuring Weiss and (husband) Sam Coomes, who both form the core of Sleater-Kinney.

The front cover only depicts McLennan and Forster (the back is text only), and the two reappear with Pickvance and Weiss (but without Coomes) on the inside of the digipak edition.

Compared to their solo releases over the past decade, the album doesn't offer strikingly new, and the closest is actually the style of McLennan and Forster's solo works, where they have both cultivated singer / songwriter and folk rock since the break-up in '89. It's very much like two troubadours doing their usual stuff - together, but separately. Neither the composition contribute much to the sound of the new Go-Betweens, and it's really only the familiar vocals of the two frontmen that connect the album with previous releases by The Go-Betweens.

As was the case before the disbandment, the album was met by positive reviews, and also by a lack of commercial success. All in all, The Friends of Rachel Worth isn't one of the band's most memorable albums, but as with their other six albums - perhaps with the exception of the stumbling debut - the songs have a distinct rock poetic signature. The lyrics offer fine lines and personal stories, 'cause as modern storytellers, the songwriting duo Forster / McLennan are in a league where you easily think of other names such as Patti Smith, Lou Reed, Tom Verlaine, David Bowie, etc., which in itself is exceptional company.

[ 👍allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5, The Guardian, Melody Maker, NME, Spin 4 / 5, 👉Uncut 4,5 / 5 stars ]

The Go-Betweens "1978 - 1990" (1990)

1978 - 1990 (compilation)
release date: Mar. 19, 1990
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: various
label: Rebel Records - nationality: Australia

Compilation album by The Go-Betweens originally released on Beggars Banquet after the disbandment of the group. The album is not a mere best of album but more the collection of selected songs in incomplete order starting off with "Hammer the Hammer" from 1982. Also, the title suggests that you'll find songs from 1978 to 1990 on this album, which you won't - at least not on the CD issue of the album, which contains 22 tracks. However, the 2 lp vinyl issue comes closer to embracing the whole period with its 27 tracks, but the timespan is widened here to a full decade: '78-88 - since they didn't record any new material after 1988 (and there's also a Japanese 2 CD issue of the album with 28 tracks). Hence, the title is a reference to the life-time of the band, and there's a timeline in the inlay with the various line-ups of the band reflecting years as a duo ('78-80), as a trio ('80-82), a quartet ('82-86), and two different periods as a quintet ('86-88 / '88-89). But if the band ended in '89 (which it did), then why is it titled "1978 - 1990"? To justify this album... Well, that's of course a label decision.

Anyway, the album is fine but also rather redundant since it doesn't really add anything to the whole picture, and for those who do not know all albums, well, a true best of album would be the better option. But guess what - sadly there are no decent best of albums with this band. There's the album Bellavista Terrace: Best of The Go-Betweens (1999), which "only" contains 14 tracks and leaves too many great tunes out, and even the 2-disc versions just adds a live concert as further material. Then there's Quiet Heart: The Best of The Go-Betweens (2012), which contains 18 random songs - some fine, yes but best? No. And that one also contains a live disc...[!], as if this band didn't make enough great songs. Then there are some anthologies but all with their flaws. So please [e.g. Beggars Banquet], go ahead and make the genuine album featuring the best from one of the most important Australian bands ever.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]

The Go-Betweens "16 Lovers Lane" (1988)

16 Lovers Lane
release date: Aug. 1988
format: cd (1996 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,03]
producer: Mark Wallis
label: Beggars Banquet - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Love Goes On!" - 2. "Quiet Heart" - 3. "Love Is a Sign" - 4. "You Can't Say No Forever" (4 / 5) - 5. "The Devil's Eye" - 6. "Streets of Your Town" - 8. "Was There Anything I Could Do?" - 10. "Dive for Your Memory"

6th studio album by The Go-Betweens originally released by Mushroom Records in Australia and Beggars Banquet in Europe. Before recording the album, bassist Robert Vickers left the band and was replaced by John Willsteed - his only album with the band. The members credited here are: Grant McLennan on vocals & lead guitar, Robert Forster on vocals, rhythm guitar & harmonica, Amanda Brown on violin, oboe, guitar, vocals, tambourine (listed as "Oliver Tambo" on the sleeve notes, an in-joke of the band), John Willsteed on bass, guitar, Hammond organ & piano and with Lindy Morrison on drums. All compositions are credited McLennan / Forster.

The covers by The Go-Betweens have all been fronted by the band members, and the interesting thing about this particular cover is that three members have been put on the front and two on the back, and I always kind of thought the natural: here's the three original members of course and then the two new ones, put aside. But no! Actually you have Willsteed, McLennan and Morrison on the front and then Forster and Brown put (away) on the back.

Musically, the band continue its jangle pop style and pretty much takes off where they left with the promising Tallulah (1987) only with this being the band's so far boldest pop-shaped album with focus on harmony chorus-lines. In contrast to the '87 album there's a strong synergy between the individual songs by the two songwriters, and with this The Go-Betweens made its so far best album, hailed by music critics. After the release they supported R.E.M. on their Australian tour, and they did a complete world-tour. And when that came to an end, they were back at a new starting point - prepared to initiate the recordings for a follow-up album. Willsteed was fired from the band - apparently for heavy substance abuse, and the four remaining members were in the midst of rehearsing new songs, when the two founding songwriters both felt the lack of energy. McLennan and Forster met in a bar and Grant told Forster that he wanted out to which Forster immediately suggested that the two of them continued as a duo - the way they had started, and Grant agreed. So, only a little more than a year after the album release, Dec. 27, 1989, The Go-Betweens officially disbanded. Forster and Morrison were already in the process of ending their relationship when Amanda Brown had joined the band in '87, at a time when she and McLennan was a couple, and now upon learning about the McLennan / Forster decision to end the band, Amanda simply put an end to the McLennan - Brown affair. Amanda Brown and Lindy Morrison sought new musical bonds and together founded the (short-lived) band Cleopatra Wong in '91. However, the idea of starting a duo by the two main songwriters proved not to succeed at this point. McLennan had basically hit rock bottom after Amanda's leave, and when Forster left for Germany to be with his new-found love, Karin Bäumler in Berlin, the two friends simply continued writing new songs on their own, which eventually resultated in the beginning of two solo careers instead. For the next decade they made solo albums and were involved in various collaborative projects, and it wasn't until the year 2000 that they reunited to reform the band.

16 Lovers Lane is the only album by the band to be included in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" and it's a must in any collection of modern pop / rock. For the first six months after the release, I actually mistook it for being a best of album - it's that solid and filled with great songs, but despite being praised by the press and other musicians the album sales didn't equal the artistic effort, which can only point to the people of the record company.

Although, it's not the very final of the band it is the band's last studio album with the original line-up, and it's also the last to feature drummer [Belinda] Lindy Morrison, who has been the stable drummer on all of the band's six studio albums and been a member since 1981. After artistically successful solo careers, McLennan and Forster revived the band in 2000, and by doing so they also introduced a new line-up with their seventh studio album The Friends of Rachel Worth.

Imho, 16 Lovers Lane is the absolute best by The Go-Betweens and highly recommended.

[ allmusic.com, Mojo, Uncut 5 / 5, Blender, Select 4 / 5, Rolling Stone, NME 3,5 / 5 stars ]

[ story behind the album ]

[ Amanda Brown's version of the disbandment ]

back cover featuring
Forster & Brown

The Go-Betweens "Tallulah" (1987)

Tallulah
release date: Jun. 1987
format: vinyl (6042-1-B) / 2 cd (2004 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Richard Preston
label: Big Time Records - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Right Here" - 2. "You Tell Me" - 3. "Someone Else's Wife" - 4. "I Just Get Caught Out" - 5. "Cut It Out" - 7. "Bye Bye Pride" - 8. "Spirit of a Vampyre" - 9. "The Clarke Sisters"

5th studio album by Australian band The Go-Betweens follows a little more than a year after Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express. The album is originally released on Beggars Banquet - the Big Time vinyl issue is an American import, and the 2004 (2 cd) enhanced remaster contains a bonus disc containing 10 extra tracks - mostly alternate ('early') versions [to me sounding like demo takes] and a few previously unreleased compositions.

Before this, the band was officially expanded to a quintet as Amanda Brown was included in the line-up shortly after releasing their '86 album, and the band now consists of the two founding members Grant McLennan on vocals, lead guitar and piano, Robert Forster on vocals and rhythm guitar, stable drummer Lindy Morrison (who has played on all five studio albums), bassist Robert Vickers, who joined the band in '84, and then newest member, multi-instrumentalist Amanda Brown credited on violin, oboe, guitar, keyboards and vocals.

As usual, the cover depicts the band members - here with the three original members: Forster (with his newly-dyed haircut), McLennan and Morrison in the middle flanked by the two newest members: Robert Vickers and Amanda Brown.

The album would prove be the last to feature Vickers, who left the band after this after having played bass on three studio albums. Perhaps he felt uncomfortable at times as not only had Forster and Morrison been a couple since '81, and now as they were in the midst of breaking up their relationship, McLennan and Brown initiated their romantic affair as the new couple in the band.

The album may not be their absolute best - it mostly suffers the incoherence between material written by McLennan and Forster, who here seems more out of sync than on any other of the albums, but it's also one of the band's most defining albums with great ideas and songs and as such highly recommendable.

[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

The Go-Betweens "Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express" (1986)

Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express

release date: Mar. 1986

format: cd (1996 remaster) / 2 cd (2004 remaster)

[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,72]

producer: The Go-Betweens & Richard Preston

label: Beggars Banquet / Lo-Max Records - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Spring Rain" (4 / 5) - 2. "The Ghost and the Black Hat" - 3. "The Wrong Road" - 5. "Twin Layers of Lightning" - 6. "In the Core of the Flame" - 7. "Head Full of Steam" (4 / 5) - 9. "Palm Sunday (On Board the SS Within)"

4th studio album by The Go-Betweens released two years following Spring Hill Fair (1984) is the band's second consecutive album as a quartet. It's the band's first on Beggars Banquet, and the album release may have been delayed as they had previously signed with Elektra, who then closed its UK division in the middle of the recording sessions leaving the band with a newly recorded album but no record label. Luckily, they were then approached by Beggars Banquet with a recording deal for three albums in total.

The standard album contains ten tracks. The enhanced 2 cd issue contains an additional 11 tracks as well as the music videos for tracks #1 and #7. For the first time around the album is produced by the band who brought in Richard Preston as sound engineer, which means they were in control of what they wanted. Also, it's made without various additional musicians thrown in here and there, although, Tracey Thorn (Everything but the Girl who made friends with the band) is worth mentioning as she sings backing vocals on tracks #7 and #10.

Soundwise, it's bond to Before Hollywood (1983) as being both a more scraped down album than the predecessor but also with more varied arrangements. For the first time, the band makes use of a strings section with music arranged by Audrey Riley (who should later work with Coldplay). It's an album reflecting more inward and quiet music than more obvious pop harmonies, and there's a stronger sensation of folk rock sound on all compositions.

The album was well-received and saw many music critics' positive reviews hailing the album as one of the band's absolute best. However, as with most other albums by The Go-Betweens, the album failed to approach anything near top-10 anywhere. It's listed as number #62 on the Australian charts and with no entry figures anywhere else. "Spring Rain" and "Head Full of Steam" were released as the two singles from the album without noteworthy charts. Perhaps the band would have been better off had they signed with Warner or another big label to help them promote their music 'cause critics really loved the band, but then they probably would if presented with such an offer.

I have always found this a transitional album - certainly not poor or a lesser release as it's the band's so far best. For once they seem to have found their own path away from the stronger indie rock type of compositions with bonds to Velvet Underground, The Byrds and Tom Verlaine as heard on the sophomore album and the lighter pop / rock songs with bolder mainstream appeal, which is most clearly heard on the band's sixth studio album from 1988. Liberty Bell provides a bunch of playful songs that reek a new-found lightness and strong coherence.

Recommended.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Blender 4 / 5, NME, Select, Uncut 5 / 5 stars ]

The Go-Betweens "Spring Hill Fair" (1984)

Spring Hill Fair
release date: Sep. 27, 1984
format: cd (1996 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,54]
producer: John Brand
label: Beggars Banquet - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 1. "Bachelor Kisses" (acoustic version) - 4. "You've Never Lived" - 5. "Part Company" - 7. "Draining the Pool for You" - 9. "Unkind and Unwise"

3rd studio album by The Go-Betweens is the band's first and only originally released on Sire Records. It's the band's first album as a quartet after the inclusion of John Vickers on bass - now essentially leaving Grant McLennan room to play lead guitar. As usual, all songs are credited the two songwriters McLennan and Forster.

Following the daring and more edgy Before Hollywood (1983) this appears as more conventional mainstream pop / rock album with hints of folk rock and also slightly less poignant in its sound. According to Forster and drummer Lindy Morrison, the album failed in the recording process with producer John Brand, who had brought much good to the previous album, but here they found him taking wrong decisions in terms of sound and stylistic approach with a band who basically just wanted more of the same as they had previously produced together on the predecessor. Forster admits to have been uninspired when writing his contributions and Morrison states [details] that the band "were fucked [and internally] a neurotic mess".

In retrospect, the album isn't considered amongst the band's best - it appears to have come at a time of... frustrations, and the band's lack of a record deal didn't exactly make things easier. However, some critics praised it for being another example of classic songwriting. Two singles were released from the album: #5 and then #1, respectively, and with track #1 recorded and produced at a later stage by Colin Fairley and Robert Andrews as a track that shows the band's real potential and also (better) points towards later releases.

I have always thought of this album as 'superficial' in the sense that, yes, you are perfectly able, without any doubt, to hear that it's The Go-Betweens, but it either lacks edgy melodies, more substantial pop harmonies and / or the characteristic jangle pop. It's like a jar of sticky honey has been poured into tracks they didn't love in the first place. The two songwriters, Forster and McLennan have both brought their songs to the table, and they are both co-writers of the first two songs, but the rest are like night and day without much synergy.

It's by no means a lesser album, but in the discography of The Go-Betweens it's really not a recommended start.

[ allmusic.com, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

The Go-Betweens "Before Hollywood" (1983)

Before Hollywood
release date: May 1983
format: 2 cd (2002 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,62]
producer: John Brand
label: EMI - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 2. "Two Step, Step Out" - 3. "Before Hollywood" - 5. "Ask" - 6. "Cattle and Cane" (4,5 / 5) - 8. "As Long as That" - 9. "On My Block" - 10. "That Way"

2nd studio album by Australian jangle pop band The Go-Betweens is the band's first and only after signing with Rough Trade Records (who originally released the album) - here in a 2002 remastered and enhanced edition issued as a 2-disc album with eight bonus tracks and the video for track #6. The Go-Betweens remains the same trio as on the debut Send Me a Lullaby (1982) and credited as shown on the album back cover: Lindy Morrison on drums & backing vocals, Grant McLennan on bass, guitars & vocals, and with Robert Forster on lead and rhythm guitar & vocals. As additional personnel Bernard Clarke is credited for organ and piano. All music is credited Forster / McLennan with Forster as songwriter on four songs (tracks #3, #5, #7 and #9), McLennan as songwriter on five (tracks #1, #2, #4, #6 and #10), and with both as songwriters of track #8. As Rough Trade found strong interest in the band with their debut, the record label offered them a record deal and the three relocated to Britain. Unfortunately, Rough Trade soon lost its interest for the band as their new-found darlings of The Smiths sky-rocketed to stardom, and the The Go-Betweens soon stood without a record deal - again.

Before Hollywood was the first album I ever listened to by the band. "Cattle and Cane" was played on the national radio and I really loved that song, so I was happy to find the album at the local library but didn't appreciate the whole album all that much.

Stylewise, the band was labelled as new wave but they have become more natural exponents of indie pop / jangle pop, and they were compared to Television and Talking Heads, although, it's evident that they shared more common traits with Aztec Camera and Josef K.

In retrospect, I find it better than I did back then, and I also notice how several songs build on some of the same elements as their early famous tune, which led me to their music catalogue. "Cattle and Cane" was issued as a single prior to the album release and basically coincided with their album debut release outside Australia: however, upon hearing the album I initially rejected the majority of the songs. "Cattle and Cane" peaked as number #4 on the UK independent charts and it also figures on the untitled Swedish Rough Trade / MNW compilation album from '83.

Before Hollywood is a much stronger and originally shaped album than their debut, and with this they already establish a unique sound and style rooted in the traditions of singer / songwriter material, which is something that would be further elaborated on with the following albums to come.

[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, NME, Spin 4 / 5, Rolling Stone, Select 3 / 5 stars ]

The Go-Betweens "Send Me a Lullaby" (1981)

(with the Faces of, L-R:
Forster, Morrison,
McLennan)

Send Me a Lullaby [debut]
release date: Nov. 1981 / (Feb. 1982)
format: digital (2 disc remaster)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,92]
producer: The Go-Betweens and Tony Cohen
label: EMI Music - nationality: Australia

Track highlights: 2. "One Thing Can Hold Us" - 3. "People Know" - 5. "Midnight to Neon" - 10. "Hold Your Horses"

Studio album debut by Australian band The Go-Betweens originally released Nov. 1981 as an 8-track mini-album on the Australian label Missing Link Records, and then in Feb. '82 it was released in the UK on Rough Trade Records as a 12-track album with a slightly different track listing, although keeping all of the eight original tracks.

The band was founded in 1977 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia by the two friends Grant (William) McLennan and Robert (Derwent Garth) Forster, who met at university. Forster persuaded McLennan to take up learning the bass, and soon after he also played the guitar. They both sing, play guitar and bass, and from early on they shared roles in providing new songs to play. After a period involving various drummers, and after having toured the UK in attempts to find a record company that would release their music they returned to Australia. (Belinda) "Lindy" Morrison joined the two in 1980 as stable drummer. at a time when Morrison and Forster already were a couple. The band recorded its debut album in the Summer of '81, which saw its national release on Missing Link, and as the UK distributor was Rough Trade Records they released the album three months later with the addition of four compositions for the British market. Alongside The Birthday Party, The Go-Betweens experienced interest from the UK - and the band also saw the market in Britain as broader and more attractive, which explains their decision to return to Britain - only this time as a trio and with some reputation.

Stylistically, the album may sound more abrupt and as demo-like takes when comparing to later albums, and the band boldly reveals its influence from Velvet Underground, Tom Verlaine, Bob Dylan and the like, and then producer Tony Cohen also worked with The Birthday Party, as he would later continue as engineer and producer for Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds - there's a link to the immediacy, the garage sound and a certain abruptness you'll also find on early albums by these artists.

The album may not contain natural hit songs, nor strong memorable compositions but it's also clear that despite the strong influences it's by no means music by musical amateurs nor less original material.

[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5 stars ]