Living The Life At Hand: Our Review Of G Stands For Go-Betweens: The Go-Betweens Anthology - Volume 2, 1985 -1989
The folks at Domino have done it again. And in spectacular fashion. Following on from the first volume back in 2015, today sees the release of G Stands For Go-Betweens: The Go-Betweens Anthology - Volume 2, 1985 -1989. Collecting the original line-up's final three albums, along with a live concert, dozens and dozens of rarities, and demos, this set is a banquet of riches.
Of course, Robert Forster and the late Grant McLennan revived the Go-Betweens brand in 2000, but this is really the band that we think of when we think of The Go-Betweens, whether the bassist was Robert Vickers or John Willsteed. And it's the group during its most fertile and perfect era, the years during which the best material was offered up, and Robert Forster and Grant McLennan revealed the extent of their powers as songwriters, and confirmed just how special and downright magical their rock-and-roll could be. I mean, put simply, there's not a thing here that feels anything less than illuminating, and not a moment that doesn't soothe the soul, or stir the intellect, in some way, big or small.
My love of this band runs deep, and to tackle a set this expansive, I needed help, even if the help was not going to be impartial about the greatness of The Go-Betweens either. More than three decades ago I bonded with Stan and Jay over our shared love of bands like The Go-Betweens, so it only seemed appropriate to enlist them in the writing of this review, especially since they are now regular contributors to this site. So, here are the thoughts of three ex-record store guys on G Stands For Go-Betweens: The Go-Betweens Anthology - Volume 2, 1985 -1989.
Liberty Belle and The Black Diamond Express (1986) and The Devil Is In Your Dress: Rarities Volume 5: 1985-86
Review by Jay Mukherjee
I was excited when I found out that I had the chance to review The Go-Betweens' fourth album, Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express, released in March of 1986. I was excited not because it is their best album of the 1986-88 time period. No, that honor will forever go to the Rumors of my generation, the sublime 16 Lovers Lane (1988). The reason I was excited is because it is the album I am the least familiar with, and that gave me a chance to hear the album with a fresh, new perspective.
The first thing I noticed with this reissue is how much better it sounds than the original. I always thought the production on the original was too dull. This reissue sounds so vibrant that, in my mind, it feels like watching a expertly-colorized version of a black-and-white film. Listening to this album again also made me realize the similarities some of the songs have to those of other favorite bands of mine, from Television (heard in the most famous of the songs, the first single "Spring Rain", where Robert Forster sounds eerily like Tom Verlaine), to the Echo & the Bunnymen-style rolling rhythm of "In The Core Of the Flame", to the organ of "Palm Sunday (On Board the S.S. Within)", the instrument which gives the song an echo of stuff from Flying Nun Records, like The Chills.
Liberty Belle and The Black Diamond Express has the familiar songwriting dichotomy of the poppier songs written by Grant McLennan versus the strummier, moodier songs by Robert Forster. However, the songwriting here really shows Grant asserting himself in the duo, foreshadowing his coming to full bloom on the following two albums. Songs that surprised me that I was not as familiar with were the bass-driven "Twin Layers Of Lightning" and the superb jangle of the other single "Head Full Of Steam". Lyrically, nothing sums up this album better than the fantastic closer "Apology Accepted". It's a song full of regret and desperation, with lyrics that go, "But sometimes you want something so bad, you'll grab anything. You said that's ridiculous. There's only one thing that precious", but there is a limit to the patience, "But you I'm keeping. I don't know how long I can wait to see if my apology's accepted". This hits home because we've all been there!
The The Devil Is In Your Dress: Rarities Volume 5: 1985-86 album that accompanies Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express is named after the amusing first line of, "In The Core Of The Flame": "If the Devil had seen your dress, he would've changed his name, put down his fork, and moved up above. Why burn in hell when you burn for love?" There are a mix of different versions of songs from the proper albums and songs not included originally. If you are a fan, it is always interesting to hear the same song done in a slightly different way, and in the case of "Grandfather Slow", a different title and lyrics (except for the chorus) altogether (of "Bow Down"). There are times, such as with "Head Full Of Steam", where the version is very different, but just as good, this version containing an almost Railway Children-ish guitar riff.
Of the songs not included on the album proper, "Living The Life At Hand", "The Life At Hand", and "Little Joe" are all dead ringers for Orange Juice, which makes sense since The Go-Betweens released a single, "I Need Two Heads", on Orange Juice's Postcard label six years prior to this. "Don't Let Him Come Back" has a great sing-along chorus, "Reunion Dinner" is an experimental stream-of-consciousness spoken-word song, and "Casanova's Last Words" sounds like early James. All in all, for a rarities album, this one is pretty strong and useful to both veteran and casual fans.
Tallulah and Run From Him: Rarities Volume 6: 1986-87
Review by Stan Cierlitsky
I'm so glad that I get the chance to review Tallulah, The Go-Betweens' fifth album, but first with multi-instrumentalist Amanda Brown. Tallulah was actually the first Go-Betweens album that I ever bought (although I did have the "Spring Rain" 12-inch first). It has two of my all-time favorite songs (and arguably their best) on it too: "Right Here" and "Bye Bye Pride". Tallulah also marks the beginning of a more polished and lush sounding version of The Go-Betweens. The strings and oboe sounds definitely add to that. I have read that many fans didn't take to this new sound initially. Since this was my starting point, I prefer this sound, even over most of the grittier, earlier material.
And as I mentioned, the record kicks right off with the brilliant "Right Here". This is one of Grant's best vocal pieces ever. The multi-tracked violins are perfect. You'll have to wait 6 more songs to get to "Bye Bye Pride", another stellar Grant offering. Here you will get a nice dose of Amanda's oboe. I guess it's kind of obvious at this point that I prefer Grant's songs over Robert's. But that doesn't mean Robert doesn't have anything worthwhile to offer on this album. Track two, "You Tell Me" is one of my favorite Robert tracks, and it tells the story of the title character, Tallulah. "Tallulah took a shower for an hour, and walked down the street feeling beautiful and clean. Oh baby, know what I mean?" I also like the more grinding bass on this one. "The House That Jack Kerouac Built" is another really good Robert track. It's the darker sounding song on what generally is a pretty bright and upbeat record. And I really like "I Just Get Caught Out". It's a Robert song, but it feels more like a Grant song. "And then she said goodbye. I just get caught out." The last specific song I wanted to mention is "Cut It Out". It's another Grant song that I really like. It isn't as lush and easy listening as some of his other offerings. It's more erratic and fun. The organ and bass make this sound different than the rest of the album.
The extra tracks from the Tallulah (1987) period are included on Run From Him: Rarities Volume 6: 1986-87. It's 17 tracks that sound mostly like demos and alternate takes. In fact, it includes 8 of the original 10 Tallulah album tracks. It is really interesting to hear these early demos as it gives you a little insight into how it all came together, especially on an album like Tallulah, an album that saw the band really kick things up in terms of production. It's also kind of surprising to hear this much drum machine spread over the tracks.
Overall, I would say it's an interesting listen. The first track, "I Know What I Like", is my favorite of the bunch. "Together At Last" sounds promising too. I really like Forster’s little spoken part towards the end. And "Easier Said Than Done" sounds familiar. As good as these are as demos, it makes me really wish that they had been produced and finished.
Run From Him: Rarities Volume 6: 1986-87 ends with the the proper B-sides from the period. I am pretty familiar with these songs from the 2004 Tallulah reissue. Since I wasn't really into vinyl during this period a lot of the tracks were hard to find. I might be wrong, but I think their first CD single came out in 1988, and that was "Was There Anything I Could Do?" Of the B-sides, "A Little Romance" is my favorite. "Don't Call Me Gone" is a fun country romp which I think has everyone singing. If these Tallulah-era songs are not The Go-Betweens at their best, they're evidence of their final steps towards greatness.
16 Lovers Lane and Trying to Be A Strong Person: Rarities Volume 7: 1988
Review by Glenn Griffith
This is as perfect as pop is ever likely to get. Indie in sentiment, and full McCartney in execution, 1988's 16 Lovers Lane is glistening, affecting, and more listenable throughout than any album really has a right to be. The first release with bassist John Willsteed instead of Robert Vickers, this was also really the final Go-Betweens record. The band reformed because Robert Forster and Grant McLennan got back together again, but without Lindy Morrison on drums or Amanda Brown on multiple instruments, it really wasn't The Go-Betweens, truth be told. I mean, after this peak, there was nowhere else to go but down.
From the insistent "Love Goes On" and to the brash "Was There Anything I Could Do?", 16 Lovers Lane had range but it had range within a certain spectacularly-produced brand of music. Things are so smooth here, on the surface at least, that a listener has a hard time distinguishing what's a Robert song and what's a Grant song. And it doesn't really matter. I think that's what makes 16 Lovers Lane a masterpiece, that blending of talents in an absurdly effortless way. "Quiet Heart" and "Streets of Your Town" are transcendent Grant compositions, but ones which Robert answers with the down-tempo (yet resilient) "I'm Allright", and "Clouds", a stab at something sunny from a misanthrope's POV. "You Can't Say No Forever" reminds of the styles of the band from earlier eras, but, really, what's on 16 Lovers Lane is uniformly wonderful, even when heard now more than 30 years later. This is the closest the post-punk world ever got to embracing The Beatles, or fashioning one of their own, and, in that sense, the record remains a fantastic document of talents unleashed, opportunities met, and the flourishing of a great relationship that was on the verge of ending (for a spell).
Trying to Be A Strong Person: Rarities Volume 7: 1988 collects the rarities and demos from the 16 Lovers Lane era and it is, obviously, full of some marvelous material. "Rock and Roll Friend" is, as far as I'm concerned, one of the 10 best Go-Betweens songs ever and it's a flip-side, while "Wait Until June" has that familiar kind of yearning, plaintive hopefulness that the best songs from this group had. "Casanova's Last Words", here in another version, seems spry and playful, and almost too good to not have been an album track, while "You Won't Find It Again" sees Grant grow as introspective and as deep as Robert ever was as a songwriter. It is a tremendously affecting tune, and, like "Rock and Roll Friend", one of the great Go-Betweens songs. Similarly, the light-as-air "Mexican Postcard" is shimmering in a way that suggests another path for this band to have pursued in 1988 or so. I mean, demos or whatever, there are no duds here, just example after example of two songwriters operating at the peak of their powers, and the sounds of a friendship in its very best era.
Loving Shocks: Rarities Volume 8: 1989 is what will draw a lot of people to this set. A compilation of material meant for the follow-up to 16 Lovers Lane (1988), the double-disc collection is further proof of how rich the output of Robert Forster and Grant McLennan was in the era, and additional evidence of the potential of this band had they stayed together and recorded more material after their best album was released.
Stan Cierlitsky: It's interesting to see the inclusion of so many songs from each of their first solo albums (they even included "The Man Who Died In Rapture" which Grant released as a B-side of "When Word Gets Around"). I remember back in 1991 making my own "new" Go-Betweens album by combining the best songs from Robert’s Danger In The Past and Grant’s Watershed. The stripped-down versions of these songs make me long for produced versions, especially for Grant's songs. I think Robert's songs hold up better stripped-down for some reason.
If you were looking for some radical change that would have taken place if a 7th album had happened, I don't think you'll find it here. Everything on Loving Shocks: Rarities Volume 8: 1989 feels par for the course. And you can see from both their first solo albums that they mostly stayed true to the formula of what made the Go-Betweens so good.
Maybe it's because I am feeling very nostalgic listening to this set but the song that struck me most on here was "I Love You, Still". It's weird that it's about longing. Just like I am sure we are all longing for them to still exist making music. I never stopped following Robert's and Grant’s solo careers (even counting Grant’s two albums with Jack Frost). They never failed to deliver. But, in retrospect, they were never as good apart. I'm not sure what they each brought to the other's songs, but it had to be something.
As Loving Shocks: Rarities Volume 8: 1989 progresses, especially the second half of the second disc, the songs get even more raw. Clearly, these are songs in their infancy. Weirdly, I was incredibly sad listening to this. On one hand, you would think it would feel like closure, but it only left me wanting more.
Fountains of Youth, Live in London, May 10, 1987, and a summing up
Review by Glenn Griffith
If listening to G Stands For Go-Betweens: The Go-Betweens Anthology - Volume 2, 1985 -1989 is a bittersweet experience, and all three of us expressed the feeling that hearing some of these "lost" numbers made us feel sad, it's also a reminder of how much potential Grant McLennan and Robert Forster had even as the band was dissolving. So much of Loving Shocks: Rarities Volume 8: 1989 makes a listener think of Robert Forster's book Grant and I, and the stories there of the band's break-up, and the nasty firing of Lindy Morrison and all that. Of course, Robert and Grant got back together again in 2000, and toured to please appreciative fans, some of whom lined up to meet the musicians. But still, there's a lot of sadness in this post-16 Lovers Lane stuff, and Grant's death is really what hangs over this. He was gifted and incredibly prolific, a rare combination, and one listens and only mourns what might have been, or what these songs could have been had the whole band tackled them.
A cure for that sadness is to dive in to the live set here on G Stands For Go-Betweens: The Go-Betweens Anthology - Volume 2, 1985 -1989. Recorded in London in 1987, Fountains of Youth is a record of this crew operating at peak power. When heard now, with the benefit of hindsight, it seems as if Robert Forster is leading this band. A languid-but-focused run at "Head Full of Steam" is a pristine joy, as is a punchy stab at "Spring Rain", two of Forster's best numbers with the group. Similarly, "You Tell Me" seems even better here than on the version on Tallulah. Forster is totally in command, though McLennan gets a chance to lead on "Right Here" and "Bye Bye Pride" and a few other numbers.
Fountains of Youth reminds us what a great band The Go-Betweens were. For all the focus on Robert Forster and Grant McLennan, Lindy Morrison (drums) and Robert Vickers (bass) deserve so much praise for the energy and power they bring to these songs in a live setting. With Amanda Brown adding other touches, the tunes from this era of The Go-Betweens are perfect creations, made somehow more perfect live. I hate live albums as a rule but I've played this portion of G Stands For Go-Betweens: The Go-Betweens Anthology - Volume 2, 1985 -1989 perhaps more so far than others. I'm not sure what that means.
There are very few bands where I'd enlist friends (and contributors to this site) to assist in reviewing a box set from the group in question. The Go-Betweens are that kind of band. So maybe it's natural that listening to G Stands For Go-Betweens: The Go-Betweens Anthology - Volume 2, 1985 -1989 makes each of us feel a bit sad, and very nostalgic. We're older, and this lot's albums were vitally important to each of us when they were current releases (at least these few), and we were much younger men. The death of Grant McLennan naturally made any sort of project like this a bittersweet one for anyone involved, and anyone listening. But considering the sweet humanity, and effortless depth, of the tunes from this era of The Go-Betweens' first run, it's only natural that approaching this set was an emotional endeavor for reviewers like us. That speaks to the greatness of the material, the extraordinary breadth of the release itself, and connection we feel to this music. It's a connection that's only grown greater the older we've grown, and the more time we've spent with these recordings (the albums at least). Hearing them in context, next to demos and live tracks, strengthens the things that made us love the tunes so many decades ago. We were lucky to have The Go-Betweens at all, weren't we?
G Stands For Go-Betweens: The Go-Betweens Anthology - Volume 2, 1985 -1989 is out today via Domino.
[Photos: Steve Double]