Forster seems to underline McLennan’ s raw emotionalism with his painterly, nearly baroque, “Love Is A Sign,” where images from visual art, remembered scenarios, and real life brokenness intermingle effortlessly with the elegance of mandolins, a string orchestra, and a shimmering bassline. With “Streets Of Your Town,” the Go-Betweens scored a minor hit in the U.K., and even got played on American radio for a moment, but despite the fact that it has the most memorable hook on a record filled with them, it merely underscores how constant the quality is on the record. Evidenced further by “The Devil’s Eye,” and the shattering closer “Dive For Your Memory,” 16 Lovers Lane is melancholy and somber in theme, but gloriously and romantically presented. Despite the fact that band has but a cult following, even in the 21st century, the Go-Betweens have nonetheless given us a far more literate, magnificently written, performed, and produced slab of pop classicism, than Fleetwood Mac’s wonderfully coked out, love as co-dependency fest, Rumours”.
If you can get the album on vinyl, I would suggest spending a bit extra than you might otherwise do. There is always the option to stream the album. With incredible musicianship from the band (Amanda Brown – violin, oboe, guitar, vocals, tambourine; Robert Forster – vocals, rhythm guitar, harmonica; Grant McLennan – vocals, lead guitar; Lindy Morrison – drums; John Willsteed – bass guitar, guitar, Hammond organ, piano), and some of The Go-Betweens’ best songs, it is an album that you need to have in your life! If the Australian band are new to you, then 16 Lovers Lane is a…
