1001 Albums Generator
16 Lovers Lane by The Go-Betweens

16 Lovers Lane

The Go-Betweens

1988
2.95
Rating
22989
Votes
1
5%
2
24%
3
46%
4
20%
5
5%
Distribution
Genres: Rock Styles: Alternative Rock, Pop Rock, Indie Rock, Jangle Pop

Reviews (page 3 of 8)

This was alright. I listened very passively but I liked the vibe. 3 stars.

Very good!

Actually really good

4 out of 5. This is a pleasant surprise and I'm considering adding this to my own collection somehow.

It's a beauty and stands the test of time for sure

This album is so very meh! It reminds me of another band or album I’m not very keen on, but I can’t place it. Just a bit underwhelming.

Super le fun! La guitare et la voix m'ont fait penser à Kurt Vile sur certaines tounes dont Streets of Your Town. Mention spéciale le chanteur prononce vraiment bien les mots. Assez surprenant pour un Australien en plus.

Je pense que je vais commencer à noter les cover en meme temps. Ici, je trouve ça degueu! 1/5 c’est terrible. Ceci dit, j’ai adoré la musique! Quelle belle découverte, Je ne connaissais pas avant. Du beau indie rock un peu post-punk, un peu « early emo » à l’occasion même? Ça rentre dans la rotation? Certainement.

Surprisingly good

Pleasant but somewhat forgettable late 80s jangle pop rock, kind of like a happier Smiths.

On est dans un autre registre que les albums précédents. Un groupe indie Australien. L'album est composée de balades lovers/mélancoliques selon mon écoute faite en faisant l'épicerie. Pas assez meh pour noter 1 ni 2, mais loin du 4 alors classique note de passage.

I liked this more than I expected to, which is still, unfortunately, not that much. It's just not really my thing, but I did enjoy some of the pop vibes here. Didn't feel like it did anything that original or unique, and there are other songs that I would rather listen to for this new-wavey sound. Favorites: Love Is a Sign, I'm All Right

Somehow, this never was on my radar, and I'm not sure how. A lovely little indie pop record that falls right into place among a bunch of other bands that I love. Nothing revolutionary here, just some good tunes that are nice to listen to. Glad I was turned on to this.

17/03/2026 1. love goes on! - nice. love the chorus! very jangly... love the strings. *2. quiet heart - like the chorus. harmonica? his singing in this reminds me of abit of bernard sumner? love the ending. *3. love is a sign - folksy guitar... can def see the smiths comparisons now.... really liking this one. *4. you can't say no forever - loving this one! really like the lyrics of it :) 5. the devil's eye - not as fond of this one, but wouldn't complain if it was on. 6. streets of your town - very jangly. alright. 7. clouds - guitar at the start really reminds me of sweetness and light by lush. songs are starting to sound a bit samey for me. 8. was there anything i could do? - wanting this album to be over now... 9. i'm all right - same as prev. 10. dive for your memory - like the chorus. alright! think the strings at the start really helped this for me, but still felt a bit generic 80s jangle pop and definitely lost my enthusiasm towards the end - still nice, just not great and probably wouldn't listen to most of the songs again.

That was good. It's not every day that I get an album for this project from an Australian artist that isn't named Nick Cave, so it's always at least a little interesting when I do get one. The Go-Betweens are not a band that I'd ever really heard of prior to today, but I'm actually pretty impressed with this album of theirs. Admittedly, it's not the most original thing on the planet. The Smiths comparisons aren't there for nothing. I do think they're a little over-blown though. There's enough good things about 16 Lovers Lane to make it stand out at least a little on its own. The music is very good. It's not super complex or anything, but the songs are all composed well. The writing is pretty good. As the album's title suggests, much of the album's lyrics are focused on romantic relationships, though the album makes sure to have songs about the good parts and the bad parts. It's a decently refreshing take on the theme and I like what the album has to say. The songs are all winners. "Love Goes On!," "Streets of Your Town," and "Was There Anything I Could Do?" in particular are actually quite great. I like this album, okay? Grant McLennan and Robert Forster had a good thing going here. It's a shame the band pretty much ended after this album. Low 4/5.

Good album, sounds really great. Dig the Aussie artists.

Pretty basic stuff. The music is nice and the lyrics are okay and there's not really much else to say.

Feels like a very straightforward and sort of basic album in modern times, but I guess it was somewhat influential in its era.

I have only heard the Go-Between greatest hits and always enjoyed it quite a bit. This album has a lot of their hits on it, so this is as good of a place as any to start off. I can be a sucker for some jangle pop and the Go-Betweens deliver that. The songs are more downbeat than I had expected, only knowing their greatest hits, so I could see why some find it boring. I enjoyed this album a lot and think it has a place in the book. I would not call it fun necessarily, but it's a good listen. My favorite tracks: Love Goes On! Quiet Heart You Can't Say No Forever Streets of Your Town Was There Anything I Could Do Dive For Your Memory

This is pure pop. Like a little white ball of fluff that bounces by. I can’t pinpoint anything specifically exceptional about it, but I do find it charming. 3.5 feels like the right score, have to decide which way to round.

Kinda cool, reminds me of a less interesting Arab Strap. Definitely not bad, but not something I'll go back to

I think it was boring (But maybe 2 is too harsh)

banger after banger, really good album

Took a couple of listens but a winner. Good good album.

The Go-Betweens go right between great and terrible. I didn't dislike the album but I forgot it almost immediately. 2 feels harsh but 3 feels too high.

Not really my vibe, to be completely honest. Pretty summery music. Fav song is ‘Clouds’.

Never heard of them before, nothing outstanding. This is all a bit dull, some '80s guitar pop, reminding me a bit of Echo & The Bunnymen, but the singing is uninspired and tiring.

1: Dive For Your Memory 2: Streets of Your Town 3: Quiet Heart

Harmless stuff

Yeah fine, I guess. Streets of your Town is a clear standout.

Me gusto, personalmente no lo destacaría de sobremanera pero una que otra canción si que he guardado, nada mal. 6.5/10.

Awesome album!!

hard to nail down. Gave it 2x listen, and thought it was pretty good.. but nothing stands out. Still, solid

this was nice!

The amount of people comparing this to the Smiths frankly isn't getting me any more excited to listen to the Smiths. Highlights: Streets of Your Town, Was There Anything I Could Do?

Yeah, it was OK. Not as "pop" as I expected, but undistinguished really.

Very blah

This moment in music comes from music I like and ultimately leads to music I like, but I don't really want to spend time here.

bog standard 80s sad boy rock

I found this really enjoyable and it was fun to get something from not the UK lol

Not too bad, but nothing really that memorable about it. Kind of generic to a certain type of 80s vibe

Plain as a donut with all the frosting licked off of it

C’est bien! Ouain, rien d’autre à ajouter

Fun album

First listen I didn't really enjoy that much, but this really isn't that bad. A little slow, but there's some decent songs in there. They reminded a bit of that band with the Steve McQueen album. Not sure if I would call this memorable or necessarily seeks this out, but this is pretty good background music at work. Love Is a Sign sounded familiar and thought Quiet Heart, The Devil's Eye and Streets of your Town Clouds also stood out a little more than the others. 3

3 This is one of those albums that sounds fine enough but is incredibly unremarkable all-around. Apparently some people have compared this to The Smiths, and I’m like… where exactly? I’m not going to pretend like this is polar opposite to their sound, but I don’t really hear it either - this feels a bit more like conventional, acoustic pop music. Besides, these guys and gals wish they could write anything as brilliant as Marr’s compositions or Morrissey’s lyrics. I can’t say that I disliked anything I heard, but there wasn’t much that stood out to me either. The only song that really jumped out to me was Streets of Your Town, which I believe is the group’s biggest hit and the one most people seem to agree upon as their best. In my limited time with them here, I would agree with that assessment, but I would also say it’s only marginally better than anything else to be found here. There was also something about it that felt very familiar to me, but I couldn’t quite place. Maybe I’ve just heard the song before? It is kinda generic and forgettable… like everything else ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Got nothing else to say on this one. Tbh, not really sure what more anyone could say, unless maybe one of these songs played at your wedding or something. In that case, that’s very cute, and I’m sorry I just dunked on one of your favorite artists. I’ll let you throw a shot at one of mine in return.

A nice indie rock album that's a bit softer than I typically like. I wish there were more drums specifically. This all sounds nice, but it's missing that underbelly that really makes it rock.

Gorgeous Antipodean jangle pop of the highest order. Also known as "my favourite genre" Streets of Your Town is obviously a classic, but Dive For Your Memory still leaves me breathless. Grant McLennan left this world far too soon.

generic pop songs, not too exciting. streets of your town is a standout though.

Low-fi, alt-rock

This sounds like The Smiths, but it's a bit better because it's not actually The Smiths. Still not really my thing.

A relief after orbital 2 to get some musicians playing music. A little samey, but its a nice sound with some ok songs.

po przesluchaniu boba dylana to jest jak pzynacy miod na moje uszy piekny akcent przypomina mi the cure i moonego na farmie xd definitywnie bede jeszcze kiedys sluchac bardzo przyjemne

Real Aus nostalgia on this one

Listened to this while coming out of anasthesia, probably didn't help with my memory of it. Didn't hate it Fave track: Streets of Your Town

Kind of enjoyed this one, more than expected. 3.5/5

2.8 Sounded like the taste of tepid water.

It's fine, pretty standard 80's pop?

4.5 I genuinely really liked this album. Bright poppy guitar nice indie pop band

Tää ei missään vaiheessa lähtenyt itelle.. ei tee ees pahaa antaa ykköstä.. En keksi mitään hetkeä millon tätä tekis mieli kuunnella uudelleen

Tuntuu ettei kasarilla paljon muuta musaa tehtykään kun tällästä shittiä

Olipas mitäänsanomatonta renkutusta. 2/5

Nojoo ohan tää kivaa soittelua ja laulantaa, mut ei kyl oikein erotu sitten tarpeeks kiihottavana. Pari biisiä vaikutti sävyiltään viehkoilta, mutta kokonaisuutena men laimeen puolelle. Ei huvittanut ees kokeilla uusiks kuunnella, niin menee jo sitten persröörin puolelle arvosana. Eli kägöstä kehiin.

Ihan neverheard-kamaa itselleni ennen tätä haastetta. Nyt kun on levyllisen kuunnellut, niin ei haittaisi vaikka olisi pysynytkin ihan neverheardina. Jotenkin tosi laiskaa menoa, vähän kun olisi löysällä munalla läpsytellyt menemään, ja paikkapaikoin tuli vähän köyhän miehen Smiths mieleen. Se ei siis ole millään muotoa hyvä asia omissa papereissani. Levy kesti reilusti alle 40 minuuttia, mutta silti piti puolessa välissä katsoa että joko ollaan viimeisissä biiseissä. Jotenkin nyt ärsytti tämä niin paljon että mennään ihan yhdellä tähdellä.

Surprised by this. I've heard a few of their songs and thought "meh."

Another surprise. This website makes me listen to music outside my bubble. I had vaguely heard of these guys but never listened to any of their music. That was my loss because this album is filled with poppy, hook laden songs. Kind of New Wave, but kind of not. If I was allowed to, I would give it four and a half but I will give it five because four does not do it credit

Great album, very easy to listen to

The Go-Betweens kommen aus Australien und 16 Lovers Lane ist ihr sechstes Studioalbum, das im April und Mai 1988 im Studios 301 in Sydney aufgenommen wurde. Die Band, bestehend aus Grant McLennan (Gesang, Gitarre), Robert Forster (Gesang, Gitarre), Lindy Morrison (Schlagzeug), Amanda Brown (Violine, Oboe, Gitarre, Gesang) und John Willsteed (Bass, Gitarre, Orgel, Piano), zeigt hier einen Sound zwischen Rock, Indie- und Alternative-Rock. Auf dem Album verbinden sich klare Gitarrenlinien mit melodischem Arrangement; das Stück „Streets of Your Town“ gehört zu den bekanntesten Songs der Band und fand in einigen Ländern begrenzte Chartplatzierungen. „Love Goes On“ und „Was There Anything I Could Do?“ zählen ebenfalls zu den prägnanten Nummern des Albums. Die Stücke nutzen einfache Strukturen, oft mit Mehrstimmigkeit und sparsamen, aber wirkungsvollen Instrumentierungen, was den Albumcharakter sachlich und direkt hält. Das Ergebnis ist ein hörbarer Schritt zu einem zugänglicheren Klang, ohne sich allzu sehr von der Indie-Tradition der Band zu entfernen. Insgesamt ist 16 Lovers Lane ein konsistentes Werk mit mehreren eingängigen Songs, das die Stärken der Band in Songwriting und Arrangement zeigt, ohne überladen zu wirken. Bewertung: ein solides Album mit deutlichem Fokus auf Melodie und Songstruktur.

This one might grow on me, but came away feeling pretty humdrum about it on first listen.

John Mulaney has a joke about making a birthday poster. It’s about how you start out overly ambitious and then have to squish the last letters in at the end because you started too big on the first ones. That’s kind of how I feel about this list. The guy who made it was like yeah we’lol do 1001 albums and then after a couple hundred realized he bit off more than he could chew and had to fill in the rest with just albums that he’d heard before or at least heard of. That’s not to say this album is bad but it’s not great. A lot of it sounds like a Lou Reed cover band trying to do originals. I like Lou Reed, but there are plenty of his albums that would be better for this list than this album.

música mais romanticazinha, linha tenue entre lenta e animada, boas para final de tarde.

Very nice stuff.

‘80s-sounding dreamy indie—not really anything you haven’t seen/heard before.

Easy going pop. I’m surprised this band wasn’t more popular tbh

enjoying the chill indie vibe, i agree with people who have said it is smiths-esque. more of a background album but overall enjoyed. fave track - was there anything i could do. 3.5

Def one of my favs ! From the lyrics to the beat it def made the last lil bit of my shift easier 😆!

Nothing bad about this but theres better bands with a similar sound 3/5

Kind of like The Smiths Lite but in a good way. I have never heard of this band before but can see myself checking out some more of their work. Playlist track: Was There Anything I Could Do?

I think I'm finally cured of labeling me as indy. There's a reason pop music is popular, and this isn't it. Not the worst, but it sure is boring.

Love Goes On - 4.5/5 Quiet Heart - 3.5/5 Love is a Sign - 2.5/5 You Can't Say No Forever - 2.5/5 The Devil's Eye - 2/5 Streets of Your Town - 3.5/5 Clouds - 3/5 Was There Anything I Could Do? - 4/5 I'm All Right - 3.5/5 Dive for Your Memory - 3/5 I was fearing another bad listen when I saw the combination of Australian jangle pop band, but I was pleasantly surprised that it was a fairly decent listen. Like listening to the Smiths without Morrissey but also somehow blander. It's not offensive or anything, just that I think that there could have been slightly more for me to bump it up another star but the slow songs after the opener nearly killed it for me. Overall: 3/5 Favorites: Love Goes On, Was There Anything I Could Do?

not really into this one.

I kinda liked this.

Loved this album!! I have never heard of the Go-Betweens but I really liked their music on this album.

Kinda fine

A bit of a snore-fest

An enjoyable, artsy pop record. Crystal clear production, I like the vocal stylings too. Many of the songs were excellent, but another handful just kinda come and go. 3.5

These songs were fine but I found them quite anemic and lacking in emotional heft.

very mellow classic pop it’s aight

*Very pleasant. Pop sensibilities. I've heard them many times but not a whole album. Deserves a deeper listen from me to pick up more in the lyrics. 3.5/5 right now for me

Kind of a more forgettable version of the cure.

All music gives this 5 stars. Cmon now

I like to make a Joke about how big established, nostalgia-based fast food companies like McDonald's should change their slogan to: McDonald's It's Food! That is exactly what the Go-Betweens feel like. The Go-Betweens It's Music! Everything is fine about them musically & lyrically, it just seems forgettable, disposable & just kinda THERE. I liked it & I wouldn't hate if you put on but... It's music! 3

everyone comparing this to the smiths, that probably why i don't fuck with it am i crazy are do the vocals on here sound like ass. nice instrumentation, but I just cannot get behind the vocals. The vocal melody are so awkward, it almost feels a bit spoken word at times but it just doesn't. Poetic is the right way of wording it i think. Idk usually i don't mind bad vocals but i just can't get behind this one.

Liked the overall sound of the album

Streets of your town instantly recognisable. Rest if album passed me by without much impression

This was another album that I wasn't expecting much from, and that I was pleasantly surprised from. It was perfect for the mood I found myself in this morning, that being exhausted. I'm sure it has a lot to offer for those active listening, but I was just enjoying the sound of the album. Favorites: Love Goes On!, Streets of Your Town, I'm All Right

Was unfamiliar but really liked my first listen, will return.

It’s ok.

I wanted to enjoy this more. The instrumentation is too boring for the lyrics to be this inane.

Disco perfecto para un día de lluvía como hoy

Sounded a bit like a soundtrack to every late 80s summer camp movie ever made. That or a homes and gardens theme track

Not interesting. Run of the mill alt rock

I knew nothing about this band, but I still didn't use a private session for Spotify. It was surprisingly good, it was very 80's, like I could hear a lot of the songs as background in a Jon Hough's flick. I don't mean that as an insult.

Solid album, but nothing that stood out to me

This was somehow absolutely new to me. So good! Smart, catchy songs. I’m an unreconstructed fan of 80s music, so it’s amazing to find a brilliant new indie-rock/new-wave album to enjoy. “Streets of Your Town” and “Was There Anything I Could Do?” are fabulous, but the album is seriously deep. Highly recommended!

An Indie Pop album that sort of bridges the genre's from its 80's and 90's iterations. Not really remarkable in any way, but not terrible either. Key tracks: Love Goes On!

Hoo boy, not often a sound is just grating to my ears

Interesting to hear an album that hints at both the janglier end of indie music and the emotional aspirations of bands like U2 while ultimately sounding like neither and playing like a full pop album. You feel like you could hear an album a lot like this coming out today.

9/10 aussie vibes

Pure 80s college rock. Similar t Lets Active

This was pretty decent early indie rock. A few solid tracks and nothing offensive. I'd listen to this again and so I'll slip it up into the low 4/5.

It's alright, but others did it better. 3.

pretty good, nothing special

Good pop

This conjured no real emotion in me. It's fine.

Aggressively meh

A decent selection of singer-songwriter style melodies. Plesant enough to enjoy.

Is it an excellent album? Probably not. Is it catchy and perfect for daydreaming sessions ? Absolutely! Favorite tracks: Love Goes On and Was There Anything I Could Do

it was ok

Enjoyed it, bit bloated as an album but good songs like streets of your town and love goes on

This was fine. Just incredibly, incredibly mid.

Pleasant but unoriginal

'Late at night when I want you / I lock you in my room'; 'And how I miss your quiet, quiet, quiet heart'; 'I'm not a playboy or a poet / There's no cool water from the well.' McLennan is an unexpected, subtle lyricist, unfolding a penchant for the improbable word and the standalone phrase. And yet, these tracks are admirably simple pop songs, w/ a whole lot of heart and a good deal of needed optimism. Contemporaries of the Australian Triffids, the Scottish Blue Nile, and, most notably, the British Smiths, this band, I've gotta say, is a notch above. At the very least, they're more interesting: I'll grant that Morrissey and Marr wrote more iconic songs. So cool tho: they at times feel like The Mekons, at others like The VU, some like Television.

I found the album to be a bit generic and there was really nothing here that stood out to me to warrant a repeat listen.

I found this album perfectly pleasant, at times they reminded me of The Smiths. I don’t know if the vocals were particularly strong, maybe I need more convincing, but musically, I found this interesting and would happily return.

This is half decent. I like the genre, kind of nostalgic, kind of ... still current. I suppose my only criticism is an old one: I think in smaller than full album doses I would like them better in a way. It is not that it is too redundant, which is a real issue with some bands, even good ones (!). I suppose it is just a better "playlist" band than a whole album at a time type. This concept is easy to understand when you are listening and less so when you are reading someones critique. So I suppose just give it a listen and see if that is what you also get, or not.

I was not previously familiar with this album or group. I think I would have liked this album a lot more if I’d listened to it at the time it came out — it seems like it might have been up my alley. Now it seems a little to dated to really grab me, but I’ll give it the benefit of the doubt with my rating.

background music. good background music but background music none the less.

I love a good jangle.

another pleasant album which does sound a bit dated, like the smiths, some U2 in one song and even some josh rouse in another song (josh rouse is so much better than that song). but it’s a solid album. 3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

fun ! I suppose ! forgettable. ? three!

True to the name of the album, it is a love song fest. I had my doubts when the first verse had a line about busting (which took me aback needless to say), but it was kind of cute. Not really memorable in any way (and perhaps a bit boring) but this was okay I suppose.

Pretty sounding jangly indie pop from Australia. Sounds like the smiths accompanying the bastard child of Lou Reed and Bernard Sumner. Hardly a classic album but a very familiar sound to those of us of a certain generation. Prefab Sprout did it infinitely better…..

La de veces que habré escuchado este disco, y las que le quedan. Maravilloso. Como pasó con Technique de New Order es un álbum creado a partir de la demolición de un matrimonio, pero de una belleza impresionante. Es cálido y luminoso, tranquilo, amable, brillante, exquisito. No suena a ochentas sino imperecedero. Retorno a Brisbane (en realidad a Sidney) pero con el reconocimiento de haber ¿triunfado? en Londres. A diferencia del Calenture de los Triffids aquí no hay rencor ni rendición. Si alguna vez estuvieron cerca de tener un hit, fue este. El arranque es inmaculado con Love goes on, una canción que es junto con Cattle and cane mi favorita de ellos. Quiet heart es otr delicia. McLennan estaba soberbio, su novia Amanda Brown aporta un violín estupendo. Robert Forster no se queda corto con Love is a sign. En realidad las canciones las compusieron al alimón por primera vez. Streets of your town y Was there anything i could do son las otras gemas de un ábum y un grupo imprescindible. Foster-McLennan al nivel de muy pocas parejas de compositores, no son Lennon-McCartney ni Morrissey-Marr o Tennant-Love, pero sí que tienen una virtud: ambos componen y cantan de maravilla y se compenetran sin fricciones. Si no es este, que sea su recopilatorio Bellavista Terrace, y sino cualquiera de su inesperado y genial retorno en este siglo: The Friends of Rachel Worth (2000), Bright Yellow Bright Orange (2003) y Oceans Apart (2005). 10/10.

Good album

Average indie

Jolly in parts

Like a cross between the smiths and inxs

Tried to get through this-it was relatively boring and forgettable 80s pop music?

Nice 80s sound. New wave elements...very poppy...clean and well produced. Nothing too memorable but not a bad listen

Morrissey but not as interesting. At least it’s short.

A good album, I liked Quiet Heart, The Devil's Eye and Was There Anything I Could Do the most.

On paper this should be right up my alley - a bit of The Smiths here, a bit of Frightened Rabbit there but I found it somewhat underwhelming. To be fair it sounded better on the headphones. I was almost willing myself to like it more than I did. His voice is the weak point. And they needed to go either more jangly or more beefy on the production which was a bit wishy-washy. 3.5 rounding down

Very 90s acoustic pop songs. Every song flows into the next seamlessly. Sounds a bit dated but I enjoyed it. 3.0/5.0

i dont think i could care less

Boring vocals and boring instrumentals. I could barely remember anything about the album the next day.

16th album with group. I wanted to relisten and rerate this. I’ve been thinking I might’ve been too lenient. I really don’t what I was thinking the first time. This is aggressively ok. Good Songs - Clouds, I’m All Right, and Dive for Your Memory. Bad Songs - Love Goes On, Quiet Heart, Love is a Sign, You Can’t Say No Forever, The Devil’s Eye, Streets of Your Town, and Was There Anything I Could Do?.

Looking forward to this. For some reason, I only know their late album Oceans Apart, but I think it's one of my favorite albums of the last 25 years. Full of hard earned wisdom and rueful humor, and a perfect balance of the two songwriters’ bittersweet and darkly ironic sensibilities… Well, now I listened it’s good. Quite good in places. But not quite up the high water mark of that last record. Except for “Streets of Your Town” which really sparkles.

Good for Aussie music, but like is this really an essential to hear before you die?

The Go Betweens were the collective noun for Len Houmous’ 4-6th wives. 3.6 7/10 Clouds

Some interesting songs, overall quite a generic sound. Fave Tracks: Love Goes On, Streets of Your Town, I'm All Right, Dive for Your Money 3.2/5

A solid indie-rock album with everything I expect from the genre. From the soft singing to the guitar picking. Another album that isn't bad but doesn't do much for me either.

This was vanilla and oh so bland. It was subtle but I don't think I felt or heard anything along with the subtleness to make me feel this album was anything else but fine.

It's okay. Love Goes On! and Was There Anything I Could Do? were my favorites. The rest was pretty meh but it was not annoying enough for me to rate it a 2.

This album sits right on the cusp of the alternative revolution, in the college rock days. I dig the effortless acoustic nature of it. It reminds me of the Cowboy Junkies and R.E.M. in their more acoustic moments. I’m not quite sure it’s special enough to come back to often but if I found a vinyl or CD copy of it in a used bin, I wouldn’t pass it up.

Enjoyed this a lot! I like his vocals and all their different instrumentation. I’m at a 3.5, might be a 4 with more listens.

It was a pleasant listen but nothing more

Very repetitive. All songs blurred together. They got a record deal, so there’s that.

The Go-Betweens are one of my all-time favourite bands. Formed in the 70’s by 2 friends who met in an arts program they made super literate pop records influenced by punk and art rock. This album is widely considered their best but is not my personal favourite. Recorded 10 years into their career they had abandoned their punk edge and focused on writing catchy and melancholic pop music. Not a perfect record but it contains some of their best songwriting and I have a ton of affection for it.

Great song writing but not really my cup of tea

Started strongly, but finished weakly

Perfectly cromulent 80s rock. Fine but doesn't stand out. Textbook example of a 3/5 album on this list.

It's hard to judge - in one hand they are so meh that they fall perfectly between a 0 and a 5. In the other hand they are The Go-betweens and they went between, so they fulfilled their purpose and that would be a 5 stars. But if they get 5 stars they won't be in between and therefore will get a 2.5 score ... My head hurts

Few songs I really enjoyed. A bit boring at times. Not sure I’d relisten to full thing again

This would be my first introduction to the Go-betweens and I enjoyed them. Formed nearly 50 years ago, the music sounds relevant still. This sounds like new wave albeit a little more commercial. Their names is lifted from an eponymous novel and it shows as their lyrics read like literature. Solid music though a bit forgettable. Three stars on the precipice of a fourth.

It was a certain kind of sound. I was thinking 3, but now the next day I don’t remember it at all, so 2?

Not really that interesting. Has some good sounds and was listenable but not much else.

This one is one I've been meaning to take a listen to, It was alright. The first three songs had me having high expectations, so not every song managed to match in quality. But I reckon its a solid indie album, it sounds quite Smiths-y at times, especially on "The Devil's Eye." Highlight Song/s: Loves Goes On!

Plain jangle pop that is so generic in it's influences it sounds like they steal styles.

I enjoyed this album listen! This album didn’t blow me away but it was a solid indie rock album from The Go-Betweens! I had fun listening to this album and I would check it out again in the future!

Not bad really. I wouldn’t add it to my play lists but the melodies were solid, and the lyrics actually intelligible. All around a positive upbeat album.

I'm sure they're lovely people, and it's clear they know how to play their instruments, but they definitely lack imagination and creativity.

Nice enough jangly pop rock. Bit U2

Un autre album très ordinaire dans le sens de « peu original », « peu savoureux ». Pas mauvais, mais sans réel intérêt.

Really not good.

I've listened to this 3 or 4 times, but I struggle to recall anything about it. Memory-wiped. This is the Men in Black flashstick of music.

Sounds very current. Indie bands wished they could write like that today

Actually not that bad! Kinda nondescript but very chill music, good production and pleasant voices!

It sounds familiar, but I know I've never heard them before. I didn't love it, but I definitely didn't hate it. The songs are pretty good individually. But, I don't see myself listening to the whole album again.

started out pretty well, but honestly started getting a little tedious. It's pleasant enough, but it's very beige and same-y. 2.5 stars.

I’m not sure this is the right soundtrack for what the three on the cover were looking to get up to.

Music to fall asleep to. 2/5

Was not familiar

This is really nice. 80s aren't usually my forte, but this record is a good vibe and easy to listen to. Classic 80s vocal harmonies with some smooth-strumming guitars complementing each track. Very easy, chill experience.

Love this wuss rock to pieces. Chucking the record on. Haters have never had their heart broken. Similar (but more power pop) recommendation that won't be on here: Shoes - Black Vinyl Shoes.

Just okay, probably wouldn't listen again. 4.3/10

Never heard of 'em. It wasn't bad. I like the reviews that compare them to The Smiths ... WITHOUT the crying Morrisey whine. That's about sums it up.

I need to go back and revise my ratings - they're all bunched up. This is probably a 3 but I gave it a 4 because I gave Heaven 17 a 3 and I like this better. I did like this record - not sure I would listen again and not sure that it was wildly influential outside the Commonwealth. Whatever - it's Dimery's list not mine.

I'd never heard of this one. I did enjoy it although the chances are slim that I'll ever hear it again.

Perfectly nice pop album, but not essential if you're not Australian

Very Eighties sounding. Nice melodies. Definitely R.E.M. and folk influences.

I really like this, although have never heard of the band! Just really good indie from the late 80s!

Pretentious without the music to suit

It was good, not familiar with this group and it's music, will listen to it from time to time. The alternative rock nature makes it enjoyable.

Didn't interest me at all

Overall: 5/10 One of the most "meh" albums I've heard in my entire life. I feel like I could listen to it 1001 times and I still wouldn't remember a single song or note from this thing. I almost wish it was a actually bad cause then I'd have something more interesting to say about it. Fav Song: The Devil's Eye

Couple of decent tracks

Groupe inconnu. L'album est très pop, et très ... standard. Seule originalité (+1) : le violon, plutôt rare dans ce type de musique. Ce n'est pas assez pour avoir envie de l'écouter une seconde fois. Il sera vite oublié. =>2/5

i like this one a lot! not a 5/5 but very good overall, just funky and fun

Really good stuff, quite enjoyed every track, especially Was there anything I could do?

The jangliness here is especially easy for me to digest. However, I'm not sure this album will ever rise much higher in my estimations; the maaaaajor lack of diversity and dynamism holds me back from enjoying it as much as I want to. 3.5/5

Never heard them before. Big fan.

I was surprised that I never heard of this group, as I was into this vibe back when the album was released. In the end it started to sound like it was a generic form of the music from this time.

Despite not initially registering, I did know a couple of these tunes. The overall experience was a bit Crowded House with a bit of Echo & The Bunnymen. I think if I’d been more aware, I would’ve really liked them back in the 80s. But I think they passed me by a little. Anyway, I wouldn’t say they’re groundbreaking or even innovative but today the songs felt like a little coracle buoying me up over the waves. Probably more deserving of a 3.5 but i’m pleasantly uplifted.

I don't want to dis this, but I couldn't get to a 3-star.

Seems like this one would take more than one listen to glean all of its intricacies. But the production and narrow melodies are conspiring to keep me at bay. I didn't hate it, but it seemed very one-note.

This album has me more fascinated than ever about the metrics and ranking associated with this project. I thought the album was OK. Reminiscent of that late 80s sound and reminded me of a diluted version of Prefab Sprout. Sure some nostalgia was felt with track 6 (Streets of Your Town) but everything else about this was very unremarkable. A two star feels like it says I did not like the music, which is too strong a statement. But a three star feels like I think this album is merited for the list, which is too strong a statement. It's a 2.5, which means for me this was unremarkable and meh.

really enjoyed this! feels like a precursor to the good stuff

This was really nice. Loved the vibe

I'm a sucker for some sweet jangle pop and this is pretty good. Not really familiar with them but recognized one of the tunes. I'll definitely go back

Never heard of them. Kind of a niche pop sound to me.

Average blend of the 80s 90s and 60s sounds. A little bit of a bring me down album

I don't if it's just me, but I don't hear the Smiths influence, still it's boring. 3/5

Suht OK kuulamine, enamjaolt sujus neutraalselt ja mõni üksik lugu jäi kõrva ka. Aga pigem selline plaat, mida uuesti ei kuulaks.

At first I was worried this would end up being generic 80s indie/alt-rock (a common theme on this list) but the introduction of strings and varied instrumentation here and there was nice. I mean, it IS generic in that way, but in an inoffensive way. The lead is one of many trying to do the Depeche Mode/Morrisey thing which works well enough, but it's weird hearing it in an Aussie accent (which I say as somebody also down under). fav tracks: Streets of your Town

I was vibing to it

How tf are you going to put this sub average, mediocre crap on this list, to represent Australia, but no INXS??? The author is tripping with this.

Not bad but not my fav

Ahhh. The 80s. We meet again. It's fine. Just a million miles from the kind of thing I want to actually listen to.

I swear I am not biased toward 80s and 90s indie Australian bands, but I cannot digest most of their albums.

Very inoffensive pop - sounds fine but it's just soooo forgettable. And... how dare they compare this to The Smiths!

I really dig the singing

The biggest thing going for this album is that it is short. 2/5

Fine but forgettable.

This was a fine and pleasant listen. But like 30+ years ago I most likely won’t return for another listen, and instead continue to focus on much better Aussie bands like The Church and The Hoodoo Gurus.

Was I supposed to know one of these songs? I didn’t feel anything about this really, one way or the other. So…3? 3.

Nice listen. I feel like it sounded like different artists at different moments. Some bob Dylan, maybe a lil U2. Totally fine album but I’m not sure it’s that memorable. Probably worth another listen but not sure if I’ll give it another spin. 2.75

This album goes into the category of totally fine but forget about immediately. Nothing really stands out good or bad. Just right down the fairway pretty enjoyable stuff hit probably not going to revisit. 2.75/5

- There are actually a few really good songs on this record. Pretty good, worth hearing. -

The cover and album named always put me off this one, but in fairness it's a good album, gritty-pop-indie-rock, Pavement-ing the way indie giants to follow (pun intended) and akin the other Aussie contemporaries like The Church, would seek a physical copy, solid 3.8 so bumped to ⭐⭐⭐⭐

I liked it but I kinda forgot what it sounded like

This is a five star three star album.

This album should have been used for various 1980s Rom Com flicks. It's better as background music. Favorite Track: "You Can't Say No Forever".

redelijk standaard, 1 hitje

I smiled when i saw this on my list. This is possibly one of the most important albums in my collection. When people think about breakup albums, Rumours is always the the go to, but very few people know about this album which stands up alongside rumours, if not better. As a person who listens to music first, this is one of the few albums where the lyrics are more important than the music, but the music accompanies the lyrics perfectly. It is full of heartbreak in songs like Clouds, Quiet heart, I'm Alright and Dive for your memory, but juxtaposed with hope in songs like Love Goes on, Streets of your Town which is simply about walking in the sunshine in London on a summers day. McLennan/Forster are one of those songwriting combinations that just don't get enough recognition. The album start with a song questioning whats happened to this person who he loves and where she went in quiet heart, and ends with a song identifying the loss of this love, but accepting the fact and acknowledging that he is all right and will get through this. A beautifully structured story timeline. I tried not to look at the reviews on this album because I knew they would be indifferent (one mentioned "Insipid tame lyrics") , but I think it is one of those albums that either gets you deep inside or just passes you by, and thats ok. I am also a sucker for the Harmonica. Notable songs for me are I'm Alright, Quiet Heart, Clouds and Dive for your Memory Rest in Peace Grant. 5 stars

A bunch of vaguely Irish sounding love songs.

very late 80s radio friendly guitar pop. in a good way.

as much as I like this list for showing me stuff I've never heard that winds up being great, this is the other side of the coin. Never heard of this and it wasnt really needed on this list . It feels very stagnant, all the parts are there for something better, the songs are somewhat unique enough to warrant listening through but its always a letdown. Like you're ready for a beach day but it starts pouring rain.

The blandest beige pop music. Absolutely nothing interesting going on but the author must have had this album on cassette while growing up so it HAD to make the list. Feel free to replace this album with Three Dimensions Deep - Amber Mark Euro Country - CMAT Made In America - Brad Goodall Possessions and Obsessions - Parallel Dance Ensemble Eterno - Prince Royce

Started off well enough but the album failed to carry the momentum and I was tuning out for the last half of the album. Not terrible but not breaking any new ground here. A solid meh

I'm shocked that I'd never heard of this band or their songs before. Their music is totally in my wheelhouse-80's indie rock/pop with jangly guitars and darker lyrics. I knew as soon as I read a bit about them before listening that I would either really like or even love this album. And I did. Is there a bit of The Smiths there? Sure, to some degree. But they feel like their own band and not a knockoff to me. Standout songs were Quiet Heart, You Can't Say No Forever, Streets of Your Town, and I'm All Right. There wasn't a dud in the bunch IMO.

Unmemorable but I didn't mind listening to it

My only experience with this band has been their song [b]Streets of Your Town[/b], which was featured on the Triple J Hottest 100 of Australian Songs list. It also stands as the most memorable song on the album. It's pretty generic 80s jangle pop - just with Australian vocals.

British adult contemporary?

Never heard of, but right away enjoyed the opening track. Reading about the album’s song writing process was interesting as well as the lyrics, many of which I imagine were inspired by romantic relationships that were going on within the band.

interessante

This was fine, nothing really stood out.

This was a fun album. "Love Goes On!" Is the standout track. The backing vocals do a great job too. It is upbeat and a good time, but not super technical. Actual rating...3.5. Liked Songs: "Love Goes On!" , "Quiet Heart" , "You Can't Say No Forever" , "The Devil's Eye" , "Was There Anything I Could Do?" , "I'm Alright"

Good 3.5

I have had so many of these middle-of-the-road nameless bands recently. It is fine, it sounds like a watered down version of Echo and the Bunnymen. Actually, every song just sounds like a slowed down version of Big Mouth Strikes Again, but without the catchy melody. This album is fine, and a couple of songs stood out, but I did not need to listen to this before I died. High 3.

This is pleasant enough pop music. Decent guitar work, decent vocals, but ultimately it's relatively boring and pretty underwhelming. There's no dud tracks, but I also wouldn't say there's any standout ones either. I can't remember any vocal line, jangly guitar riff or anything. This album is just there. It came, and 40 minutes later it's gone, and I honestly don't see any reason to relisten to it ever again. It sounds like a less good version of this type of music. At times it sounded like a really tame version of The Smiths. It very rarely kicks into a higher gear. 'Was There Anything I Could Do?' goes for a slightly more urgent and dramatic sound and is probably the best track on here with some really nice strings in the background but other than than, it's not very memorable at all.

Pleasant enough pop songs but a lot of them sound the same

boring brit pop correction: aussie pop

This was ok! Sounds similar to many things we’ve listened to, namely The Smiths but better because of the fiddle and violin. I actually looked that up and it’s a woman named Amanda Brown on the strings. She’s five stars for me, but the rest is a three. I did like and save the song Clouds… which reminds me there’s some really nice guitar on this album too, but the songs as a whole are just kind of “mid” to be gen z about it.

This was pleasant but a little forgettable. I did like Streets of your Town quite a bit.

Good voice. 2,9

I liked it, but nothing stood out to me on the record.

Pretty solid stuff.

Overall a nice, pretty chill indie rock record. Gets a little bit samey at times but never too much of a drag to listen to. The music is really nice and the vocals are pleasant.

Not a lot of use of the drums. Like sounds like three different acoustic guitars. The theme is always love. It’s all little adult, contemporary and boring to be honest. Lots of potential so I’m sorry to say I didn’t care for it very much. It’s good but not my taste.

Inoffensive though a bit dull.

Was a very 90s sounding album.

Not really sure how to evaluate this album. Very much not my style. Kinda hated it.

Completely meh, very forgettable, not terrible but at least that would have made it interesting. Really a 1.5 but they get off easy.

Pleasant, but somewhat unmemorable songs…the singer sounds like a more limited version of Marshall Crenshaw (who i like better), and “Quiet Heart” sounds like a U2 song. The use of the oboe is certainly different. I’m fine with it but don’t know why i needed to hear it before i die. “Streets of Your Town” is a good catchy song…would go 2.5

Jaha det här var ju väldigt lättsmält. Melodiskt och jävligt trevligt. Gillade omedelbart. Rakt igenom bra. Når inte toppnivå men ändå, kul!

Kul överraskning som var lätt att tycka om från första tonen! Låter som en blandning av The Smiths och Prefab Sprout, vilket inte är ett dåligt betyg. Alla tre singlarna är riktigt jäkla bra och inte någon dålig låt i övrigt. Klar fyra efter en genomlyssning, potentiellt med bud på mer.

Despite being an adopted Aussie, I have never listened to the Go Betweens. I don't know if they were big overseas. Enjoyable album. Some good tracks, some which were less memorable. Worth another listen.

Mild background music, started to drone a bit the last third of the album.

I love this. It's giving The Tragically Hip and Bob Dylan and Simon & Garfunkel vibes

A nice album. The musical similarity to The Smiths and Morrissey is unmistakable. Nevertheless, there wasn't a single track that stuck in my memory. 3/5

Surprisingly better/slightly derivative jangle pop

Pleasant enough but nothing really stands out

Right up my alley! Delightful Australian jangle pop and easy to see the throughline from this to the janglier end of Britpop. The vocal mix is beautiful too. All round, I think this is one of the better finds of the Project for me, although I can totally see why lots of people will find this too fey and a little bit easy to dismiss.

Lots of reviews comparing them to The Smiths. The Smiths are bad. This is worse. Very very dull.

A middle of the road album. Not a bad listen but nothing that stands out

Ah, The Go-Betweens... Voilà un nom qui, pour 95% de la population, évoque au mieux une marque de biscuits diététiques ou une obscure comédie romantique des années 50. Pour les 5% restants, dont je fais fièrement partie depuis mon adolescence boutonneuse, c'est le symbole même de "l'injustice pop". Le groupe qui aurait dû être gigantesque, adulé, qui aurait dû remplir des stades, mais qui a dû se contenter d'un succès critique unanime et de l'adoration éternelle d'une poignée de fidèles. Et tu sais quoi ? C'est peut-être mieux comme ça. Les Go-Betweens, c'est notre secret, notre trésor caché. Alors, quand je vois "16 Lovers Lane" apparaître dans ce foutu bouquin des "1001 Albums", j'ai un double sentiment. D'abord, une sorte de fierté revancharde : "Ah, vous voyez, bande d'incultes ! On vous l'avait bien dit !". Et puis une pointe d'agacement : "Merde, ils vont dévoiler notre planque." Je me souviens de 1988. J'avais 18 ans, le paysage musical était... comment dire... contrasté. D'un côté, la fin de la new wave synthétique et froide, de l'autre la déferlante du hard rock permanenté et du stadium rock à la U2 qui commençait déjà à me filer des boutons. Et au milieu de tout ça, des types comme Robert Forster et Grant McLennan, deux Australiens à l'élégance désinvolte, qui débarquaient avec des guitares acoustiques, des mélodies claires comme de l'eau de roche et des textes d'une finesse littéraire à faire rougir un prof de lettres. À l'époque, pour le jeune con que j'étais, c'était une bouffée d'air pur, une sorte de Velvet Underground qui aurait passé des vacances ensoleillées sur la Côte d'Azur. "16 Lovers Lane" est leur album le plus... "pop". Le mot est lâché et c'est pas une insulte, loin de là. C'est leur disque le plus accessible, le plus poli, celui où les angles sont les moins saillants. La production est léchée, presque californienne par moments. Les violons, les choeurs féminins... On sent qu'ils ont voulu, pour une fois, jouer le jeu, tenter de décrocher ce putain de tube qui leur échappait depuis toujours. Et paradoxalement, ce tube, ils l'ont écrit avec ce somptueux "Streets of Your Town". Une mélodie imparable, un refrain qui s'insinue dans ton cerveau pour ne plus jamais en sortir, le genre de morceau qui sent l'été, la liberté et les promesses d'un flirt de vacances. Sauf que, comme toujours avec eux, il y a une face sombre. Le morceau, sous ses airs de carte postale, parle de violence domestique. Brillant, pervers, totalement Go-Betweens. Ce morceau aurait dû être numéro 1 dans 20 pays et il ne l'a été dans aucun. L'injustice, je te dis. Le reste de l'album est une collection de "petites pépites d'orfèvrerie". On sent le travail méticuleux, l'art de ciseler une chanson de trois minutes pour en faire un petit bijou. Forster et McLennan, les Lennon/McCartney de l'indie pop, sont au sommet de leur art. Deux plumes, deux sensibilités qui se complètent à merveille. D'un côté la poésie un peu anguleuse et cérébrale de Forster, de l'autre la mélancolie romantique et lumineuse de McLennan. Leurs voix s'entrelacent, leurs guitares dialoguent, et ça donne des merveilles comme "Love Is a Vapour" ou "Quiet Heart". C'est un disque sur l'amour, la rupture, les non-dits, le tout baigné dans une lumière douce-amère, une sorte de soleil d'automne. C'est l'album parfait pour une fin d'après-midi, quand tu te sens un peu mélancolique mais pas complètement désespéré. C'est adulte, sans être chiant, c'est sentimental, sans être mielleux, c'est l'équilibre parfait. Alors pourquoi 4 sur 5 et pas la note maximale ? Parce que le disque n'est pas parfait. Il y a un ou deux moments, comme "The Devil's Eye" ou "I'm All Right", où la magie opère un peu moins, où la production semble un peu trop datée, un peu trop FM pour être honnête. On sent presque le producteur derrière qui dit "Allez les gars, encore un petit effort, on va le tenir notre tube !". Ces quelques secondes de flottement empêchent l'album d'atteindre le statut de chef-d'œuvre absolu, mais c'est vraiment pour chercher la petite bête. Ça reste un disque d'une qualité et d'une constance rares. Ce qui est tragique, et beau à la fois, c'est que "16 Lovers Lane" sera leur chant du cygne. L'album qui aurait dû les faire exploser sera celui qui les séparera pour plus de dix ans. Ils ont mis tout ce qu'ils avaient dans la bataille, ont poli leurs chansons comme jamais, et le monde, encore une fois, est passé à côté. Trop subtil, trop intelligent, pas assez spectaculaire pour l'époque. Aujourd'hui, l'influence des Go-Betweens est partout, chez des dizaines de groupes indie qui ont pillé leur sens de la mélodie et leur écriture sans même parfois le savoir. Mais eux restent dans l'ombre, "toujours aussi inconnus" et ce n'est que justice que ce livre leur rende enfin hommage. Pour moi, "16 Lovers Lane" reste l'un des plus beaux disques des années 80. Un classique intime, une leçon d'écriture et d'élégance. Un disque à chérir, précisément parce que tout le monde ne le connaît pas.