Reviews (page 7 of 8)
Fell off harder than the Bundas.
Oh my god, this is the soundtrack for *insert literally any 80's/90's movie here*!!!!
B- Love Goes On! - 4 Quiet Heart - 3 Love Is a Sign - 4 You Can’t Say No Forever - 3 The Devil’s Eye - 3 Streets of Your Town - 3 Clouds - 2 Was There Anything I Could Do? - 2 I’m All Right - 4 Dive for Your Memory - 3 I've been playing this over and over and over again. Ahhhhhh, isn't it so great when the generator introduces you to an actual good album? I would have never heard this, but now I have and I'm so thankful. For all your flaws, you're still my bbg, Genny.
This was nice very smiths like. It felt very samey tho
Smiths like vibes, just overall uninteresting and boring
Very 80s Australian. While Streets Of Your Town is the big single, there's alot more energy on here. Not bad by any means, but I've never been mad in this sound.
Album très bon! Musicalement ressemble beaucoup à the smiths
Forgettable.
Nothing really stood out for me unfortunately.
could not deal with the harmonica on this
Vaisuksi jää tämä perus poprock. En aivan tiedä miten tähän tulee tarttua. 2/5
Kivaa musaa!
Aika geneerinen levy, en oikein saanu otetta. 2/5.
я забыл что прослушал альбом алкоальбом: виски с гигантским кол-вом колы
Альбом середняк. Да, у них прикольная история записи, такая типа "вопреки всему и всем". Звучит вайбово, в соответствии с описаниями. Некоторые песни прям хорошенько так въедаются в кору головного мозга, что даже начинаешь их напевать. Роуд-муви под это прикольно снять, как мне кажется. В именно австралийских декорациях.
есть пару интересностей, но в целом не стоит фулла
Sub par singing, very sub par lyrics, and generally the songs feel like they're trying to find a good idea but never really get there
I'm kind of into it.
Solidly mediocre
I’m pretty sure “Cattle and Cane” is the only song from the Go-Betweens I had heard before, so I came to this album not knowing what to expect. It was a really nice album to stumble on- exactly the thing that makes this 1001 album project worthwhile. I like the clean production. That, plus many of the lyrics, reminds me of Rumors, though that album hits a lot harder. Based on “Cattle and Cane,” I’m guessing their earlier albums are little more post-punk new wave type stuff. I think I’d prefer that, and this album was a great surprise that will definitely make me look into their older stuff as well.
One or two decent tracks, I guess you can *puts on sunglasses* go between them. Yeahhhhhhhh
This is a perfectly pleasant album with some interesting arrangements and quirks that lift it above your typical late 80s pop fare. This is definitely the Go-Betweens' most accessible work, but it lacks a certain prickliness that I enjoy from their earlier works. Still some interesting songs, and the quality of the album improves by the second half. 17 year old me would enjoyed this well enough, but there are better bands in this vein. Fave Songs: Streets of Your Town, Clouds, Dive for Your Memory, You Can't Say No Forever, The Devil's Eye
I'd never heard this, but I liked it. Very summery sound.
not very memorable, but a decent 80s album
This wasn't bad. Wasn't great. To be perfectly frank I can't remember much of it.
This album is my speed. I would listen to this for Oleyada inspiration for sure. It's giving sophisticated rom-com, and that's high praise. Sometimes it's too 80s though. It's at its best when it commits to being a pop album.
я ничего не запомнила, не впечатлило
A pretty average album overall. felt like the smiths but slightly different. It’s not really great but for when it came out it seemed to fit the bill of pretty popular music. I liked the sound and the lead singer was very similar to morrissey. Not sure if I’d revisit it but it was a decent listen. 6.1/10
dobar jangle pop
Great 80s album
A refreshing change from some of the other choices on the list. Low key Aussie-Rock that probably doesn't get the love it deserves here in America. I wouldn't consider this essential, but it should be heard and the quality is appreciated. A good listen!
Cool, catchy stuff.
Cool Aussie vibe and good songs. Thank you for introducing me to this.
Some good 80's pop though a little too sweet and smooth at times but that is what you get in 80's. 3.5 album for sure.
The Go-Betweens are a band I like and I bet they were great live, but I think their songs would be better with less polish on the records. Keep the jangly guitar, though. Love Goes On is a good tune, and Nada Surf does a pretty good cover that I actually prefer because it’s more stripped down. Streets of Your Town is also a really good tune and also covered by DOPE LEMON, but I’ll take the original in this case.
Seemed like good 80s indie pop. Was a good listen for me.
I thought this was fine. Nothing stood out but I didn't dislike it, either. Would maybe listen to it again.
Glad pop.
2.5 basically elevator music for me
Fólk segir svolítið eins og Smiths, mér finnst þetta svolítið eins og meira mellow Television, en kannski er það bara söngvarinn sem vekur þau hughrif. Þetta rennur ljúflega í gegn, maður hefur heyrt Streets of your town áður og kinkar kolli, og svo næsta plata.
Wasn't a huge fan, thought it was a bit boring.
I dunno whos idea wa to put all the great tracks on this lp closer to the finale - i barely handled not to turn that off in the middle, so boring that was. Giving 4 stars only for the greatness of the second half of the album.
I don’t really have anything great to say about this record to be honest, it’s just a bland generic love album with barely any passion to it. For something that’s about such an emotionally hard topic you can barely hear any heartbreak or care in the vocalists voice at all, it just seems so strange as he has such little presence on the microphone that what he says really means nothing when you can’t feel what he’s feeling through his words. The only exception to this is ‘Was There Anything I Could Do?’ which I found to be a good indie hit with a great chorus, it’s just a shame that the rest of this album falls short. Also, I find most of these instrumentals to be quite confused, I’m not sure if this album wants to be rock, indie, country or a mix of all 3 at times. It’s not genre defining, it’s genre confused and it really makes the vibe of this album a whole mess. I have to point out the harmonica in the first few songs also as it’s just such a strange instrument to be thrown into here as it doesn’t work at all with some of the rock themes they’re going with. This album was just boring and uninspired, won’t be returning to this one.
A nice surprise, never heard of these guys before but it was great
3.5/5
Like an amazing blend of Aztec Camera, House of Love and Prefab Sprout. It really is that lovely. Not about the riffs, but pretty pop songs. Streets Of Your Town is an immediately wonderful favourite. Can't wait to hear another of their albums.
Zzzz post punk new wave pop pop
Reminds me of A House, one of my all time favorite bands. I really liked this! Like... a lot! Not ready to go full 5, but I could see myself bumping it up to 5 in a year.
I actually didn't have the time to get to this again, but this is just such a great album to me. It seems to be the phase where they took the post-punk (in very loose terms) thing they had going and put more of a singer-songwriter spin on it. Grant McLennan seemed to write (what should have been) hit after hit with infectious melodies and Robert Forster wrote these slower (but not meandering) songs just so rich with atmosphere. Maybe not my fav of theirs but I love it a lot.
Not fully my cup of tea, but a really solid album that fully encapsulates an entire genre of sound.
A little too monotonous to me. Melodies not really catchy. That is a style…
There’s much to be said here. Fantastic songwriting and catchy tunes are bracketed by unique instrumentation and fun vocals. Even if the subject matter doesn’t always match.
I’m vehemently neutral on this album. Some decent songs, but largely not very memorable
meh. aggressively meh
Oh dear. I try to be charitable but this is really bereft of all originality and spark. Insipid tame lyrics and wishywashy guitars. It's dreadful. How has this ever made it into the chart? Under what genre?
A less efficient version of every other member of the 80s alternative scene in Britain, lacking the emotional weight to invest listeners that contemporaries had. A disappointment record.
Had high hopes when reading the description in the book, but was disappointed. Every single one of the songs leaves me completely cold. 2/5
Turned out to be quite enjoyable background music
Easy study music.
Severely dated. I fail to detect any distinguishing features in this album.
I guess...
A real snoozer. Next!
This feels like a 90’s album, but it was released in the 80’s. Good vibes and an enjoyable listen.
This album is fine. It’s nice, but doesn’t stick out to me as being particularly amazing.
forgettable
Enjoyed this indie with a hint of soft rock, enjoyable album, I think it deserves it’s place on the list. Didn’t think I’d heard of the go-between but I do recognise some of the singles from the album.
Hard to say but this might be my favourite Go-Betweens album (only know their first six albums). It has no Cattle and Cane, but lots of other really strong songs. I can also strongly recommend Robert Foster's book Grant and I (from 2018 or so).
Did not hate this, but found it quite unremarkable.
One of the major 1001 surprises: I love everything about it.
"We have The Smiths at home"
Good album, really enjoyed it. Definitely sounds like 'The Smiths' without Morrisey (which is not so bad really) Saved songs: Love Goes On!, you Can't Say No Forever, Streets of Your Town, Was There Anything I Could Do?
Score: 60 A less interesting version of The Cure The production is good, the faster paced songs are pretty good. But having half the album be slower songs kind of creates a pacing issue for me. Not bad though. Just made me really want to listen to The Cure instead
This album is white bread - simple and bland. Big weakness is the vocals; not my favorite; an even worse Bono? Nice, clear and pleasant instrumentals - I liked the harmonica. Most songs are pretty basic and lightweight. Some might enjoy that, but a lot left me wanting more. It's harmless and inoffensive music, think other bands did this sound better. Fave song: Was There Anything I Could Do?
Fome
Really chill album. Kind of nostalgic sounding even though I've never heard of the Go-Betweens. Generally good, but I wouldn't say there's something super unique. Fave track(s): Love Goes On!, You Can't Say No Forever
Didn’t really know this band but Spotify feeds them to me periodically. I enjoyed a full album.
I keep misremembering this band name and thinking they’re called The Inbetweeners. That would be incorrect. I hadn’t heard of The Go-Betweens before today, so I’m interested to hear them. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Was There Anything I Could Do? This feels like a strange album to be considered as one of the 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this album, but there’s nothing great about it either. Overall, I did enjoy the album, but it’s also somewhat forgettable to me. I can’t imagine that I’ll be rushing back to this, but overall I’d consider this to be absolutely fine. Nothing more, nothing less.
Excellent album. Love Goes On is the obvious standout but the whole thing is chill and consistent. I’m All Right is another fave. A high high 4.
Not my cup of tea
That was okay. The 80's sound was nice and the melodies and instrumentation were solid, but the vocals were off in a way thaht just wasn't interesting. Don't think I would listen again.
Not my music
Can’t find much on this band but this album was really good. They seem underrated to me. Reminds me a bit of the smiths.
Its like the smiths if they were boring
Never heard of this one, solid songwriting.
Cross between Manic Street Preachers and James and The Smiths
Ok
Could write a tune and pleasant enough.
Fits right in there with the Cure and Smith style of music. Not a fan but it has its place.
Liked Was There Anything... the best. Streets of Your Town was catchy and opened strong, but got a bit samey and repetitive quickly. The rest was pleasant enough, but a bit unmemorable.
mid 90s nothing pop 2.5
I'd give it a 4.5 but I'll round down to a 4. Easy listening and strong lyrics and acoustics. Strong tracks throughout with my standouts being Love Goes On, Streets, and Was There Anything I Could Do with Anything being my favorite.
nice genuine album about love
I'm trying to give this album a chance, but its just not good. Theres very little to suggest it to anyone - Lyrics are uninspired and melodies are derivative and boring. This is pretty bad. 1/5
Was There Anything I Could Do
Barely registered this was playing.
Very enjoyable, I would listen again
Great production
Really nice sounding album throughout not a single dull moment and it has a vibe that I definitely enjoy it's nothing too incredibly special though
I loved this album! It was like The Smith’s, but without Morrissey, who just ruins everything he touches!
Je sais pas pourquoi j'aime bien mais j'aime bien
la clarinette c’est pour me rendre dingo
Really enjoyable
Perfectly pleasant. Has it changed me as a person? No. But this album is a beautiful example of pretty, likable 80's music.
I just didn't find anything that stood out for me
Generic
J'ai été très supris au moment où cet album arriva à son terme de constater à quel point les Go-Betweens m'avaient acoustiqué la gueule.
C'était carrèment correct, mais cet album porte quand même notre série sans 4/5 à 15 albums, nous ne sommes plus qu'à deux petites unités du record absolu. Attention tout de même, il va falloir passer l'obstacle Pixies, qui est un gros concurrent au 4/5. Affaire à suivre.
About average
Never heard of this band before but this hit right in the sweet spot of music I love. It hits my indie rock soul hard and I can't wait to listen to more albums from them.
Pretty enjoyable music, album was all good
a word that comes to mind after listening to this album is bland. it's not bad but not very interesting either. i get a bit of a smiths vibe, but the go-betweens didn't write as clever or charming lyrics as the smiths. i'm not sure this album deserves to be on this list. yes, it was some early indie/alternative music, but eh. one thing i am trying to determine is why the the harmonica was used.
I mean...meh? It was okay, and certainly listenable! But it was pretty forgettable to me. Nothing really stood out. This fell somewhere between a 2 and 3 for me, but I don't feel inspired enough by its attempt to go for a 3.
‘Streets of Your Town’ is such a great song, so the rest of the record is disappointing by comparison. Quite dull overall.
Quite generic. But hey, it's indie rock. And it's not as synth-infected as other '80s albums. So plus points for that.
Good alt rock
Best Song: Was There Anything I Could Do? Sweeping, sort of theatrical sound. Worst Song: Dive for Your Memory. Nothing quite like sending off the album with an absolute sleeper. Overall: I was about to write that this was another example of British mediocrity padding the list, but then I found out that the band is actually Australian. Who knew. Humdrum knows no borders.
A very “lite” version of late 80’s alternative rock. It’s like if your favorite band sat down with you and every time you said, “This is my favorite part!” they cut it out. The lyrics struck me as either trite or just uninteresting, and their cadence was often awkward, so no help there. Pretty inessential.
Forgettable, but not bad.
Nice record to listen too. Truly reflects its era.
Seemed like generic pop rock nothing crazy
The accompaniment is actually good and the vocals are ok. "Streets of your Town", "I'm alright" are my favourites
1/5. Quite a boring album with nothing new to offer within the pop world. Maybe I’m not a love song enjoyer but it was pretty bad.
This hasn't aged very well - sounds very much of its time. Some good songs, but generally pretty lame, although rather easy-listening.
So so mid
Good accoustic pop music. Highlights: Streets of Your Town, Dive for your Memory.
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: Was there anything I could do?
Good music but too slow for me
Prijetna glasba. Spominja me malo na The Cardigans.
I was not aware of this album in 1988, but I really would have liked it then. I really enjoyed its sound, especially the first two songs.
Okay, I guess. Boring for me.
I got excited by the opening track and thought this might be another hidden gem. But after that, things were pretty and pleasant and rather ordinary.
It didn’t stand out a lot for me and there are many other albums in this style I’d rather be listening to. Still, an enjoyable 80s pop album with interesting storytelling and lyrics. A pleasant diversion I didn’t mind listening to.
Would listen again
I’m learning that I am not a fan of Australian alternative.
Completely new album to me with some interesting parts.
Already knew a couple of songs - Streets of Your Town and Was There Anything I Could Do (both brilliant songs) and have always meant to check the album out. They sound a bit like a more acoustic Smiths with Tom Verlaine from Television on vocals. The album is fantastic - not a skippable track on first listen and I think I'll only come to like each one more on future listens. Highly recommended.
This album has particular resonance for me - both from it being a part of my youth, but also because it captures something about being Australian.
I'd give this album a 2.5 if I could. Nothing really bad about it but also nothing really caught my attention. Nice songs but nothing really amazing on here
The Go-Betweens are high on my list of most underrated artists. To me there are two types of Go-Between discs - very good and great. This is the later. Lyrical, lush, literate pop music. There are very few bands post 1980 that were able to do this and this is one of the best. How is it possible that Streets of Your Town and Quiet Heart were not hits in the US?
Never heard of this band. This is fine. Reminds me of a "not as good" Style Council or Everything but the Girl record. I'd rather hear those -- they're much better.
Another "fine" album from an 80s group that tells me more about the list makers than popular music. No reason why this should be on here over any Drake, Rihanna or OutKast album
Bland pop that wouldn't stand out if it was flourescent. Bland acoustic guitars, reverb vocals and terrible lyrics desperate to be deep. Just more prove that the 80's was a decade of extremes. Best Tracks: Love Goes On!; Quiet Heart; Streets of Your Town
A good early indie band, I really liked the first and last songs a lot.
One of the band members described the album as the "the perfect combination between London melancholy and Sydney sunshine" and I would agree. This album also fits well into the musicsphere of the late 80s indie rock, that's still got typical 80s synths throughout. Best: Streets Of Your Town Worst: I'm Alright
no strong feelings of anything
The first track is cliché and with off key vocals, the second is soporific, the third pretentious with the terrible vocals back again. It doesn't get better. This explains why they were not a great success. How and why is this in the 1001 albums list?
A pleasant and catchy indie pop record with a wistful but summery vibe. Reminiscent in different places of The Lightning Seeds, U2, Crowded House and The Smiths. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Love Goes On! Date listened: 24/08/22
Not bad, some great stuff, some meh
À discovery for me, and a very pleasant one at that! A style of music that I relate to easily, done with freshness and style. Surprised I had not heard of them before. Perhaps they weren’t big in Canada…
Loved this, just my cup of tea
Sounded like a slightly more upbeat version of The Smiths. Fine listening
Good
This was good
better than I expected.
Another middling indie rock album for me. There were a few good songs on here that stood out from the rest but nothing I'll likely ever go back to again.
I had never listened to this band before and liked some of the songs on this album, like "Quiet Heart." This is more folk-rock than I had expected and I appreciated the acoustic guitars and violin. There was nothing, however, that was really memorable.
Good
Couple good songs, better than I expected
Vibing with this one for sure
Bit whiney
Inte direkt dåligt, inte direkt bra
meh. ya know, in a list of a thousand anythings you need, there's gonna be at least a few ya actually didn't need
Fun - Streets of Your Town is so good
One of my most cherished albums. The bittersweet emotions you feel when you're going through a nasty breakup are perfectly balanced on this album, linking it to Dylan's Blood on the Tracks in some ways. The Go-Betweens were one of the greatest jangle pop bands to come out of Australia, and people like Courtney Barnett clearly owes to them. I'm glad this album was included in this book because it's a perfect case of a somewhat less known album that actually deserves attention.
Very forgettable, on my case. Songs are just too cheesy for my taste
Nice one, Ill definitively will listen again. Love the vibe
Did I listen to this album well? If so, I don't remember anymore.
Nah... no thanks. 80s brit pop is not for me. I thought maybe I'd have heard the most popular song on this album (also the band's most listened to song overall) and I've never heard it. This band belongs in the dust bin of history.
J’aime le vibe de l’album. Ca termine vraiment bien mai sil faut etre dans le mood. J’allais mettre 2 pour le debut et 4 pour la fin. Donc 3/5 car ca me rappelle beaucoup de chanson dans ce style.
cool
Very solid music. Nothing really distinctive but well crafted.
Ye um uh naw
Just fine, I feel like it sounds like a lot of the music from the era and not really distinct to me.
I like “Love Goes On” and “Was There Anything I Could Do?”. The rest is pretty solid as well.
Production sounds dated but still some really catchy tunes and some fine storytelling..
I’ve never heard of this band, but they kind if remind me of 10,000 Maniacs. I like the acoustic driven songs.
This was pleasant. It had a 90's feel for sure.
Bad. 2 stars.
Writing this a few hours after listening and honestly can't remember a single song from it. Wasn't bad but not particularly memorable.
Kinda like REM meets Smiths, nice and listenable. Streets of Your Town is a banger tho
Y'know, it's not life-changing but it is pretty decent. A lighter, ozzier Smiths with a lot less baggage.
C’est beige pas pire. Rien de bien inspirant ou de révolutionnaire. Ils portent bien leur nom, ni trop l’fun, ni trop plate; ni trop agressif, ni trop relax. Bref, c’est très moyen et je n’ai rien de bien positif à dire, sinon que c’est de la pop correcte.
Je ne suis pas sûr de comprendre la présence de cet album dans cette liste. C'est parce qu'ils ont eu du succès en copiant U2 avec la pièce Quiet Heart? C'est pour mettre un groupe Australien dans la liste? Ont-ils influencé quelqu'un? Ce n'est pas apparent à la première écoute. Il y a la pièce Was There Anything I Could Do? qui se démarque du lot et You Can't Say No Forever que je ne skiperais pas dans une liste de lecture, mais le reste est pas mal beige. Les textes ont beau être émouvants selon ce qu'on en dit, si les chansons ne sont pas bien emballées, c'est ennuyant. On peut bien le comparer à Rumor de Fleetwood Mac, mais la musique est intéressante sur l'album de Fleetwood Mac. À l'écoute de cet album, on a envie de passer au suivant rapidement.
Need to revisit this asap. Pop sensibility steering well wide of sentimentality, spacious production values. Late 80s sophistopop minus the pretentiousness.
loved it then love it now, so lucky to see F&M perform most of this live. Just excellent, so many good memories soundtracked by this
Pangare
A post-punkulent sound gives these songs a unique effect. I especially like ”Clouds” and how it uses the oboe for added escalation. This is an album you shouldn’t underestimate
Eh
Sounds like The Smiths met Legião Urbana.
This just did not wow me. In any sense of the word. Maybe I wasn’t in the mood? Maybe it did suck? Not sure. Might revisit, but I doubt it. Too many other things to focus on.
I'm not a fan of his voice. It's not really my style but it was an ok listen. My son would really dig this.
interesting, spare lilting pop rock.
The vocals in several of the songs were just atrocious (especially Love is a Sign). Even the songs that weren't grating to the ears were mediocre at best.
Snoozer. Very bland
This album is fine but I’m confident I’ll forget about the entire thing in 24 hours.
I really enjoyed this... was made in '88, but felt like a mid 90s indy-pop band. Definitely ahead of its time.
Inoffensive jangly guitars. Couldn't get into the vocals
It was okay. Easy listen
Quite enjoyed this. Passed part of a Spring morning rather pleasantly. A name I know without being able to name any of their songs (although I recognised the hit single when I heard it). Jolly and well-crafted, but not sure I would play it again out of choice. Not enough variation to grab my attention throughout. May dig into some of their earlier work, however.
This is good - really good. Well-crafted songs delivered with some unashamed pop confidence. The late 80's production doesn't surrender to the trends of the time. It brings out the best in the song writing. How Streets of Your Town wasn't a massive hit I don't know.
Bueno
Never heard of these guys. It has a very easy to like sound. I definitely enjoyed it and want to hear more of it.
Completely and totally unremarkable and forgettable. Office pop.
I love this band, I love this album
Not great, not terrible. Decent contemporary 80s rock.
Quite enjoyable
It started off strong but by the middle had started to blend into itself. It’s fairly standard new wave folky stuff with an interesting guitar sound that is almost flamenco like at times. The lyrics felt a bit forced at times as well.
Solid. Not too slow, not too fast. Anyone can enjoy this album.
I always associate top-tier lyricists like Forster and McLennan with simple yet indelible melody, which, in my mind, is more akin to great prose than rhythm, which is more akin to, um, plot? I don't know, this is the first time I've really thought about it. Anyway, I first discovered the Go-Betweens on Friends of Rachel Worth and fell deeply in love. That album is exhibit A in the case of simple melodies vs my ears (this doesn't really work--why would I bring a case against melodies I love?--but whatever), and even though I knew their earlier work through the 90's best of (why are early GB's album so hard to find in CD?), I still wasn't prepared for the strength of the rhythms here. That's all I've got to say, really: I already knew they were great melodists and wrote 300 pages deep, but now I'm clearer on their rhythmic prowess. Oh, and they have those classic great writer voices. You know the kind. Kind of wobbly, strained, only a couple degrees from just talking. But you wouldn't want to hear the material sung in any other way.
Dreary start but got bettet
quite fun! Might try and listen to more of this band
I feel like several of these have been used in indie films, particularly 'Streets of Your Town', and I think the songs work well for that sort of vibe, pleasant and bright but I wouldn't say spectacular
Thought this would be an easy 2 stars after a slow start, but I actually quite enjoyed it by the end. Not revolutionary, but some good tunes. It bridges the gap in time between The Smiths and 90s indie (like James maybe?). Kept expecting them to break into Breakfast at Tiffany's though... Very aware that I've just given a Marvin Gaye album 3 stars and this seems a lot further from greatness than that, so... a strong 2.5.
Love Goes On and Streets of you're Town sound contemporary and a bit like the Shins. Enjoyed them. Clouds was as good song too. The rest sounded pretty forgettable and I'm slightly unsure how they're made the cut for the greatest 1001 records. Second song less so, but has a pleasant sound to it.
Honestly, nothing on this album stood out for me. Reviews called it melancholy, I just found it dreary. Even the big "hit" I had never heard of. It was just all "meh."
WTF? Sometimes I just don't understand this list. This album pales in comparison to many of the recent gems. It was a perfectly average, bland piece of music. Fine to listen to, but nothing remarkable. Lyrics were ok, musical arrangements not bad (a bit of synth though?). More violin and harmonica than normally heard in a pop rock band perhaps. So what? I just don't hear anything that shows unique ability or style.
Certainly has that mid-to-late-80s indie rock sound I heard all through high school and especially college. My hunch is that's why I was not very interested. Nothing wrong with it, just sounded too similar to what was playing constantly for a few years too loudly on big speakers in people's dorm rooms and apartments.
Não conhecia. Legal.
Easy listening 🎧 no complaints!
Easy listening, not exciting 2.5/5
I am a fan of such albums, 10 songs, not too long, weak tracks are out, no bullshit, just good music. My note would be 4 stars with a minus, nice vocals and guitars, clean remaster, but nothing actually special
nice alt rock album, imo the best song is Streets of your town, I really liked the vocals, especially female one
Yo that's kinda schmackin
Listening to this album twice and losing interest both times does not bode well for it. Perhaps if the mood during those attempts were a bit more subdued, one could appreciate the safe sounds of this album, the smooth talk of love and easy vocals, the near fantastical place where these things come from. That is the experience one could have, but not the experience reflected here. It is one of the more questionable selections for 1001, but for the aforementioned. Maybe, just maybe that desire for safe, serene, perhaps even vestigial emotions that the album provokes is what makes it special, because the whole thing feels unattainable as though we are listening to someone's romantically inspired lucid dream. If that is the case, then 'mission accomplished'. Not a bad listen, but so very middle of the road.
Background fluff. Nothing exciting, nothing to remember.
Good indie rock album
I had a great time listening to this album! Very chill but engaging at the same time. I had never heard of the Go-Betweens and did not recognize any of the songs on here, but after giving this one a go, I feel they are a very strong indie pop-rock band. There has been a couple times already going through this list where this genre and decade did not mesh well and caused the record to feel dated; however, I REALLY enjoyed the production on this album as every single instrument and vocal line was crystal clear. This was well needed given the band's acoustic elements they incorporated in every song. It really made me appreciate the finer details that the band put into their tracks and was probably the strongest part of the album overall. Love Goes On! is a great opener and probably my favorite song throughout the short track listing. I did like every track on this one, but they did start to blend together a bit towards the end (this issue might improve or worsen upon further listens). Besides that, I thought this was a great album and would throw this one on again. 3.5/5 (but close to a 4!).
Real neat, like a folky version of the Smiths.
Meh. Instantly forgettable.
Comença de forma formidable amb 'Love Goes On!', pop lluminós i radiant, que té una bona continuació al llarg del disc amb tonades amb menys punch però que fan una escolta somiadora i agradable
I relate to some of these songs I would deffo rate this 5/5 or 4.5/5 Indie rock is lit
If you Google "meh" it starts to play this album.
16 Lovers Lane by The Go-Betweens (1988) For American listeners, this Australian light pop album is likely unfamiliar, but engaging enough if you’re in the mood for something fresh. Reverb provides a smoothness to the sound on each track, with a sameness, however, that becomes tiresome by the end (Reverb fails as a substitute for vocal blend.) The singer/songwriter duo McLennan/Forster put together this relatively random acoustic-heavy collection of songs that are not too deep lyrically, and not too elaborate melodically but adorned with an appropriate variety of instrumental touches, especially by multi-instrumentalist Amanda Brown. The album could easily be pushed into the background if the listener needs to occasionally concentrate on something else. The big weakness on this record is in the lead vocals, whether by McLennan or Forster. They become easy to tune out, which is okay, because their lyrics and melodies are not strong anyway. Amanda Brown can make an oboe sound like bagpipes in a bathroom stall, which is not a good thing, as in the dud of a closing track “Dive for Your Memory”. Worth a listen, but not overly impressive from down under. 2/5
Very boring, didnt make it all the way through
UGH. Nope. Not for me. This music is for douchy faux rugby players and /or unemployed recent college grads who hang out at coffee bars and recite Noam Chomsky.
This 1988 Australian album sounds like too many mid-80s British albums. “Streets of Your Town” was the biggest hit and definitely stands out on the album, leading the way to a second half that was better than the first. In general, "16 Lovers Lane" needs more of Amanda Brown's vocals and violin.
I like the laid back vibe of this album. Streets of Your Town is a highlight as it just sounds so pleasant. I like the songs when Amanda Brown’s violin contributes. The lead singers’ voices are fine for the most part, but it’s a bit off on Love Is a Sign.
Meh. Nothing special but not bad.
I liked it, didn't love it. But hey that's alright.
This was rad.
Upon first listen there was no mistaking the era - this is 80s pop through and through. And not unpleasant, either. It's just that I feel like I've heard all these songs before from other bands. There's a bit of Psychedelic Furs, some Billy Bragg, and a little Echo and the Bunnymen in here, but all the apparent influences leave me wondering who the Go-Betweens are. And again, perfectly pleasant 80s pop - it's just not particularly original. And in that it also doesn't particularly move me in really any way. And it's not that derivative works are necessarily 'less good' than their inspiration, it's just that these particular derivative works don't add much nuance or value to the original experience.
3.4 - If this album were a beer, it'd be a Carlsberg or something similarly inoffensive. Straightforward love songs expressing regret and longing, strummed on acoustic guitar with mostly 1-5-7-4 chord structures (from what I can tell), sung in a clear baritone, with minimal studio magic. The songs are written thoughtfully and recorded crisply.
Meh
I listened to this album. I liked parts of it. Then I went on with my day and didn't think about it at all. Faint praise, I know. And I don't think I can muster that much passion to go through this album's okayness. There are striking moments; Streets of Your Town has one line that really startles. But this is essentially your standard gangly indie guitar with some clever lyrics, and you yearn for more instances of lyrical sharpness. You'll have no regrets listening to this, but you'll find little that'll make you fight for the Go-Betweens. Mind, if you pin your colours to the Go-Betweens' mast, I doubt you'd carry much weight in a fight anyway.
Forgettable rock.
This is a nice album by an artist I’m unfamiliar with. I enjoy the instrumentation- the guitar work, bass, and drums are all in the pocket.
Pleasant to listen to.
This album is sooo strong. The Go-Betweens mase such gorgeous music. Tasteful, tuneful, bright. Music you just want to sing along with. The best album from a band that released nothing but great albums. An easy 5 🌟 rating
A pleasant surprise! I love the moody, brooding lyrics contrasting the perky pop-ish guitar.
4 stars for Streets Of Your Town
Man the lyrics are way too sappy, easily took off a star due to it.
Contains one of my favourite songs of all time - 'Streets of Your Town'. Unfortunately the rest of the album doesn't quite match up.
Fine for a bar band, but for this list? Nah. Some of the most basic lyrics I've ever heard. One or two songs prevent this from being a total one star. I did like the violin flourishes though. Favorite tracks: "Was There Anything I Could Do?" "I'm All Right"
Absolutely no emotions while listening to it.
Jak to mozliwe, ze australia ma tak slaba reprezentacje na liscie, jesli mnie pamiec nie myli bedzie to dopiero trzeci piczek z kolonii karnej, przynajmniej nie nick cave kolejny raz, 16 Lovers Lane to szosty album w dyskografii rokowopopowej bandy The Go-Betweens, w ktorej sklad w trakcie nagrywania tej plyty wchodzilo pieciu czlonkow, a instrumentalnie przewija sie o wiele wiecej egzotycznych narzedzi do wydawania dzwieku, bo znajda sie smyczki, oboje, harmonijki, organy, do tego dochodzi wokalny miks glosow, sa dwa meskie wokale i jeden zenski, ktory robi robote na drugiej czesci plyty tworzac pseudoharmonie jak na trakach streets of your town, lirycznie jest to dosc oklepany album, bo przewazaja lowe songi, ktore maja byc proste zeby latwo sie dalo sluchac takiej muzyki, raczej same pozytywne viby, ale jednak nie cukierowe, ciekawe jest takze polaczenie gitarek jakie mozna uslychac lekka radosna elektrykowa gra w polaczeniu z mocniej poprowadzonym akustykiem daje ciekawy efekt, instrumentalnie na kazdym traku duzo sie dzieje, ale nadal jest to przyjemne do osluchania, bo poprowadzone jest na zasadnie sekwencji, co najlepiej slychac na otwierajacym kawalku love goes on, ktory jest moja ulubiona pozycja z plyty, wiec leci na plejke razem z streets of your town, ktorego wydaje mi sie, ze skads znam, ale jednak nie jestem w stanie przypiac go do zrodla wspomnienia, albumik z 88 a brzmi jak cos o wiele swiezszego, no i jest to pierwszy piczek z australii ktorego da sie osluchac i wiedziec o czym jest spiewany bez tekstu przed oczyma, album prosty, odpowiednio krotki i z pozytywnymi tekstami, wiec dobra muzyka popularno rokowa
Nicht so für mich!
Sehr gut zu hören. Fast hätte es für 4 gereicht.
I was not familiar with this album. It was not memorable in any way, but I didn't hate it.
21st October 2021 Actually listened on the Friday morning as I had a very lazy day on Thursday being hungover after going out for beers with Harry. I liked the drone of it, it's quintisentially outsider alternative pop. Not sure it's that memorable though,felt a bit lightweight.
Such a beautiful album...probably my favourite Go-Betweens album. Lush and subtle with poignant lyrics. Close to 5 stars, but ultimately 4 for me because it's not a style that I turn to often
Strumtastic. Nothing special
Bleh. Don’t get why this is on this list. Its so generic.
Quite pleasant for work background music.
I liked this one too, and got some Cure vibes from it on occasion. Favorite songs were Love Goes On, The Devil's Eye, and Streets of Your Town.
Ok.
Fuck yeah BRISBANE. Very tempted to give it a 5 based on that alone but I shall remain impartial. I initially thought it started a bit slow but it actually paces nicely up to a big crescendo from Streets of Your Town onward. Clouds and Was There Anything I Could Do are both very very strong songs. Can hear heeaaapps of Rolling Blackouts coming out of this. I've always loved listening to Streets and imagining it was written only with Brisbane in mind (which I doubt it was, but still nice to think about). Anyway FIVE STARS.
Found it pretty forgettable
It's a bit like listening to the Smiths but without having to think about what a piece of shit Morrissey is! I dig it.
Reminds me of an indie romcom soundtrack
Love-rock
Pop elegante y con buen estilo. Ritmo y estilo tranquilo. Cierto parecido en alguna canción con U2. Me ha sorprendido para bien, aunque no me ha terminado de enganchar.
fine but just forgettable
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Lots of The Smiths & Ferris Bueller vibe
The sixth and final album from the original Go-Betweens released in 1988 after some choppy water during the production. The rock album's sound was boosted by the band's return to summery Australia, but personal relationships inside the band were causing headaches. The album released to raving reviews and some even said it was their best one. It's a shame they broke up afterwards, but it is what it is.
Satisfying fun indie rock but doesn't really do much notable or special for me.
I'm not sure if I listened to an album from a band or an album from a soundtrack of some generic romantic comedy. These songs are so recognizable like if I listened to them every day, but at the same time, they are new for me. Well, a pretty fine romantic album, but nothing exactly special.
A listening exercise in adjusting from opening surprise to a slow-building disappointing finish. Damn that clunky final song just by itself knocked a couple stars off this tree. Expectations are a killer. I had none going in. First track lifted up the prospect of a happy/sad 80s jangle gem. It was like getting a decent payout on the first pull of a slot machine, and then losing all your winnings nickel by nickel. But some people just like sitting at the slots with a vague feeling of potential. C
Solid album. Nothing in particular stood out. Feels like the bridge between 80s new wave and 90s adult contemporary like REM/Live/Spin Doctors. We know this is a British list because Brit Pop features so heavily on it.
Haven't heard this before, rather enjoyed it. Felt quite a bit ahead of its time. I heard some 90s, some 00s, some 2010s. Fun album.
I gotta admit I had no clue about this album, or even this band, and that, at first, when the very first track was playing, I was a bit hesitant about letting it even finish. However, I resisted the urge and found myself enjoying the album. Not great but not boring, either.
Jingle jangle stuff. Mildy entertaining. Some nifty riffs.
Slow jams, just seems like some very basic alt rock from the late 80s / early 90s. Kind of a bummer. Not sure why this is an album I "Have to hear" but I guess I have heard it now and will never remember a thing about it in the future.
Liked this a good bit, just not enough to spring from a 3.5 to a 4. Reminds me of The Smiths a little bit, which I like. Also appreciate the 2020 remaster - songs sound GOOD Liked: Quiet Heart, Was There Anything I Could Do?*
Saved Prior: Love Goes On!, Streets of Your Town, Was There Anything I Could Do? Off Rip: Clouds Cutting Edge: I'm All Right Overall Notes: Shoutout Matt for putting me on to this album a couple years ago. That being said, the three singles are the only songs of note. Not quite sure why this album is on here, can think of a dozen 80's albums that would've been better inclusions.
Really pretty dull, not much stood out. Expected it to be better
Äußerst gefällig und leider darin genauso langweilig, dass sich trotz eines tollen Unterschied-Songs („Streets of your Town“ könnte von Prefab Sprout sein) die 37 Minuten völlig unverständlich in die Länge ziehen. Auch ne Kunst, aber … Stretched 1.8
Solid pop music. 6/10
boring pop. why is this on the list?
It was different and there were some really fun tracks on it - but ultimately I found a good bit of it slightly unsatisfying, too. I respect the attempt to do something different from the perspective of still trying to make radio friendly music, and when they pull it off I'm loving it. But it's tricky
I want t like this more than I did. I like Indie; I like Australia. The vocals, honestly, seem a bit weak. the music, overproduced. It’s very decent.Not so sure it belongs on the 1001 list.
Its an album
It wasn't awful; I generally like this sound. It's a little bit bland, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I liked each individual instrument and the voices. Favorite Track: Streets of Your Town
typical of the alt style i've always loved - acoustic guitars, jingle-jangle clear guitar, melodic leads.
Good, relaxed, nice vocals
Radio-vibes Little bit catchy 2.5/5
Very easy listening and I would totally listen to this again. Super fun listening to it while I deliver groceries around my home town. I could see myself falling in love with this album given another couple listens through
// Favs: – Score: Strong 2 to Light 3
It's fine. I feel like it's a waste of space on a list of 1001 albums you must hear, but some of the first half has got some Joy Division-esque tracks which is nice. Overall lackluster. Highlights: 1, 2, and 6.