The Best of the Solo Recordings 1990-1997

Robert Forster and Grant McLennan were the two songwriting forces behind Australia’s Go-Betweens, a critically acclaimed band from the ‘80s indie-rock era that reformed at the turn of the century with their compositional powers still mightily intact. McLennan passed away suddenly in 2006, effectively ending the reunion and their playful songwriting rivalry. Both were intricate pop masters; however, Forster was the ‘difficult’ one, his songs caught up in words and images that made even the simplest ideas more complex. Forster imagined a literary world where the days passed as poetry. Both assembled collections of their solo work for retrospectives that are worthy, if eventually too brief, introductions to do their long visions justice. McLennan’s collection is chronological, whereas Forster’s was paced purely for flow, jumping through the years at will.  “Baby Stones” lopes down the country path with spirited piano. “121” chirps with a new wave bounce and slinky guitar lines coloring just outside the tightly constructed rhythms. And every tune has been crafted with careful thought that makes each pause worth contemplating.