The Go-Betweens
Bright Yellow Bright Orange
Clearspot (Eur)/Jet Set (US)

The Go-Betweens, now in their 25th year are out with their second album after their comeback in 2000 (their eighth totally). Songwriters Grant McLennan and Robert Forster had during their solo years (1988-1999) released a handful of OK (but not great) albums between them, but I feel things didn't click until they met again and released The Friends Of Rachel Worth to critical acclaim. On that album they teamed up with members of American band Sleater-Kinney but this time they have recruited fellow Australians (as far as I know).

As usual they do not actually experiment. And again, listening to the songs on this album brings a smile to my face. This is familiar stuff, well-crafted songs, nothing exceptional, oh no, just very, very nice (and it's hard to imagine bands like Travis, Coldplay et al without these guys, but please don't blame them!).

It is hard to pick highlights here, but I find the opener "Caroline and I" (is that Tom Verlaine on guitar?), "Too Much Of One Thing", and "Crooked Lines" quite marvellous. If there is something like a band you can trust it just has to be The Go-Betweens. And in May they will play in Norway again! Yippie! And please bring the violin.

Distribution in Norway: Tuba!

Copyright © 2003 Pingo