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Wednesday, 22 February 2012

Always The Traffic, Always The Lights


There aren't too many band re-unions that go on to make decent music in their second lives (although I'm happy to be corrected on that). The Go-Betweens re-united and made Oceans Apart in 2005, with this standout track which I love to bits. It's one of those narrative songs which so few people manage to do well. Robert Forster opens up a notebook, 'The Darlinghurst Years', and sparks off a train of bittersweet memories of his time living there- gut rot coffee, Joe playing the cello, the non-stop traffic and non-stop lights, Marjorie, Clint, Debbie, people who came and went, and Suzie who they never saw again. The music is equally good; dramatic guitar and strings, and a lone trumpet freaking out at the end.

Darlinghurst Nights

The picture shows Darlinghurst,a suburb of Sydney, at the start of the twentieth century.

3 comments:

davyh said...

Excellent! I don't know their post-reunion stuff at all. Is the rest as good as this?

Swiss Adam said...

This is the best off the album but the rest of its worth a listen. Opening tracks very good too.

ally. said...

it's sometimes my favourite of their records but then so are all the others. it's a true proper wonder despite not having lindy morrison on it. buy this and the robert forster lp that came after for deep joys and tears
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