The Go-Betweens

Even with "Streets of Your Town" becoming an alt radio hit, the gods were left scratching their heads when this superb 1988 album didn't explode worldwide. Heartfelt guitar pop with universal appeal and individual personality, brilliant tracks such as "Was There Anything I Can Do?," "Clouds," and "Love Is a Sign" still have the power to charm.

Australia's Go-Betweens have been quietly recording wonderful albums of engaging pop
for almost ten years. Previous records featured cleverly structured tunes with even
cleverer lyrics, but this time they've streamlined both and come up with what amounts to a
modest concept album about problematic love. Singer-songwriters Robert Forster and
Grant McLennan sing tales of romance and alienated heartbreak with a bookish fl... More >

The title may portend the worst kind of major-label move, but their worst is pretty good. On the straightest and catchiest bunch of love songs they've ever produced, the likes of "Quiet Heart" and "Love Is a Sign" admittedly cry out for a little tension. But so does "Streets of Your Town" until you notice the battered wives and butcher knives. To put it simply: they ain't the Smithereens. They're smarter, they're nicer, they're tougher. And they're still the romantic poets good popsters ought to be. (Grade - A-)