Go-Betweens
8 out of 10 - Great. Good show.
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Mercury Lounge, New York
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Having not the benefit of a hit single or a best-selling album over their 25-year-plus career, the Go-Betweens continue to attract a devoted, cult-like following enough to sell out the Mercury Lounge this past Friday. The Australian duo of singer/guitarists/songwriters Robert Forster and Grant McLennan warmed the hearts of their New York fans on a sultry night with their winsome and thoughtful pop songs.
How does one describe the Go-Betweens’ sound? They certainly fall into the category of adult alternative in that they are too poppy for rock radio and too sophisticated for mainstream consumption. However, a listener with an open mind would discover some beautifully-crafted intelligent pop songs that go beyond flavor-of-the-month trends. It’s what probably has sustained the group’s lifespan even when Forster and McLennan went on hiatus from each other through most of the Nineties.
The four-piece band’s set list was devoted to newer and older material; “This Night’s For You” was one of the several tuneful tracks from the group’s latest album Oceans Apart. Longtime fans were treated to some of the group’s familiar numbers such as “Was There Anything I Could Do?”, “Magic In Here,” “German Farmhouse,” “Surfing Magazines,” “Spring Rain,” and the charming “Streets of Your Town.”
McLennan and Forster sounded great together trading guitar lines and harmonizing despite their seemingly distinct individual musical personalities: the former being the tuneful popsmith, the latter as the wry troubadour. They were wonderfully accompanied by the rhythm section of bassist Adele Pickvance and drummer Glenn Thompson.
Some may lament that the band had never reached the major leagues of fame and fortune. However, it can be argued that the elusive mainstream success also benefited the band in that their musical integrity remained in checked. The Go-Betweens are every sophisticated music fan’s best kept secret when it comes to stunning popcraft.
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