In praise of: Robert Forster's "Danger in the Past"

Well, I'll admit that it's on par with Horsebreakerk Star :)

BUT BACK TO FORSTER etc. I always have a strong fondness for "The River People" due to the Walkabouts cover, as I mutter in my review.

Haven't heard Walkabouts version of "River People" but am curious. I've heard some Walkabouts here and there and liked them. Where's a good place to begin w/ them?

I was going to cite "Justice" as an example. The way the organ licks cushion the warmth of his voice – as pleasing as the home fires the song celebrates. One of the few songs to make something of married bliss, too.

I diagree! listened to it Saturday morning, it's got a really great off-hand groove to it - the one thing I don't like is that version of "Rock 'n' Roll Friend"

Hmmm, where to begin indeed. They have a massive amount of albums:

http://thewalkabouts.com/disco.htm

I'd almost say start with the first of their covers albums, Satisfied Mind -- it's where I started and was almost immediately won over. It has "The River People" on it, not to mention a brilliant Carla-sung take on Nick Cave's "Loom of the Land" and an absolutely spectacular version of Charlie Rich's "Feel Like Going Home," with Mark Lanegan guesting.

But that said, Watermarks is as close to a career overview record they have, and contains some of their strongest songs. Just reading the tracklist is almost breathtaking.

agree that DITP is the best of the Robert/Grant solo releases...all of the other ones (both Robert and Grant's) start off strong, with a couple of great singles, then sorta peter out...

this has probably been written about in the last 2 weeks, but anybody know why Grant called himself "GW" on the Watershed album?

I keep "I Can Do" (along with a few other choice tracks - "2541" (Hart version)) on a 30 minute tape in my car that I break out for music emergencies. (i.e. if can't find anything else to listen to.)

"Baby Stones," yeah I really like the arrangement we did for that, it was
good, and yeah it's nice, because "Haven't I Been a Fool" and "Baby
Stones" would really, kind of, fit in to the Go-Betweens kind of thing,
you know, it was a pleasure having Rober t sing on it, and vice versa I
guess.

http://www.twee.net/Indiepop/message.aspx?id=17837

I agree Baby Stones would have been a top, top shelf Go-Between's song. It makes the album for me. The piano intro really sets it up for something big and Forster's pleading is something else. I like the way he sings 'arooooouuuuuuuund here'. And the way he lowers his voice to deliver the no man is as good as me bit. Sometimes it seems like there's too many words in a line but he can just roll 'em out. If you put this song on a mix tape for somebody you like I wonder if they would find it romantic or think he's pathetic or even a stalker?

He really does belt out those words like a pro, no? It helps that his guitar line is simple enough so that anyone who wants to cover this can look like a star if he does both at once.

Listening to the Go-Be's solo comp now...man, "Danger in the Past" is a great song.

hm, yeah, is this solo comp worth getting? how is it set up? Are the Grant/Robert songs mixed together to create a virtual Go-Betweens record or are they separate?

The Grant stuff is in chronological order and offers no surprises; Robert's is mixed up. In this context I'm underwhelmed, funnily enough.

"I've Been Looking For Somebody" -- wow.

The perfect Sunday evening record.

http://medicine-opera.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/James-Joyce.jpg

James Joyce!

Mick Harvey's Bad Seeds vibe is all over this record. I'd love to hear Nick Cave sing the title track or "I've Been Looking For Somebody".

this record is perfect

yes. it's sort of the best Nick Cave record he never wrote

It's a great album, <3 Robert F.

One of my favourites ever since I first heard it. It's weird though cause I never considered Nick Cave as a reference point - I heard Jeffrey Lee Pierce, particularly on 'Leave Here Satisfied'.

cd + vinyl reissue: https://www.facebook.com/needlemythology/posts/805158853290281?comment_id=805751293231037¬if_id=1578475493981747¬if_t=feed_comment

Way overdue for both those albums.

don't think i've ever come across either of these on vinyl before — might have to shell out for 'em.

Ouch, can't afford £46 for both special editions right now :(

The remastered version of Danger in the Past has just arrived and sounds good (on CD, at least).