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

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I thought Danger In The Past had a naff cover shot (he looks like a "tasteful" yuppie) until I saw Calling From A Country Phone...

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?

hank (hank s), Monday, 22 May 2006 18:12 (seventeen years ago) link

I love "Warm Nights" and "I Can Do" - I think Robert's flat, dull vocals are part of the draw here...

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.)

dave's good arm (facsimile) (dave225.3), Monday, 22 May 2006 18:56 (seventeen years ago) link

It's a great album, one of my favourites.
However, there is one really clunky note; that "as I breath your deadly wind" line, from the one making an analogy between a poisonous relationship and environmental pollution, 'Justice' I think. Hard to keep a straight face.

Bidfurd (Bidfurd), Monday, 22 May 2006 20:10 (seventeen years ago) link

Being able to sing 'Heart out to tender, I came along with my Beard' makes me very happy though. oh the roffles.

Bidfurd (Bidfurd), Monday, 22 May 2006 20:13 (seventeen years ago) link

Grant McLennan (9-94):

"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?

Carlos Keith (Buck_Wilde), Monday, 22 May 2006 20:17 (seventeen years ago) link

However, there is one really clunky note; that "as I breathe your deadly wind" line
But redeemed by "You stuck a knife in our side - is this what you call change?" Come on!

dave's good arm (facsimile) (dave225.3), Monday, 22 May 2006 20:34 (seventeen years ago) link

I think "Warm Nights" is his best record - I especially like "Loneliness," which would be my nomination for the best solo Go-Betweens tune. "Jug Of Wine" is great too, and the whole record's loony. But I love that Edwyn Collins / Vic Godard sound that gave spawn to the record.

Dee Xtrovert (dee dee), Monday, 22 May 2006 20:43 (seventeen years ago) link

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.

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.

Alfred, Lord Sotosyn (Alfred Soto), Monday, 22 May 2006 20:50 (seventeen years ago) link

one year passes...

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

Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 19 June 2007 19:03 (sixteen years ago) link

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?

tylerw, Tuesday, 19 June 2007 19:18 (sixteen years ago) link

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

Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 19 June 2007 19:23 (sixteen years ago) link

one year passes...

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

Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Wednesday, 7 January 2009 02:19 (fifteen years ago) link

one year passes...

The perfect Sunday evening record.

Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 1 March 2010 03:31 (fourteen years ago) link

one year passes...

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

James Joyce!

nerve_pylon, Sunday, 10 April 2011 03:29 (thirteen years ago) link

seven years pass...

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".

Gerald McBoing-Boing, Friday, 5 October 2018 02:45 (five years ago) link

this record is perfect

You like queer? I like queer. Still like queer. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 5 October 2018 02:46 (five years ago) link

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

nostormo, Friday, 5 October 2018 09:23 (five years ago) link

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

Zach Same (Tom D.), Friday, 5 October 2018 11:20 (five years ago) link

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'.

whitehallunity, Friday, 5 October 2018 12:16 (five years ago) link

one year passes...

Way overdue for both those albums.

Ned Raggett, Wednesday, 8 January 2020 17:20 (four years ago) link

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

tylerw, Wednesday, 8 January 2020 17:30 (four years ago) link

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

PaulTMA, Wednesday, 8 January 2020 20:26 (four years ago) link

two months pass...

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

Portsmouth Bubblejet, Sunday, 5 April 2020 14:10 (four years ago) link


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