Search - Go-Betweens :: Bellavista Terrace: Best of the Go-Betweens

It's ALL true...

Maybe Later Thanks | NYC, USA | 12/07/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Both those reviews that conclude "mediocre" and those who gush "transcendent" are right on the mark. I bought their old singles CD (alas, no longer printed), listened to it a couple of times, and put it at the top of my pile of CD's to sell immediately. I reconsidered at the music shop, listened to it again at home, and within two months it had become one of my five favorite albums ever, by anyone, bar none. The songs are sweet, sparse, don't really go much of anywhere. As such they do very little to reward the excited anticipation most of us feel when listening to a new disc. Thing is, their vision of the world -- ultimately pretty bleak, but at least full of little curiousities that are half-redeeming -- is, well, right. Listen to it enough, brow furrowed, head cocked, wondering what exactly they thought they were doing making such a record, and eventually this becomes clear. It's a little eerie, frankly, but get there and you'll absolutely adore them for it. I give it only four stars because it's tough sledding the first couple of listens and because this collection leaves out "Two Step, Step Down," which is easy to warm to and enduringly super, as well as some choice gems from the earlier singles collection, including "Dusty in Here" and a few others I all-too dimly remember. [Darn] ex-girlfriend, she wouldn't part with it."

Great music that deserved a wider audience

Erik Vitols | San Antonio, TX | 01/31/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I actually heard more about the group than actually heard their music. With all the rave reviews, I figured they were worth hunting down. After listening to this compilation, I'm intrigued by some of their other albums. The Go Betweens have a great, breezy, intelligent pop-rock sound, a bit like the Church in fact. My favorites here are 'Streets of Your Town', 'Dive For Your Memory' and 'Draining the Pool For You'; the rest of the CD is great as well. As for people upset with the artist's 'egotistical' liner notes; it looks to me the artist was simply proud of the music and was justifiably upset being passed over by lesser lights. Nothing wrong with that attitude; maybe if other groups had it, the dreck would disappear. This CD is highly recommended for those who want to escape 80's mush. It gets quite a bit of attention when I play it. Now if only the powers that be would reissue '16 Lovers Lane' in the U.S. ..."

The best band Australia has produced - this is the proof!

Erik Vitols | 10/20/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Whilst dedicated Go-Between fans will know all these tracks, this collection is a great introduction to those who claim, "I know this one" when "Streets of your Town" is played on the radio. The Go-Betweens are certainly deserving of further exploration. "Bachelor Kisses", "Bye Bye Pride", "Right Here", "Cattle and Cane" and "Was There Anything I Could Do" still sound wonderful today and should all have been commercial successes at the time. The addition of hidden track "Lee Remick" is a nice touch for those who have the remainder of this "best of" on other albumns. Lets hope that this is the start of a Go-Betweens rennaissance and that positive albumn sales might convince Rob and Grant to get back together. The Australian music scene surely hasn't been the same since their premature parting."