Spring Hill Fair [Enhanced, Original recording remastered, Import]

The Go-Betweens | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 9, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Enhanced, Original recording remastered, Import
• Label: 3d Japan
• ASIN: B00006F1Y1
• Also Available in: Audio CD
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,864,882 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Bachelor Kisses

2. Five Words

3. The Old Way Out

4. You've Never Lived

5. Part Company

6. Slow, Slow Music

7. Draining the Pool for You

8. River of Money

9. Unkind and Unwise

10. Man O' Sand to Girl O' Sea

Disc: 2

1. Emperor's Courtesan

2. Rare Breed

3. Newton Told Me

4. Just Right for Him [Live]

5. Attraction

6. The Power That I Now Have

7. Second Hand Furniture

8. Marco Polo Jr.

9. Sweet Tasting Hours

10. Unkind and Unwise [Instrumental]

See all 11 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Stunning remastered 2 CD set featuring a 10 track bonus disc of previously unreleased material 'Emperor's Courtesan', 'Rare Breed', 'Newton Told Me', 'Just Right For Him', 'Attraction', 'The Power That I Now Have', 'Second-Hand Furniture', Marco Polo Jr.' --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A lost classic, August 27, 2007

By 

Lypo Suck (Hades, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spring Hill Fair & Rarities (Reis) (Audio CD)

This was the first Go-Betweens record to feature dapper bassist Robert Vickers - with bassist/singer Grant McLennan switching to guitar - giving the Go-Betweens a dual guitar line-up, thus increasing melodic possibilities and filling out their overall sound. Here was a significant change since previously, Go-Betweens songs were distinctive for odd yet lovely interwoven melodic exchanges between bass and guitar. With Grant now playing much of the lead guitar parts, the songs show greater sophistication with more complex and fuller arrangements, not to mention greater attention is given to how melodies play off each other harmonically.

Right from the start you can hear this newfound sophistication with Grant's mellifluous, airy "Bachelor Kisses." "5 Words" features deceptively simple and pretty, melodic acoustic guitar parts harmonizing uniquely with an electric lead to form a catchy, sharp pop tune. And Forster's deeply moving yet oblique break-up ballad "Part Company" features some of the most beautiful guitar interplay the group ever recorded. The shimmering, lilting gem "Unkind and Unwise" (one of McLennan's all time best) is a throwback to their more rhythmically disjointed "Cattle and Cane" days (kudos to Lindy Morrison's inventive drumming).

A few songs rock out with wild abandon: Forster's "You've Never Lived" and "Man 'O Sand to Girl 'O Sea" (the latter being an inferior re-make of the same fierce tune previously released on 7") are terse, bitter, post-punk/pop gems, with a more angularly melodic feel. Other songs take a more experimental route with mixed success: McLennan's cool "Slow Slow Music" sounds like a cross between Gene Loves Jezebel and Aztec Camera, while his Birthday Party-esque "River of Money" features spoken-word over fuzzed out guitar feedback (and unfortunately disrupts the flow of the record).

This is a finely crafted, invigorating, challenging record, and while it may not be quite as consistent as "Liberty Belle," it runs a close second. Also, this CD may have the best bonus disc of all the 2-disc reissues, as there seemed to be a wealth of quality b-sides and interesting unreleased demos from this period, making this particular version well worth seeking out.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You've never lived...., March 1, 2006

By 

Travis Dubya McGee Bickle "elitist duffer" (Texas Quail Hunting Camp) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Spring Hill Fair & Rarities (Reis) (Audio CD)

...if you haven't heard this disc...It happening to be a very cool example of the GoBs particular genius and magnificence...This catches them just as they were transitioning out of the more punky, angular style of the first two proper albums into something more lush, produced...Evidence of this softening of rough edges and more sophisticated songwriting is apparent in such all time GoBs classics contained herein as the moving and unsentimental break-up ballad, "Part Company" and the spectral, lovely "Bachelor Kisses".

Having said that, there are still some attudinal, punky, FU touches here as well: the rude kiss-off, "You've Never Lived", the cynical world-weary wisdom of "Slow Slow Music" and the extremely experimental (for the GoBs) feedback-laced opus, "River of Money"...Oh, and there's also the Forster LA noir cum Melbourne classic, his version of "Positively Fourth Street", "Draining the Pool for You"....What can I say? As ever, these magnificent bastids rule.

And don't forget GM's helpful advice: you'll get hurt if you play with crooks....

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Like you needed another reason to buy this CD!, March 26, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Spring Hill Fair & Rarities (Reis) (Audio CD)

As if Spring Hill Fair weren't reason enough to buy this...you also get the bonus CD with lots of extras. The bonus CD contains a lot of great rarities. Some outtakes, a rare instrumental track ( where did that come from?), a B-side, and a track from the 1978-1990 best of thats no longer available here. Normally this extra stuff is marginalia at best and not worth the extra cash, but not this time. You get some great new songs that stand up next to any of their best. If you don't already have Spring Hill Fair then this is an offer you can't refuse. If you already have it then the bonus disc is really worth the extra money. "Newton told me" is already my favorite. Did I forget to mention the video of Bachelor kisses.