That Striped Sunlight Sound (DVD plus audio CD)

The Go-Betweens | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 7, 2006)
• Original Release Date: 2006
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Yep Roc Records
• ASIN: B000CS45CY
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #160,126 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Black Mule

2. Clouds

3. Boundary Rider

4. Born To A Family

5. Streets Of Your Town

6. Here Comes A City

7. Draining The Pool For You

8. Finding You

9. Spring Rain

10. Was There Anything I Could Do?

See all 27 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. Black Mule

2. Clouds

3. Boundary Rider

4. Born To A Family

5. Streets Of Your Town

6. Here Comes A City

7. Draining The Pool For You

8. Finding You

9. Spring Rain

10. Was There Anything I Could Do?

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Like REM, Brisbane, Australia's Go-Betweens established a huge early-1980s reputation as kings of intelligent jangle pop. And if critical praise were commercial currency, then the Go-Betweens would, in fact, be bigger than REM. But co-leaders Robert Forster and Grant McLennan never found fame commensurate with their songwriting, disbanding for the 1990s and then cutting three peerless albums since 2001. In May, 2006, though, McLennan suddenly died -- on the heels of this career-spanning live set, a CD/DVD combo that unabashedly shows off the band's offhand genius. The DVD captures 16-songs from Brisbane's Tivoli, along with 10 additional live acoustic Forster and McLennan duets. Then, the accompanying CD features the first 16-song live set, veering from heartfelt acoustic duos of "Black Mule" and "Clouds" to 14 full-band tunes that are unerringly wonderful. Clear-toned guitars, spare rhythm accompaniment, and simply brilliant writing mark every song, from the mellowest to the most urgent (McLennan's "Was There Anything I Could Do"). The band equally emphasizes their final studio album, Oceans Apart, and their original 1988 swan song, 16 Lovers Lane, with four tracks from each. Then they range back to their late-70s early days with "People Saying" and "Karen," bouncy and then menacing, covering an emotional range the band made their own until McLennan's tragic passing. You should know this band. --Andrew Bartlett

Product Description

A wonderful DVD/CD package. The DVD is comprised of a concert recording of a full band electric show, titled "Live at the Tivoli", recorded on 6/8/05 in the bands hometown of Brisbane, Australia. Also included is an intimate acoustic set from songwriters Grant McLennan and Robert Forster, telling the stories behind the songs and providing a bit of history and context along the way.

The CD comprises the entirety of the "Live at the Tivoli" concert.

An essential purchase for both the newcomer and die-hard alike, as it beautifully douments one of modern musics best ever bands.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars this is hardcore, February 7, 2006

By 

Boxodreams "[e-mail]" (district of columbia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: That Striped Sunlight Sound (DVD plus audio CD) (Audio CD)

The reason robert forster never became a big star, like, say, bryan ferry with a preference for wearing a sweater under his jacket, is that he wouldn't put the guitar down. this nod to mundane craft, and, with his playing style, anti-glamor, however, gave a fullness, mental toughness and far more complex structure to the go-betweens. because robert's guitar was there in the service of his songs, which, fortunately for us, he liked so much, he wanted to actually play rather than front. And that's how this great band grew up. "That striped sunlight sound" is, much more so than the early singles VHS tape, the ultimate go-betweens document. the tour this past summer showcased a wonderfully organic, seriously working band, fully engaged and fully in belief of the goodness of their sound. The kinetic rawboned beauty of their Lindy Morrison days has been traded for a more professionally textured but no less truthful live sound. far better than the stilted, slightly embalmed 'live at the barbican' set for sale at their shows and cherry picked for a bonus CD inside the Oceans Apart album. 'That striped sunlight sound' is exactly how you would want the best go-betweens concert ever to sound.
The acoustic singles section is a nice cubist history of the band, told in the quiet of an empty living room with two guitars. The two, showing their years, do some lovely work in tandem in this part, which shines through despite grant's tight voice and dry mouth. A nice valentine to the hardcore, and it's heartening to see the best songs still have the ability to take their breath away. They sometimes sigh in awe and wonder at their own performances. A small section of garbage that follows best would have been left out, what with talk tangentally equating the go-betweens with god, or something like that. one false move in a veneer of wonder, intelligence and gentleness, the last which Grant says is the future of the band. that and some songs for an upcoming episode of the 'OC.' Honest workers, indeed.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Veritable Bonanza...., February 16, 2006

By 

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

This review is from: That Striped Sunlight Sound (DVD plus audio CD) (Audio CD)

...of wonderful stuff...

First, you have the Tivoli footage, done with their current touring and recording ensemble, featuring (the very evocatively named) Adele Pickvance on bass, and Glenn Thompson on drums - they both sing, as well...They are a quite capable rhythm section and add some great backing vocals. What's more is they add a certain chemistry - you can tell GM and RF are having a blast with them up on stage. As a rhythm section, they handle all the GB's catalog quite well, with the lone exception of "Spring Rain" - they don't quite get the Creedence-y swing of the original, it's a little off...

Highlights of the Tivoli set include "Clouds", done as a simple duet, with the added treat of a verse from Dylan's "Love minus zero" neatly folded in..."Streets of your town", beautiful and heartfelt, with a nifty solo by RF and GM counting down in German (unlike Bono, Grant is able to count correctly in a foreign language)..."Boundary Rider", the best song from "Oceans Apart", simply and lovingly reproduced, with lovely backing vocals from Ms. Pickvance....and, "Surfing Magazines", maybe a slight song, but a real concert highlight - you'll find yourself humming the chorus for days after watching this....An Audio CD reprises all the performances of the DVD - nice to have for the car, etc...

But the biggest treat of all in the package is the "Acoustic Stories" segment, wherein Grant and Robert assay many classics from their catalog in acoustic format, and along the way, provide all kinds of juicy background detail about them. No band, no "voltage enhancement" - just two voices and guitars.
It's all sublimely wonderful, but my favorites from this set are the achingly beautiful, hymn-like "Bachelor Kisses" and the epic, majestic "Dive for Your Memory"...the heights of awe-inspiring, jangly beauty these two reach here have been attained by very few, if indeed, any....

If you're a stone, hardcore fan, like me, or just getting into the GBs, this is pretty indispensable either way.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars RIP Grant McLennan, May 9, 2006

By 

Danby (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: That Striped Sunlight Sound (DVD plus audio CD) (Audio CD)

I bought this DVD yesterday, inspired to do so by the untimely death on May 6th of Grant McLennan. The DVD of concert material recorded last year is great - as mentioned by the other reviewers. The extra material of Grant and Robert playing their guitars and singing quietly in the front room of a house, is very nice, interesting to hear the stories behind each album and each song that they perform, but with added poignancy now that McLennan has passed away so young. He will be remembered for the bitter sweet lyrics and the wistful tunes that he gave us. Buy this DVD and you will have a lovely tribute to the band and a live recording captured recently (and they were in fine form).