The Go-Betweens - Tallulah - Vinyl LP Record

In 1987, my then girlfriend (later wife) lived in a block of flats where there was a particularly brutal murder. To paraphrase '2541' (a R Forster fave) she moved in the very next day. 'Tallulah' was the soundtrack to the start of our relationship and 'Right here' was on continuous rotation. Understandably, I feel very connected to this record but it deserves more the handwaving away it received at the time. Granted it contains the one song that Mclennan disowned 'Cut it Out', it still has some of their most curious , wistful and spirited songs. The opening lines of 'Spirit of the Vampyre' alone should sell it - 'I was slowly dying in clinic just outside of LA/ You came and saw me/ thank you/ that picked me up right way' High camp and low expectations permeate a clutch of Forster's best story-songs including 'Clarke sisters' and 'The House jack Kerouac built' Mclennan is typically longing and melodic. His songs evoking doomed affairs , ('Someone else's wife') and doomed teenage Rasputins in a heat so hot it melts your will to live. ('Bye Bye Pride'). Yes it has the cannon shot drums of the 80's, the over compressed guitars and waaaay too many synths (well actually only on 'Right Here') but the songs are so good they push past the fire works. During the first part of their career the Go-B's seemed to have had on/off success with production. This LP, purportedly, is one of the 'off' moments. It isn't. The band's own low view of the record was undoubtedly coloured by a false start when the producer Craig Leon blew most of the budget on 'Right Here' forcing them to record the rest quickly in a less than premier surroundings. Nevertheless, the songs shine through. Give it several listens - it can take a while to 'get'. And you don't have someone murdered in your apartment block to enjoy it.

Was really excited when Bondi Records were one of the first to stock these Go-Betweens reissues in Australia. Fast delivery and even before the release date!