The Go Betweens - Liberty Belle And The Black Diamond Express
Our Price: $270.57
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Buy Used: from $35.93 (click here)
Category: Music CD
See more new music releases
Buy this Music CD at online store in your country
Canadian Music Store
Canadian Music Store
Music CD Cover
Artist: The Go BetweensEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 2011-09-26
Music Label: Beggars Banquet
Soundtracks:
- Spring Rain
- The Ghost And The Black Hat
- The Wrong Road
- To Reach Me
- Twin Layers Of Lightning
- In The Core Of A Flame
- Head Full Of Steam
- Bow Down
- Palm Sunday (On Board The S.S. Within)
- Apology Accepted
Free Music Notes for Liberty Belle And The Black Diamond Express
Free Music Review: The Go-Betweens' Masterpiece
Hit: 5 Stars
Out of the staggeringly original and beautiful body of work the Go-Betweens released, Liberty Belle stands as my favorite. Capturing the band in peak form, Liberty Belle displays in spades Robert Forster and Grant McLennan's knack for creating catchy, distinctive, adventurous, and deeply moving pop tunes. Both singer/guitarist/songwriters are writing to their strengths here, resulting in a highly consistent and cohesive album.
The songs are first rate. Hooks and melodies abound, both infectiously catchy and attractively understated. Forster and McLennan's jangly acoustic and shimmery electric guitars (along with Robert Vickers' thoughtfully melodic bass) interweave beautifully to create harmonically rich but deceptively simple melodies. Further fleshing out each song's melodic potential are the sophisticated and often spine-tingling arrangements of multi-instrumentalist Dean B. Speedwell (aka Dean Broderick). In fact, it's Speedwell's versatile touch that lends the record so much of its alluring texture and charm: accordion on "The Ghost and the Black Hat," ghostly vibes on the gossamer, jazzy haze of "Twin Layers of Lightning" (one of Forster's best songs ever), deeply affecting string arrangements on "Bow Down" and "The Wrong Road," and rich, burbling Hammond organ pops up in several places. This mesmerizing combination of shimmering guitar melodies and complex, sometimes dramatic non-rock arrangements approaches the sophisticated sound of baroque pop bands like the Left Banke or Love.
The overall sound of the album is full, lush, organic, yet NOT polished or slick. It's got a touch of roughness around the edges, with the occasional jagged guitar part and drumming with a feel that defies click tracks. Save for a slightly jarring reverb effect on the drums, this suits the songs perfectly, giving them a more timeless quality, sans the aggressively 80s-styled production that plagued so many other albums from this period.
Liberty Belle maintains interest by remaining marvelously diverse. Alongside moodier, melancholy numbers like "Twin Layers" and "Bow Down," you've got infectious, upbeat, pop gems like the Forster-penned single "Head Full of Steam" and McLennan's swirling "Palm Sunday." Despite the varying moods and tempos, the songs work together wonderfully as a whole.
Lyrically, Forster and McLennan are in top form, exuding heartfelt, often ironic sentiments on adult feelings and situations. Dripping with sincerity, Forster pulls out lines like "These people are excited by their cars/I want surprises, just like spring rain" (from "Spring Rain"), while McLennan deftly melds dark imagery with upbeat lightness when he sings jauntily, "The grave-digger's work is almost done/a hole in the ground spits dirt at the sun" in "The Ghost and the Black Hat." Forster and McLennan display a mature poetic skill that is all too rare in much of today's pop music.
I can't recommend Liberty Belle enough, and it's the perfect place to start for neophytes. A must for anyone into new wave guitar-pop like the Smiths, Felt, early REM, Aztec Camera, etc.
Alternative Rock Music CDs
Music Genres
Top music charts in Alternative Rock Music CDs
Bouncing Souls - Maniacal LaughterRelease date: 1996-01-26; Music CD
Best price: $30.00
Blondie - Parallel LinesRelease date: 1994-07-29; Music CD
Best price: $397.77
Doors - L.A. WomanRelease date: 1993-04-09; Music CD
Best price: $199.99
Amon Duul - Phallus DeiRelease date: 1997-04-08; Music CD
Price in other shops:
Tangerine Dream - MelroseRelease date: 1990-10-02; Music CD
Best price: $74.98
Tangerine Dream - Private Music of Tangerine DreamRelease date: 1992-11-10; Music CD
Best price: $9.50
Price in other shops:
![Ska Explosion [VHS] Image](/images/Ska-Explosion-VHS-6303381014-X.jpg){kind=small}
Ska Explosion [VHS]Cleopatra; Release date: 1995-02-28; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $14.99
Price in other shops:
![Little Earthquakes [VHS] Image](/images/Little-Earthquakes-VHS-6302488664-X.jpg){kind=small}
Little Earthquakes [VHS]Atlantic / Wea; Release date: 1992-11-10; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Best price: $7.00
Price in other shops:
Exileby Geoffrey Oryema
Music CD
Best price: $4.95
![Louder Than Live [VHS] Image](/images/Louder-Than-Live-VHS-6301627865-X.jpg){kind=small}
Soundgarden - Louder Than Live [VHS]A&M Video; Release date: 1991-07-01; VHS Tape; VHS Video
Price in other shops:
Top Rated Albums
Go-Betweens - Friends of Rachel WorthRelease date: 2000-09-19; Music CD
Best price: $14.54
Price in other shops:
Grant Mclennan - Horsebreaker StarRelease date: 1995-02-28; Music CD
Best price: $9.95
Price in other shops:
Go Betweens - Bright Yellow Bright OrangeRelease date: 2003-02-18; Music CD
Best price: $23.50
Robert Forster - Warm NightsRelease date: 1996-09-10; Music CD
Best price: $14.07
Robert Forster - Danger in the PastRelease date: 1991-02-05; Music CD
Best price: $49.99
Grant Mclennan - In Your Bright RayRelease date: 1997-09-23; Music CD
Best price: $19.45
Price in other shops:
Go-Betweens - Oceans ApartRelease date: 2005-05-03; Music CD
Best price: $9.87
Price in other shops:
Go-Betweens - TallulahRelease date: 1996-06-04; Music CD
Best price: $26.91
Go Betweens - Before Hollywood (Bonus CD)Release date: 2006-08-21; Music CD
Best price: $23.98
Price in other shops:
Go Betweens - 16 Lovers Lane (Bonus CD)Release date: 2006-08-21; Music CD
Best price: $21.41
Price in other shops: