16 Lovers Lane
by The Go-Betweens

From VictorVale 07/14/2023 19:17 | #298120

Positivamente surpreendido, grande álbum!

A harmless record which is pretty decent but never really exceeds that level on any track but it does make for a smooth relaxing listen. It is simplistic yet enjoyable as you don't have to take the music so seriously and you can tell that the group is just trying to make a chilled out atmosphere for us to experience. This is a perfect record to put on in the background as it won't distract you and will still keep you entertained. I think this is much needed in music as not all records have to be the greatest of all time, they just need to show you a good time for 30 to 40 minutes and leave you feeling happy. It does feel like the record lacks substance but I think they know that and that isn't what they were trying to create. Overall, an easy going collection of love songs which is simple but always leaves me satisfied after listening.

From Jboy56 02/19/2022 12:03 | #281527

A great album from down under, recommended.

This was what I needed at the moment. Nothing too spectacular or groundbreaking, I suspect I will have forgotten all about this in a week or two, but while it was on, it was highly enjoyable. A lovely little collection of romantic super catchy pop songs with Clouds and Quiet Heart being the ones that stood out. There was a period of time where I would be excited about this kind of album and would play it non-stop ( I wanna say about a decade ago, not 100% sure, maybe a bit more).

From buzzdainer 11/15/2020 18:09 | #260856

Australian jangle pop legends the Go-Betweens really just had this one great album. Everything else they've done has felt patchy to me. I think what makes 16 Lovers Lane such a success is its simplicity and unity of vision: heavy on mellow guitars, light on synths, and jam-packed with the poetry of their native Queensland. The end result is an album emotionally split somewhere between the giddy pleasure of a newfound crush and unabashed heartbreak.

I have to confess to having heard people talk about the Go-betweens since I was a teen, but never listened to them. Not sure why. So when I gave this a go, I found a collection of good, original songs, but nothing more. Nice.

I hear a lot of Television in the vocals and even Men at Work can be traced. Strong pop collection. Not my cup of tea these days but still in my top 20. Based on 3 listens.

From planetneutral 01/20/2018 14:47 | #206042

Certainly an improvement over the last album and ultimately quite good.

From Onater 01/12/2018 23:45 | #205326

Why are all the track ratings on this so low? Normally only interludes and tracks that are actually offensively bad get as low as 73, but that's the average for The Devil's Eye, and Love Goes On, the best song on the album, only has a 77.

The Go-Betweens had been quietly releasing some very good albums throughout the 1980s, but 16 Lovers Lane is their peak; it features their strongest lineup instrumentally, with new member John Wilsteed officially the bass player but adding lots of guitar parts, and producer Mark Wallis adding an ornate sheen. The album also contains Forster’s most accessible set of songs and McLennan’s most consistent set.