Robert Forster - The Candle And The Flame
Rezension
Die Ausnahmeklasse von Robert Forster ist nicht in Frage zu stellen, was auch dieses neue, mittlerweile achte Soloalbum beweist. Aufgenommen wurde mit Freunden wie der ehemaligen Go-Betweens-Bassistin Adele Pickvance und Familienmitgliedern wie Sohn Louis (The Goon Sax), Tochter Loretta (Bass) und Gattin Karin Bäumler (Co-Vocals), deren Kampf gegen den Krebs im Opener „She's A Fighter“ gleich geradlinig und kraftvoll besungen wird. Im Weiteren höre ich typische Forster-Songpreziosen mit eleganten Melodien und eingängigen Hooklines, zumeist getragen von einer warmen Melancholie. Die Instrumentierung ist bodenständig und angenehm konservativ, mit akustischen und elektrischen Gitarren (einmal auch Violine), oft auch Forster allein mit der Akustischen. Die neuen Songs sind wie gewohnt klassischer Robert Forster, getragen von Ruhe und Gelassenheit, rund und harmonisch beim Hören meint man sofort, sie alle bereits zu kennen. Das macht ihm niemand nach, ebenso diesen prägnanten, präzisen, weichen und doch fesselnden Gesang kurz: Robert Forster ist und bleibt einer der größten lebenden Songwriter und beweist dies mit jeden neuen Album. (Joe Whirlypop)
Review
Acclaimed Australian singer songwriter Robert Forster announces his 8th solo album 'The Candle And The Flame' to be released on Friday 3rd February 2023. It's an album for Forster that has taken a very different path in creating than his previous works. The first single is titled 'She's A Fighter'. It reveals only part of what became a journey of creating music with family and friends with a need to find joy and solace in the face of adversity. Robert explains: “'She's A Fighter' is the last song I wrote for 'The Candle And The Flame' album. I wrote the music for it in June 2021. I liked the tune and the quick energy of the song, but I didn't know yet what it was going to be about. In early July, Karin Bäumler, my wife and musical companion for thirty-two years, received a cancer diagnosis. In late July, with a series of chemotherapy sessions about to begin, Karin talked of fighting for her health and a path through chemotherapy to recovery. The phrase, 'She's A Fighter' came to me. I liked it. And I knew immediately that it would work with my new melody. I needed just one other line for the lyric. 'Fighting for good.' The song was finished. I had written my first two-line song. I had just out-Ramoned The Ramones! Because the song has so much meaning to us, we decided to record it as a family. The only time this happens on the album. Karin sings and plays xylophone. Our daughter Loretta plays electric guitar. Our son Louis plays guitar, bass and percussion. And I strum an acoustic guitar fiercely and sing. And that's 'She's a Fighter'.” That coming together musically as a family is captured in the video for 'She's A Fighter'. “The video was shot in the same studio (Alchemix Studios, Brisbane) as the album was recorded in. So there is continuity,” Forster said. “And the way the four of sit in a circle playing, is very much how we recorded 'She's A Fighter' and other tracks on the album.”
'The Candle And The Flame' consists of 9 songs written by Robert. Produced by Robert, Karin Bäumler and Louis Forster (The Goon Sax), the album was mixed by Victor Van Vugt (Nick Cave and The Bad Seeds, PJ Harvey) and features former Go-Betweens and Warm Nights bass player Adele Pickvance as well as Scott Bromiley and Luke McDonald (The John Steele Singers), who worked on Robert's 'Inferno' and 'Songs To Play' albums. “The recording sessions for the album were done sporadically over six months. Sometimes just one or two days a month. As that was all Karin's strength and condition allowed her to do. So we had to record 'live', catching magical moments and going for 'feel'. And that became the sound of the album.” says Robert. Robert Forster is planning shows both in Australia and abroad in 2023 with dates to be announced soon. He is currently writing a novel and preparing the release of Volume 3 of The Go-Betweens Boxset series, 'G Stands For Go-Betweens.
Tracklisting
Tracklist:< |
>1. She's A Fighter < |
>2. Tender Years < |
>3. It's Only Poison < |
>4. The Roads < |
>5. I Don't Do Drugs I Do Time < |
>6. Always < |
>7. There's A Reason To Live < |
>8. Go Free < |
>9. When I Was A Young Man |
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