Robert Forster “Inferno” (Tapete). Former frontman of the Australian band The Go-Betweens returns with a new solo album 13 years after the untimely death of his Go-Betweens partner and best friend, Grant McLennan. He’s very much an acquired taste, but lyric-driven songs that seem tuneless on the surface are the ones you find yourself humming later. This is Forster’s 7th solo album and is filled with presence and warmth missing from his last outing. This effort was produced by Victor Van Vugt (Nick Cave, Beth Orton). Standout track: “I’m Gonna Tell It.”
Son Volt “Union” (Transmit Sound). This latest release from Jay Farrar and his band finds him taking a demonstrative stance and confronting our current political climate. Throughout most of these tracks, Mr. Farrar is channeling Woody Guthrie with a focus on the current state of our nation. “While Rome Burns” starts off the album with a strong portrait of our current national division: “The interstates connect more than divide / free will can only survive,” he lays out in the chorus. On the song “Lady Liberty” he sings, “Lady Liberty, are you here?” with references to the hopes and dreams many of us once shared. Standout tracks: “While Rome Burns,” “Lady Liberty,” and “The 99.”