| Author | Message | ||
     Jeff Whiteaker Unregistered guest |
So, around the beginning of this year, I had this serious epiphany with Calling From a Country Phone. I had always dismissed it as mediocre. For years I couldn't get into it, keeping it only for "Baby Stones" and "The Circle." In fact, the CD had been given to me by a friend who didn't like it either, and who himself had received it for free by someone else who hated it. So anyway, I had this sudden epiphany and realized this album is absolutely stunning, and easily Forster's best post-16LL work, perhaps rivaled only by Danger in the Past. I want to be quiet, Cat's Life, Girl to a World, Drop, Beyond Their Law, etc... all just amazingly well-crafted, mature pop songs. Why I couldn't take this in for so many years is utterly perplexing. I mean I can't, for the life of me, figure out what the fuck I was thinking. But all I can say is that I love it when this happens. It's like suddenly finding a new record that absolutely floors you. Was listening to it earlier and had to share this. Anyone else experience something similar with Country Phone? | ||
| John Unregistered guest |
I expect to pick up Country Phone from the post office this weekend, so I'll be listening with extra interest after Jeff's message. | ||
| Padraig Collins Unregistered guest |
Jeff, glad you've come around to the Church of Country Phone (I believe you are already a worshipper at the Church of Tallulah). I'm pretty sure loved it from the first time I heard it. I got the cassette version in a three-for-five-pounds deal (can't recall what the other two tapes were) in Waterford city, south-east Ireland and listened to it on the bus journey back to Dublin. I loved the adultness of it, even though I was still a student myself. It was about grown-up life in a far more obvious way than most albums I loved up to that point were. Maybe by grown-up I mean life as lived in one's 30s, rather than life as lived in your 20s. Does anyone else agree with this assessment? Or vehemently disagree? | ||
| Jeff Whiteaker Member Username: Jeff_whiteaker Post Number: 1 Registered: 10-2004 |
padraig, i agree with you on that point. i mean, certainly with this album, it was done at a point when he finally had time to actually reflect on life in his 30s. And "The Circle," in particular, strikes me as a reaction to something I imagine a lot of people fall into during their 20s. but i would further that and add that part of the reason why it appeals to me now at 29, and why it didn't when i was 20, is simply due to my ever increasingly eclectic tastes and open mindedness towards music in general. there are some stylistic tendencies here that i probably wasn't quite ready for at the angst ridden age of 20, but now seem perfectly natural. There's a mature borrowing of slightly more trad rock and country influences on country phone, which is partly what may have initially put me off. But it's done in such a sophisticated, pop savvy way, that I suppose my coming around to it was inevitable. | ||
| todd slater Unregistered guest |
I have always thought that this record was/is seriously underrated. I bought it upon release over ten years ago now in Australia and listened to it constantly, at the time. Forster played a small number of shows which were great, ably supported by a very good band. I revisted this record earlier this year playing it whilst driving to South Australia for work. I can only concur with the above comments, being ten years older myself gave me an even greater appreciation of this record now. There are so many subtle touches on this album. The boogie woogie piano, country stylings, and beautiful guitar pieces, to name but a few. I've always thought this the best of Robert's solo records, the lightness to 'Danger in the Past' darkness, so to speak. The songs sound fresher than ever now, and have that wonderful quality of a certain timelessness about them. I think above all it reflects a time or place in one's life that shows contenment and maturity. A great album, that maybe one day will get the accolades it deserves. | ||
| david nichols Member Username: David Post Number: 19 Registered: 09-2004 |
For what it's worth CFACP is my favourite of RF's solo records, too. I have nothing else to say about it though. | ||
| Dusty Unregistered guest |
Maybe I've yet to have the 'epiphany' - I really like parts of CFACF (e.g. Falling Star & Drop) but find it's a bit patchy in places (e.g. Cat's Life & Beyond their Law). For me, Danger in the Past is absolutely incredible - just love it's melodrama and darkness. Jonathan, please could you use your persuasive powers to get this remasterd and re-released as a double. | ||
| Padraig Collins Unregistered guest |
I love Beyond Their Law, Dusty. Don't hold your breath for a double CD version of DITP. I doubt very much that there is anything of note of Robert's solo stuff left in the can. | ||
| Peter Azzopardi Member Username: Pete Post Number: 11 Registered: 09-2004 |
When I listen to CFACP I can't get my head around the fact that that's David McCormack playing lead guitar. And very well, too. My band supported him a couple of years ago in Geelong and he dug my lead playing which, because of this album, I appreciated. A beautiful record. I think this is probably the best of Forster's solo albums. I love "Danger" but I never listen to it anymore. All four are patchy. "I Had a new York Girlfriend" I probably listen to the most though, maybe a few times a year and has turned me on to some great songwriters. | ||
| Dusty Unregistered guest |
No, I know I was joking really - it would have to be a second disc containing just 'The Land that time forgot'. | ||
| fsh Unregistered guest |
From memory of reading article/interview or something - all that was recorded during the Danger in the Past sessions was the tracks that appeared on the LP, 'the land that time forgot' which appeared as a b-side on 'baby stones' 7" give-away single, and an earlier gothicy version of 'falling star' that was unfinished. Knowing RF's propensity to knock out new tunes, this probably doesn't come as any great surprise. | ||
| gareth Unregistered guest |
They could do a remastered version of 'Warm Nights' too but instead of another disk of extra stuff they could go the opposite way and remove about 7 of the tracks and leave us with a great EP. Future generations will not have to endure the re-recording of 'Rock and Roll Friend'. Have any remastered cd's ever gone with less tracks than the original a la the directors cut of 'Alien'? | ||
| Duncan H Unregistered guest |
CFACF is my fave solo Rob record too. An obvious candidate for the remastered shortened album is "Horsebreaker Star". | ||
| Matthew Unregistered guest |
I think the Queensland backing band Forster assembled - known collectively as COW at the time - is responsible for this very good album's off-the-cuff feeling; a laconic, Brisbane charm more peculiar here than on any other Forster record. And the songs, the songs! My favourite, yes. | ||
| David Fitzpatrick Member Username: Fitzer Post Number: 1 Registered: 10-2004 |
There are a few audio files of 'early versions' of some songs from CFACP out there. 121 is on the Baby You Know website. There are some other RF tracks there too. http://www.babyyouknow.de/2/download.htm |