Robert Forster – Let me imagine you (Tapete Records)

1996 and ex-Go Between Robert Forster releases his fourth solo album recorded with old friend and recently crowned king of the world Edwyn Collins. (Famously beer drinkers in a Cork bar danced to his monster smash ‘A girl like you’ while the man himself played virtually unnoticed with his band in the venue at the back.)

Warm nights is my own personal favourite from his solo output, another killer combination of wry songcraft and rock n roll stance with a beautiful warm sound palette.

A first listen to the upcoming new album Songs to play suggests a return to this palette and how welcome it is.

First single ‘Let me imagine you’ has a familiar up front acoustic guitar figure with lovely supple backing from Scott Bromley and Luke McDonald of The John Steel Singers and Forster’s touring drummer Matt Piele, including a beautiful Blonde on Blonde-ish organ.

In fact, there might be more in that Blonde on Blonde hint in terms of the album as a whole. Songs which feature the singer’s persona or versions of. Songwriting adorned with deception and playfulness and enduring tunes.

“Please don’t twitter
Let me imagine you”

A compelling return to form.



*This album trailer gives a good indication of the serious/hilarious high wire act that Forster pulls off in his songwriting. Effortlessly and every day of his life it seems. (And appropriately, among the potential album titles mentioned in the trailer is Warm nights 2.)