The Go-Betweens were already a good band well before they made Before
Hollywood, but this second album is what proved for many listeners that
they were great. For good reason -- both Robert Forster's and Grant McLennan's
singing sounds much more honestly theirs, finding their own voices, while
collectively the trio create a series of intricate, surprising melodies
and songs which balance past and present beautifully. Strange as it may
sound, the band's peers at this point could and did range from the Cure
(for both melancholic intensity and guitar -- check some of the electric
work on "Ask") to more obvious cohorts such as Orange Juice,
but the Go-Betweens already had their own identity firmly established.
For many the album's reputation rests on the presence of one song alone,
and understandably so: "Cattle and Cane." Arguably the band's
absolute highlight of its earliest years and one of the early-'80s' utter
classics, the combination of McLennan's nostalgia-laden but not soppy
lyric, his flat-out lovely singing and overdubbed backing vocals, and
the catchy, beautifully elegant acoustic/electric arrangement is simply
to die for. There are plenty of other songs that demonstrate the threesome's
collective strength. "Two Steps Step Out" is a prime example,
with sudden tempo shifts, from a more straightforward beat on the chorus
to the sudden breakdown on the brisk chorus, and McLennan's lovelorn lyric
and quietly impassioned singing making it an instant winner. Another McLennan
winner is "Dusty in Here," soft piano from Bernard Clarke adding
just enough to the spare but warm arrangement. Forster gets his own share
of memorable moments, not least of which is the title track, not to mention
the edgy, desperate "By Chance" and slightly calmer "On
My Block." Lindy Morrison's abilities as a drummer are similarly
improved, the at-times strident work of Send Me a Lullaby here replaced
with a good balance between impact and steady swing.
(by Ned Raggett, All Music Guide)