The Candle And The Flame is Robert Forster's latest solo album, the songs were written during the last three years and the meaning of some of them has changed since finding out his wife and partner Karin Baumler has ovarian cancer. As well as one song now being a posthumous tribute to Tom Verlaine, even though he was very much still with us when the album was recorded and the bulk of this review was written. The album was recorded in Brisbane mainly played live as a band in the studio, although this is mainly semi acoustic it certainly has that live feel. The band on this album is mainly Roberts family and a few close friends and trusted musicians.
The album opens with She's A Fighter with a fast strummed acoustic guitar and Xylophone Robert insists She's A Fighter for good. This was recorded with his whole family playing on it, this is the only song on the album written after his wife Karin Baumler's cancer diagnosis, they play it as a rousing song of hope for her in her battle.
Tender Years is a slow song of memory and love for all the things you've done together, as he can't imagine living without her, this is fully imbued with tender feeling.
It's Only Poison may have been written before Karin's diagnosis, but the lyrics almost feel like Robert had an intuition of something bad coming down the track, this is gently strummed and listening while I'm recovering from an shoulder operation to stop the poison leaking from my shoulder it hits home for me too.
The Roads is a sparse strummed song of The Roads travelled, who you might find at the end of the trail, as this wends its way through Germany, the violin sounds almost like the wind whistling through a slightly ajar window as you speed along.
I Don't Do Drugs I Do Time feels like an old-time folk song, full of advice for all the time you spend together with the only drug Robert needs, his great love Karin, a greater high than any drug he could have taken.
Always is a song about moving forwards and Always wanting to keep going this has more of a band feel to it, with some nice backing vocals. This is perfect drive time gentle indie pop.
There's A Reason is a song about finding an old gig ticket in your pocket and it bringing back all sorts of memories, spurring you on to go to more gigs and do more things, live life fully.
Go For It is more gentle persuasion to Go For it and not just sit back and miss out, while singing about an old melody he plays an old familiar melody.
The album closes with When I Was A Young Man is reflective looking at what was like as a young Go-Between setting out on the long road of a career that he can't believe is still going, with a nod or two to his "brothers" David and Lou as well as a tip of the hat to Tom as well as he is referencing the influence David Bowie, Lou Reed, David Byrne and Tom Verlaine, although Robert never uses any surnames. Listening to this again after tom has gone makes this an even more poignant closing song.
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