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Robert Forster: The Evangelist

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

Release date: 26 April 2008 (EMI)
What a scary album title. Thankfully, the album is not so bad. There's a rather interesting story attached to this review. The first time it was put into my CD player, it was with incredible caution, based solely on the title of the album, The Evangelist. This first listen was met with a 'what the hell is this rubbish?!' response, and so the album went to the bottom of the pile and a romance with The Audreys was struck up instead. The second listen was only brief, to try and write this review again, and was met with the same reaction (quite literally as the first). The listens that are actually generating this review, however, are different.

Whether it's due to being nearly 2am or having lost the initial shock of the album title, Robert Forster's latest little gem - a primarily acoustic adventure - is quite appealing. It's soft and supple, while retaining that rough-around-the-edges Australianism that people like. It almost has a country feel to it (Demon Days, for example), but the dominant feel is a tribute to honesty in a way that sounds like Leonard Cohen. That's an unfair comparison, but that's how it is.

This album is beautifully presented, but has a few bad spots. The rock style doesn't quite work, so songs like Pandanus stand out as not-quite-right. However the folk-inspired, poetic and simple tunes like If it Rains, Let Your Light in, Babe and Don't Touch Anything are what this album is all about. Forster himself says that "this album is supposed to be stripped back, acoustic and honest" (or something along those lines). Time will show whether this album has a lasting impact, so ignore the title and have a listen - you may just enjoy it.

Tracks:
1. If It Rains
2. Demon Days
3. Pandanus
4. Did She Overtake You?
5. The Evangelist
6. Let Your Light in, Babe
7. A Place to Hide Away
8. Don't Touch Anything
9. It Ain't Easy
10. From Ghost Town

Vincent Giles, June 2008