In a never-ending cycle of collecting music, I bought the five-disc album collection from The Go-Betweens based solely on their reputation. Even though this is now the sixth album of Robert Forster music that I have in my (online) collection, this is the first one I’ve ever listened to. Inferno is the man’s seventh solo album and is a noted favourite of Andy Greenwald’s.
Forster looks dapper with a great outlook on life, subtly uplifting and spiritual. “I know what it’s like to be ignored forgotten” he sings on “Remain” where the lyrics recall James Clear’s lessons of doing great work in obscurity. To a flamenco tune, “Life Has Turned A Page” sees a family growing old where the breezy “I’ll Look After You” focuses on supporting each other in a relationship. “Inferno (Brisbane in the Summer)” is a fiery track about the increasing heat in Australia that is burning up the country.
After the youthful punk energy of Fontaines D.C., coming to this album is a complete 180. “The Morning” is a reflection on waking up to the warming sun after a scary dream, both grateful and reflective. At five minutes, last track “One Bird In The Sky” is almost epic about “eat only what I eat and breathe what I breathe”. Clocking in at 35 minutes, Forster has created a musical short story collection about growing older and accepting who you are in this ridiculous world.
8.5/10
The Light Appears 