B-Side Guys

The Go-Betweens

The Go-Betweens’s albums, ranked by what the critics we trust thought of each one. 8 have a B-Side Breakdown, averaging 81 (Keeper). See the discography in release order.

What is The Go-Betweens’ best album?

By the critics, it’s Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express (1986), with a B-Side Breakdown of 86 (Heavy Rotation) from 10 reviews. 90% of them liked it.

Next best: Oceans Apart (83) and 16 Lovers Lane (83). Lowest rated: The Friends of Rachel Worth (77).

The Go-Betweens albums ranked

Best to worst by B-Side Breakdown.

  1. 1. Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express (1986): 86 Heavy Rotation
  2. 2. Oceans Apart (2005): 83 Keeper
  3. 3. 16 Lovers Lane (1988): 83 Keeper
  4. 4. Spring Hill Fair (1984): 83 Keeper
  5. 5. Tallulah (1987): 81 Keeper
  6. 6. Bright Yellow Bright Orange (2003): 78 Keeper
  7. 7. Before Hollywood (1983): 78 Keeper
  8. 8. The Friends of Rachel Worth (2000): 77 Keeper

The Go-Betweens discography, in release order

The earliest here78Before Hollywood, 1983The critics' favorite86Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express, 1986The latest83Oceans Apart, 2005. 5 points above Before Hollywood.

The career, by Breakdown

Every The Go-Betweens album with a B-Side Breakdown, in release order. Above the dashed line, most critics liked it.

6010070likedBefore Hollywood (1983): 78781983Spring Hill Fair (1984): 83831984Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express (1986): 86861986Tallulah (1987): 8181198716 Lovers Lane (1988): 83831988The Friends of Rachel Worth (2000): 77772000Bright Yellow Bright Orange (2003): 78782003Oceans Apart (2005): 83832005

Every The Go-Betweens studio album, oldest first. One doesn't have a Breakdown yet; it gets one once three critics' reviews turn up.

  1. 1981Send Me a LullabyNo Breakdown yet
  2. 1983Album cover for Before Hollywood by The Go-BetweensBefore Hollywood78 Keeper
  3. 1984Album cover for Spring Hill Fair by The Go-BetweensSpring Hill Fair83 Keeper
  4. 1986Album cover for Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express by The Go-BetweensLiberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express86 Heavy Rotation
  5. 1987Album cover for Tallulah by The Go-BetweensTallulah81 Keeper
  6. 1988Album cover for 16 Lovers Lane by The Go-Betweens16 Lovers Lane83 Keeper
  7. 2000Album cover for The Friends of Rachel Worth by The Go-BetweensThe Friends of Rachel Worth77 Keeper
  8. 2003Album cover for Bright Yellow Bright Orange by The Go-BetweensBright Yellow Bright Orange78 Keeper
  9. 2005Album cover for Oceans Apart by The Go-BetweensOceans Apart83 Keeper

Which critics love The Go-Betweens, and which don’t

Each outlet’s scores set against the other critics on the same albums. Outlets that scored at least 3 The Go-Betweens albums.

Warmest on The Go-BetweensThe Guardian15 points above the other critics, on average, across 3 albums.Coolest on The Go-BetweensThe Rolling Stone Album Guide19 points below the other critics, on average, across 4 albums.Warmed up over timeSelect12 points below the other critics in its reviews from 1996, 7 points above from 1996–2006.Cooled off over timeNME9 points above the other critics in its reviews from 1996, 14 points below from 2006.

Outlet by outlet

Average points above or below the other critics. Tap an outlet for its scores album by album.

The Guardian3 albums+15
  1. The Friends of Rachel Worth 200080 vs 76 from 8 others +4
  2. Bright Yellow Bright Orange 2003100 vs 76 from 9 others +24
  3. Oceans Apart 2005100 vs 81 from 9 others +19

All The Guardian reviews

Uncut7 albums+8
  1. Before Hollywood 198390 vs 76 from 8 others +14
  2. Spring Hill Fair 198480 vs 83 from 8 others −3
  3. Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express 1986100 vs 84 from 9 others +16
  4. 16 Lovers Lane 1988100 vs 81 from 8 others +19
  5. The Friends of Rachel Worth 200090 vs 75 from 8 others +15
  6. Bright Yellow Bright Orange 200380 vs 78 from 9 others +2
  7. Oceans Apart 200580 vs 84 from 9 others −4

All Uncut reviews

Mojo4 albums+8
  1. Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express 198680 vs 86 from 9 others −6
  2. Tallulah 198780 vs 82 from 8 others −2
  3. 16 Lovers Lane 1988100 vs 81 from 8 others +19
  4. Oceans Apart 2005100 vs 81 from 9 others +19

All Mojo reviews

Robert Christgau7 albums+4
  1. Before Hollywood 198375 vs 78 from 8 others −3
  2. Spring Hill Fair 198493 vs 81 from 8 others +12
  3. Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express 198685 vs 86 from 9 others −1
  4. Tallulah 198793 vs 80 from 8 others +13
  5. 16 Lovers Lane 198885 vs 83 from 8 others +3
  6. Bright Yellow Bright Orange 200375 vs 79 from 9 others −4
  7. Oceans Apart 200593 vs 82 from 9 others +11

All Robert Christgau reviews

Entertainment Weekly5 albums+3
  1. Before Hollywood 198385 vs 77 from 8 others +8
  2. Spring Hill Fair 198493 vs 81 from 8 others +12
  3. The Friends of Rachel Worth 200075 vs 77 from 8 others −2
  4. Bright Yellow Bright Orange 200375 vs 79 from 9 others −4
  5. Oceans Apart 200585 vs 83 from 9 others +2

All Entertainment Weekly reviews

Blender5 albums+2
  1. Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express 198680 vs 86 from 9 others −6
  2. Tallulah 1987100 vs 79 from 8 others +21
  3. 16 Lovers Lane 198880 vs 83 from 8 others −3
  4. Bright Yellow Bright Orange 200380 vs 78 from 9 others +2
  5. Oceans Apart 200580 vs 84 from 9 others −4

All Blender reviews

AllMusic8 albums+2
  1. Before Hollywood 198390 vs 76 from 8 others +14
  2. Spring Hill Fair 198480 vs 83 from 8 others −3
  3. Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express 198690 vs 85 from 9 others +5
  4. Tallulah 198770 vs 83 from 8 others −13
  5. 16 Lovers Lane 1988100 vs 81 from 8 others +19
  6. The Friends of Rachel Worth 200070 vs 78 from 8 others −8
  7. Bright Yellow Bright Orange 200380 vs 78 from 9 others +2
  8. Oceans Apart 200580 vs 84 from 9 others −4

All AllMusic reviews

Spin3 albums+1
  1. The Friends of Rachel Worth 200080 vs 76 from 8 others +4
  2. Bright Yellow Bright Orange 200385 vs 78 from 9 others +7
  3. Oceans Apart 200575 vs 84 from 9 others −9

All Spin reviews

Q4 albums0
  1. Before Hollywood 198380 vs 78 from 8 others +3
  2. Spring Hill Fair 198480 vs 83 from 8 others −3
  3. 16 Lovers Lane 198880 vs 83 from 8 others −3
  4. Bright Yellow Bright Orange 200380 vs 78 from 9 others +2

All Q reviews

NME5 albums−1
  1. Before Hollywood 198380 vs 78 from 8 others +3
  2. Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express 1986100 vs 84 from 9 others +16
  3. Tallulah 198780 vs 82 from 8 others −2
  4. 16 Lovers Lane 198860 vs 86 from 8 others −26
  5. The Friends of Rachel Worth 200080 vs 76 from 8 others +4

All NME reviews

Spin Alternative Record Guide4 albums−2
  1. Before Hollywood 198380 vs 78 from 8 others +3
  2. Spring Hill Fair 198480 vs 83 from 8 others −3
  3. Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express 198680 vs 86 from 9 others −6
  4. Tallulah 198780 vs 82 from 8 others −2

All Spin Alternative Record Guide reviews

Select4 albums−2
  1. Before Hollywood 198360 vs 80 from 8 others −20
  2. Spring Hill Fair 198480 vs 83 from 8 others −3
  3. Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express 1986100 vs 84 from 9 others +16
  4. Tallulah 198780 vs 82 from 8 others −2

All Select reviews

PopMatters3 albums−4
  1. Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express 198680 vs 86 from 9 others −6
  2. Tallulah 198780 vs 82 from 8 others −2
  3. 16 Lovers Lane 198880 vs 83 from 8 others −3

All PopMatters reviews

Pitchfork3 albums−13
  1. The Friends of Rachel Worth 200065 vs 78 from 8 others −13
  2. Bright Yellow Bright Orange 200369 vs 79 from 9 others −10
  3. Oceans Apart 200570 vs 85 from 9 others −15

All Pitchfork reviews

Rolling Stone4 albums−17
  1. 16 Lovers Lane 198860 vs 86 from 8 others −26
  2. The Friends of Rachel Worth 200070 vs 78 from 8 others −8
  3. Bright Yellow Bright Orange 200360 vs 80 from 9 others −20
  4. Oceans Apart 200570 vs 85 from 9 others −15

All Rolling Stone reviews

The Rolling Stone Album Guide4 albums−19
  1. Before Hollywood 198360 vs 80 from 8 others −20
  2. Spring Hill Fair 198470 vs 84 from 8 others −14
  3. Liberty Belle and the Black Diamond Express 198660 vs 88 from 9 others −28
  4. Tallulah 198770 vs 83 from 8 others −13

All The Rolling Stone Album Guide reviews

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