With barely a handful of chart hits to show for their two decades in the music business, it's clear that the Go-Betweens are unlikely to ever become global superstars. More importantly, however, the eighth album from the laconic Australian duo shows their romantic brand of guitar pop still sounding as beguiling as ever. Since going solo didn't work out for either Grant McClellan or Robert Forster, they've clearly decided that they're stuck with each other - and on the evidence of Bright Yellow Bright Orange we should be glad they did. A collection of quirky character sketches, smalltown stories and earnest love songs, it's shot through with the pair's trademark vocal harmonies and unerring ear for a catchy melody. In short, anyone fed up waiting for the next Travis or Teenage Fanclub album will find this a more than acceptable substitute. At times the Go-Betweens make it sound almost too easy, and you can't help wondering if they're a little too unassuming for their own good. But with music as enjoyable as this, criticism seems churlish - best just to sit back and enjoy it instead.

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