Robert Forster Announces New Album, ‘The Candle And The Flame'; Shares New Single

Beloved singer-songwriter and founder of The Go-Betweens Robert Forster has announced that his 8th album, The Candle And The Flame, will be released on 3 February 2023, and has released a new single, She's A Fighter. 

Forster followed a very different path for an album that became extremely personal.

"In early July last year, Karin Bäumler, my wife and musical companion for thirty-two years was diagnosed with a confronting case of ovarian cancer. It was a time of shock and grief, and that same month, she embarked on a regime of chemotherapy treatment," Forster wrote in a revealing Facebook post.

"One night, when sitting cross-legged on the couch, after we had played a song, Karin looked up from her xylophone and said, 'When we play music, is the only time I forget I have cancer.' That was a big moment," he continued. Many friends in Brisbane supported the couple, with former Go-Betweens and Warm Nights bass player, Adele Pickvance, bringing meals to the house. One night, Forster asked her to bring a bass guitar and amplifier, and they played songs together.

"With a challenging year behind her, Karin is feeling strong and positive now and she can't wait for our music to go out of our house and into the world. It may seem strange making an album in these circumstances, and looking back, we really don't know how we did it, but we do know that it helped us just so much as a family. It was done in drops and gave us this other reality we could live in. Something that music is great in giving."

Forster concluded the post by writing: "The album is called The Candle And The Flame. We hope you will enjoy it!"

Listen to She's A Fighter below.