When Grant McLennan died suddenly of a heart attack at age 48 on May 6, 2006, he left behind more than his family and thousands of grieving fans. He also left a close friend of thirty years - songwriting foil and Go-Betweens bandmate Robert Forster. McLennan's death ended one of the greatest literate, expressive pop groups in modern history, and forced Forster back to the solo career he'd pursued from 1989-2000, the 11 years the band was defunct. Forster's first LP after the demise of his lifelong pal couldn't help but be raw and emotional, shot full of poetic poignancy.

Sure enough, The Evangelist fits that expectation. It's everything and more of what you'd anticipate, expertly and finely rendered. Though the album takes the time at the start (the forlorn opener "If it Rains") and at the end (the crushing, wounded piano-weeper "From Ghost Town") to somberly mark McLennan's passing, in between The Evangelist is celebrating that life rather than mourning it. It's a eulogy of appreciation rather than an interment dirge. In embracing all that his former friend meant to him, Forster has not only made his finest solo LP since 1990's Danger in the Past, but has made one that reverberates with the joy and sweetness of his best recordings. It's full of simple, less-is-more, redacted guitar pop songs born of melodic sureness, the spice of lyrical sincerity and an immense depth of feeling. It also includes a trio of songs that represent the last fruits of Forster and McLennan's collaboration - one of which, "Let Your Light In, Babe," is peppy enough to have been from the Monkees' catalog. Quite simply, it's one of 2008's best albums thus far.

The level of Forster's regard for his fallen comrade remains palpable. And he's justifiably proud of his new work, expressing a small level of astonishment over the album and how "From Ghost Town" in particular felt guided by an unseen hand. But The Evangelist is also the deliberate work of a wizened veteran who knew instantly what he wanted to achieve at this juncture of his life.

Forster kindly took time out of a recent New York promo visit, all the way from his native Brisbane, Australia, to tweak his label's exaggerated claims about his alleged reluctance to ever record again (read on), and to otherwise discuss his moving new work. He met up with eMusic contributor and Big Takeover founder Jack Rabid over tea at SoHo's Housing Works Bookstore Cafe.

This year is the 30th Anniversary of the start of your career in the Go-Betweens.

It is, 30 years this year! [Jack whistles] I know, I know. Everyone says this, but it’s gone by very quickly. And it doesn't really feel like this large white hole, do you know what I mean? I haven't gotten any large patches of it that I disown. It all feels quite one story, one line.

In fact, the last time I interviewed you was for Warm Nights, your last solo album, 12 years ago. Long time.

Right. The Evangelist is an unexpected solo album, given the circumstances and 12 years.

You may never have made another one, for all you knew...

That's entirely true, yes.

How did this all set in motion? Your press release said it was touch-and-go about whether you were ever going to make another record ever. If so, what made up your mind? What was the door opening?

No, no! I was always going to make an album. It was always my intent. Look, Jack, if even just to get out the Grant songs on the record - he and I were playing those songs. I wanted to make a record if only to get those three out to the world. "Demon Days," "Let Your Light In, Babe," and "It Ain't Easy." They're the three that he had the music and the choruses to, and I've written the lyrics to, except the first five lines of "Demon Days" are his. The only thing is, I probably made the record a year earlier than what I thought it would be. Besides that, I always wanted to record. I knew I'd record, I just had to find my way out of the shock and the grief.

So there wasn’t any doubt in your mind that you would?

No, not a second.

To read the rest of the interview, click the link below.