adriandenning.co.uk
Message Board
|
adriandenning.co.uk
Message Board
|
'Head Injuries' is typically considered one of Midnight Oil's early period masterpieces, second only to '10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1.' However, the LP is surprisingly uneven for how respected it is. If anything saves it from mediocrity, it's the sheer raw intensity of the performances and the uncompromising hard edge of the collective work -- easily the band's "heaviest" album to date. Unfortunately, though, about half of these songs sound like unfinished experiments, hastily tossing together arbitrary ideas. Moreover, some of these ideas are good, while others are half-baked (what on earth is that wretched, off-key falsetto screaming break at the end of "Stand in Line"?). The last three tracks in particular function as if you could pick them all apart and randomly compile the pieces into different songs that would not sound markedly distinct from their neighbors. Still, all of the material on 'Head Injuries' makes for catchy, somewhat interesting, hard-edged post punk, and the album is pretty fast-paced overall. While riff-rockers like "Back on the Borderline" and "No Reaction" prove that the Oils weren't quite as proficient at writing the singalong refrains they mastered on their later LPs, all of the "anthems" (get used to this word) are still fun and high-energy. The aforementioned songs are not bad; they just sound a tad generic when compared to, say, "Beds Are Burning" or "Power and the Passion." Honorable mention also goes out to side one's ominous closer "Koala Spirit," easily the best "experimental" job on here. Signs of that roughly compiled feel are still present, but there are no poor ideas to speak of -- the darkly bouncy verses, memorable chorus and synthy outro are all great.
The best tunes on 'Head Injuries' are, not surprisingly, the first three (this is a rare occasion in which I agree with the All Music Guide picks, by the way). "Cold Cold Change" is a mid-tempo power metal march with infectious guitar harmonies in the main riff; needless to say, it provides the perfect lead-off into the album. Does it really matter, then, that it sounds like Judas Priest? Next comes my personal favorite, "Section 5 (Bus to Bondi)," which has these stomping, gassed-up reggae verses and a moody chorus. The song is additionally highlighted by masterfully simplistic drumming from Rob Hirst. And I shant neglect mention of the chiming "Naked Flame," another successfully rainy rocker. Everyone can be heard really well in the mix on the record too, although the sound quality comes off as a little thin on songs like "Cold Cold Change" that would have benefited more from better engineering. (The production wasn't nearly as bad as it was on the follow-up album, though.) So, I find 'Head Injuries' to be unfocused, but it's sure fun to listen to. My anal side beckons me to rate it a little lower, but I'm giving it a full eight simply because I enjoy listening to it more than most of my other Oils CDs! Songwriting deficiencies aside, the integrity here is remarkable, and the album triumphs as a result.
Share Your Views?
Several fans are critical of this album because of its poor production, a serious folly that deprives 'Place Without a Postcard' of its potential to be a more highly regarded classic. Legendary producer Glyn Johns was brought in to oversee operations, so things should have improved considerably over the last LP; strangely, they did not. The sound quality on here is worse than it was on Head Injuries, coming off as thin and fuzzy in a lot of places. The most blatant displays of bad production lie in the songs "Brave Faces" and "Armistice Day." Both are potentially gripping anthemic numbers and live favorites -- no surprise, as both sound like prototypes of songs that were designed to be more effective in concert. But on here they just tap along in a feeble manner, and the listener has to pay close attention to uncover their inherent draws. The songwriting is a little better than it was on Head Injuries, but there are still some of those abrupt blazes of generic verses and a decent chorus that don't really fit together ("Basement Flat," "Loves on Sale").
Thus, rewarding 'Place Without a Postcard' an eight is a little risky, but I will maintain that the record works. Sure, the band expand on more conventional fronts like their forthright political lyrics -- "Armistice Day" is critical of media manipulation and "If Ned Kelly Was King" details how the boys' native Australia has fallen victim to tourism -- but this is hardly what makes the album worthwhile. The poor engineering does take the punch out of the two most accessible tracks I mentioned, but most of the material is more jagged anyway, so those confrontational rockers like "Someone Else to Blame" and "Ned Kelly" still end up sounding more exhilarating than they do hollow. Also, if I may be simplistic and cut to the chase for a moment, this stuff is just catchy, with more pronounced melodies than the previous LP had. "Don't Wanna Be the One" is kind of a dated new wave song, and those domineering keyboards and high-pitched heavy metal tom-tom fills sure sound cheesy; but what a ride! This might be the only song on the album with a good, fat mix (well, duh, it was the single). In addition to "Someone Else to Blame" and "Ned Kelly," "Written in the Heart" is another one of those tunes on here that steadily builds into an explosive refrain. But the finest creation of the lot is the dark closer "Lucky Country," which likewise contains a rousing melody, as well as an almost progressive, mini-epic structure.
No, not everything on 'Place Without a Postcard' is great. The three song suite on side two, consisting of "Quinella Holiday," "Loves on Sale" and "Ned Kelly," is certainly ambitious, but the first two tracks sound unfinished, with only their choruses being worthy of any mention. The worst song is the unbearably sludgy "Burnie" -- but even here, we may just have another production-related fluke, as that same song is produced as a calmly, pleasant acoustic piece on the band's 1992 live outing, Scream in Blue Live (it's only on the CD version of the live album, though, and it's unlisted). In all, 'Place Without a Postcard' is fast-paced like the previous LP, and the hooks on here are even more engaging. The album is choppy, but it coalesces into a hard-rocking little package nonetheless, and the scant production may be the only factor that holds it below nine status. An overlooked album with many high points; fans should not be deceived into avoiding it.
Share Your Views?
This album marked a tremendous leap forward for the band, both production-wise and in terms of songwriting. Here we have a briskly moving, melodic, creative, and utterly enjoyable set of ten songs. In addition, each song has its own unique structural beauty, with no two tracks sounding quite alike -- but the whole thing gels together brilliantly. The only downfalls are that the sound quality is a bit trebly and stale (particularly manifest in the drum tracks) and some of the songwriting is uneven (although not as bad as on the previous two albums). To be more specific on the second point, although all the songs are good, not all of them are as polished as they could have been. The best example of this is the awkward closer "Somebody's Trying to Tell Me Something," which has these driving, riff-heavy verses, but then goes into a terribly noisy refrain with goofy bass playing and strained vocals. Several fans also gripe about the album's centerpiece, the minute epic "Scream in Blue," with its dreamy, fast-paced intro that subsequently plunges into a comparatively dull piano ballad. However, this song is actually okay if you give it enough chances, and it happens to be an impressive conceptual piece about infidelity. The invigorating beginning represents the brief moment of intense pleasure, and the slower part symbolizes the uneasy periods of guilt and remorse that follow (I did not figure that out myself; I read it somewhere on the internet years ago). Most of these songs are stellar, of course, and they certainly represented Midnight Oil's best work at the time. The synthy, almost percussion-devoid "Outside World" is a surprisingly avant-garde way to start things off, but it's very effective. You might say that once you've heard the album all the way through at least one time, the song slowly burns in order to make you anticipate all of the politically-charged excitement that lies ahead (that's the effect that it has on me, anyway). "Read About It" and "U.S. Forces" are top-notch jangly rockers; all the noisy bashing away and screaming of "Only the Strong" is not quite as memorable, but still very good. "Tin Legs and Tin Mines" is a cool '50s-style dance number with a dissonant, politicized Oils twist. "Power and the Passion," their first big Aussie hit, is a catchy new wave song with an interesting drum solo in the middle. But my favorite cut on here would have to be the astonishing "Short Memory," mostly a winner because of its great chorus and gripping lyrics about Western Civilization's atrocities and failure to learn from history.
While '10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1' is not quite flawless enough to reach classic ten status, it comes awfully close in my opinion, and it's a sorely overlooked '80s masterpiece. It's also pretty indisputably the Oils' finest album, and probably the best place to start with the band. It's a difficult task to pin a quintessential Midnight Oil album, because the band have cut an awfully versatile stretch of LPs. But this one is the most representative of all their harder edged, pre-Diesel and Dust work. Plus, it just balances the band's envelope-pushing tendencies with their penchant for rip-roaring political anthems remarkably. By contrast, 'Diesel and Dust' only showcases the band at a brief period of commercial success that lasted a mere two albums (for the most part, the Oils experimented a lot in the '90s). So, if you have any passing interest in Midnight Oil whatsoever, this one is you're safest bet, believe it or not. Very highly recommended. Come to think of it, most people don't have a passing interest in Midnight Oil, except for anyone who reads this. And anyone reading this probably already has every Midnight Oil CD. But you know the point I'm trying to make.
Share Your Views?
This one has always been the big toss-up with fans. You see, it's easily the most experimental album from this perpetually experimenting outfit. So you love it or leave it. I'm partial to it, obviously, as reflected in the rating. But I am willing to admit to the record's flaws, most of which rest in an almost fatal amount of overly ambitious "epic" concoctions. A majority of these complex pieces are likable for some weird reason or another, but they still don't altogether work. For instance, "Jimmy Sharman's Boxers" has a powerful percussive backbone and a fitting, discordant refrain, but it's awfully repetitive, and it clumps along for over six minutes. "Harrisburg" has this "incompleteness" syndrome even worse, as its bleak verses, predictable chorus and silly sound effects never registered anything good in the first place. Then there are the two final tracks, "Bells and Horns in the Back of Beyond" and "Shipyards of New Zealand," both of which toy with some good ideas -- but they too were pieced together too rapidly, so they come off as cluttered and confusing. The former is basically a rewrite of "Scream in Blue," except for the order of the slow vocal part and the unusual instrumental section gets reversed. I actually enjoy the song (cool bells and accordion at the beginning!), although it still sounds rushed. As for the last song, it has some catchy parts, but talk about a structural disaster; just sort of bounces from one thing to the next, with no real purpose.
Everything else is good though. What work best of all may be the hard-hitting, anthemic rockers that the Oils improved upon with their last release, namely the two singles "Best of Both Worlds" and "Kosciusko." Aside from the hits, the "melodies" per se aren't all that memorable on this album. Fortunately, what render Red Sails in the Sunset a gem, at least in my book, are all of the engaging instrumental arrangements in so many of these songs, which more than compensate for lack of conventional pop hooks. Take, for example, the bridge to the song "Sleep" or the chorus of "Minutes to Midnight." Who needs another singalong refrain? These tunes just have these strumming grooves that are endlessly affecting. The off-key slide guitar in the chorus of the shuffling "Helps Me Helps You" poses yet another example of the band doing odd tricks with their instruments to catch you off guard. And who could forget the infamous opener "When the Generals Talk"? This song uses a dated, synthy, four-on-the-floor dance beat to winning effect by combining it with a gloomy institutional atmosphere (drummer Rob Hirst, a primary songwriter and lyricist for the band, actually sings this one). The result is one of the catchiest songs the Oils have ever recorded. Perhaps by accident, but I'm still not kidding.
Thus, 'Red Sails in the Sunset' is a superbly fun listen despite some considerable songwriting gaffes. After all, if a band knows how to experiment successfully, it's Midnight Oil. I know this isn't their best album, all things considered -- the lyrics this time are even more heavy-handed and humorless than usual, adding a further domain of unpleasantness -- but it's still one of my favorites from the band. Red Sails in the Sunset is sometimes regarded as a non-essential purchase, but it's certainly must-own for myself and other fans who love it. And you won't know for sure whether or not this is the album for you unless you check it out for yourselves, now, will you?
Share Your Views?
| Readers Comments pommy nikiburgess@aol.com I found it interesting to read the comments on the Midnight Oil albums. I guess what I have loved in the Oils early albums is the lack of overcooking. The songs are raw and feel more from a desire to be heard than to create popular music. The music is created in a kind of political grunginess seldom heard in artists. It is a feeling of true punk. Later albums like 10-1 onwards are well engineered, but they just do not feel personal enough. Pehaps its because you have a producer giving his own interpritation of the songs rather than letting the listener do that. The early albums make you feel that you know the band and you are there listening to them in the recording studio. Just in the same way that Species Deceased and Bird noises need to be played ultra loud to be appreciated. That way you get the feeling the band are there in your living room playing to you live. What also has struck me is how these albums date. Back in the late 80’s I would struggle to convince ! my friends to listen to five minutes of the first 3 albums. 20 years later and there is a renaissance in the songs. The same can be said for later albums. Ten years ago Diesel and Dust would not be getting played by me, but some of the songs feel so right just now. Later albums such as Redneck and Capricornia were great listening at the time of release, but will probably need another ten years for me to really start listening again. I guess what I am getting at is that Midnight Oil have not so much evolved in to something, but have diversified and changed direction through the years. Which is possibly part of there appeal. Production wise the albums feel right when they are released. Three years down the line of an album release they feel somewhat dated. Listen to it again a decade later and you realize that the album is a potential classic. I remember listening to the first Midnight Oil album and thinking it was hard to listen too. Only in later years can I come! back to it and really enjoy it. I have to disagree ! with you r comments of Jimmy Sharmens Boxers though. It is one of my top 5 favorite songs ever. The build up is intense that spills over in to a passionate rant. It really gives a feeling of the despair and subsequent rage that those aboriginal boxers must have been feeling. The drums feel like punches and Garrets word feel like your own inner rage. It could be another 6 minutes long in my opinion. All the darker albums have there lighter songs that stop the albums from becoming too hard to listen too. Back on the borderline, Used and abused, surfing with a spoon and basement flat all offer a rare youthfulness to the albums and are great songs. It’s a shame there will be no more. |
This is hardly worth mentioning, because it's a little difficult to find, the sound quality is rusty and uninteresting, and, for the obvious one, it only has four songs. Furthermore, the two most accessible tracks, "Progress" and "Hercules," both appear on the band's live album with superior recordings (a better-mixed version of the latter even shows up on the 1997 best of collection!). However, while this humble outing is not an essential purchase, I'm still going to say a few words about 'Species Deceases', because it's certainly not bad either -- in fact, the EP as a whole packs a lot of power, and all of these songs are rather smokin'.
"Progress" is more than likely the toughest kitten in the litter. The song delivers a ferocious anti-globalization sermon with a hammering down-beat and jangly guitar-strumming, and it's just really friggin' catchy to boot. Likewise, "Hercules" is an up-tempo kangaroo stampede with one of the Oils' most memorable refrains. Sadly, the faint engineering deprives these songs of their full force (but they're still very good listens). Next comes "Blossom and Blood," the conceptual chastisement of the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima (the EP was released on the 40th anniversary of the attack). The song makes for a wonderfully quirky album-centerpiece type of number, with its distorted punk verses, commanding chorus and ringing, guitar-honed bridge. The last song is "Pictures," which is notable more faceless than the others -- a surprise, considering it was the one made into a video! But even here, those crunchy, pounding verses are just irresistible. While 'Species Deceases' remains too short (it's 16 minutes!), under-produced and stylistically limited to be an absolutely necessary buy, I seriously doubt that fans will regret having tracked it down.
Share Your Views?
For starters, 'Diesel and Dust' is a tough one to rate with 100 percent accuracy, and this is one of the most difficult reviews I've ever made myself write. What I am getting at is that the album is so well produced that one could either rave it as the best Midnight Oil album ever or rally "sell-out" cries against it -- take your pick. On a completely objective plane, this late-'80s modern rock hit ranks as the most accomplished LP the band ever released. It's simply a masterwork of production, complex pop-structure and thematic unity -- every one of these songs is bonded by intelligent lyrics detailing the plight of Australian aborigines in the 1980s, or similarly leftist issues. The music is Midnight Oil's most richly textured and melodic to date, using everything from thrilling anthem formulas ("Dreamworld") to background orchestration ("Put Down That Weapon") with successful results all around. Indeed, as the Midnight Oil Anthem (tm) is concerned, many of these songs are fully mature, displaying the band at their songwriting peak. Resonant opuses like the mega-hit "Beds Are Burning," "Warakurna" and especially "The Dead Heart" are among their best ever.
So the album has soaring melodies, sophisticated compositions and extravagant production values. But now the question arises: Is this what Oils fans really crave? Where did the raw power go? What happened to all the neato experimental stuff? Well, these essential pieces of the Midnight Oil sound are still intact; but you would barely be able to tell from listening to 'Diesel and Dust', because they've been largely trimmed and glossed over by that shiny new production gild. Sure, "Beds Are Burning," bright and poppy as it is, sounds a bit atypical for a Top-40 single, incorporating odd touches like a pots-and-pans percussion break. But some of this is so mundane that it borders on adult contemporary ("Sell My Soul"). In sum, 'Diesel and Dust' comes off more as a really good adult alternative pop/rock album, and less as a true Midnight Oil record. This is problematic because 'Diesel and Dust' is the commercial breakthrough release, and as such it's the one most people, myself included, hear first. And is it really a good thing when the first album you hear by a band does not represent their overall sound all that well? I have had friends blow off this exceptional outfit just because they heard this album and were bored by it, and that's just not fair -- those same friends would not give the time of day to listen to creatively aggressive gems like 'Head Injuries' and '10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1', so they'll never know what they're missing. On top of that, Peter Garret's vocals are suspiciously more breathy and strained than usual, making him sound downright laughable in places. But that tall, bald, scary man can really belt out some seriously masculine, enraged vocals ("Someone Else to Blame"), as well as melodic, beautiful singing (the title track of 'Earth and Sun and Moon') if he wants to.
That's what's wrong with 'Diesel and Dust', that it sounds commercial and compromised for Midnight Oil. On the other hand, one could just as easily replace the words "commercial" and "compromised" with "accomplished" and "representative of growth." After all, what it really boils down to is that the band still cut another excellent record, even if they did decide to make their sound more accessible. Yeah, you could say that I still like this album, in spite of my criticisms. I have gone more ballistic over their older, edgier records, but I still can't deny credit to 'Diesel and Dust' for making me want more in the first place, which is what compelled me to pick up most of their earlier albums. This is a great LP, plain and simple, hence the high grade. As a matter of fact, I would have given this one a rating of a nine, except for side two is bogged down by the presence of three subsequently running tracks that are merely passable -- the bland "Whoah," generic rocker "Bullroarer" and "Sell My Soul." These songs are okay, but they're overproduced, and they practically sound boring when compared to Midnight Oil's usual standard. The worst song on the album is the drowsy "Artic World" on side one, although it's sandwiched by two masterpieces, so it's not all that bothersome. Therefore, in my overly analyzed opinion, 'Diesel and Dust' sits at a high eight. It definitely contains a pleasing amount of stellar songs, and it's one of the band's most consistent outings. If you're interested in checking out this band and you want the album with the hits on it, go ahead and start here -- a good conservative place to begin, even though '10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1' is better and a superior starting point for riskier souls
Share Your Views?
| Readers Comments Adrian Denning adrian@adriandenning.com One thing about having an eventually ( hopefully ) comprehensive record review site, is that you can't be familiar with every artist you may wish to be. I was pleased when John Schlegel offered to review Midnight Oil for me, and then intrigued when I found a copy of 'Diesel And Dust' in my brothers own CD collection. So of course, I gave it a listen. 'Beds Are Burning', to my knowledge, was the only UK hit single the group ever had. And, it's a fine song. Years later, hearing the REM song 'Orange Crush' I was reminded of Midnight Oil, so this one lone hit single must have had some impact on me. 'Put Down That Weapon', 'Dreamworld' - both clearly in the same ballpark as 'Beds Are Burning', the singer has a distinctive voice, always a plus. Hmmm! Not all the songs here are as melodic or developed as other songs here, 'Bullroarer' does absolutely nothing for me, for example, but i'd maybe give this an '8'. And maybe some day I'll pick up a few more Midnight Oil albums. So, that's good then, isn't it? |
This is never an easy thing for a fan to admit, but in retrospect, Midnight Oil seemed to complete their turn for the worse on this follow-up to 'Diesel and Dust'. While the 1987 album stands as one of the band's best today, and while it's every bit as solid as any of their earlier LPs, the Oils entered into a new, more commercialized phase with 'Diesel and Dust', and the exciting originality behind all of their older output never really surfaced again. Such resulting career fatigue is apparent on 'Blue Sky Mining', a pretty consistent but shockingly subdued album for Midnight Oil -- it sounds formulaic even compared to 'Diesel and Dust'. In fact, one might call this a less successful clone of the breakthrough album, a record that is noticeably loyal to the last album's winning formula. While 'Blue Sky Mining' contains more uplifting, anthemish singles, and the softer numbers are actually getting better, the band aren't really going out of their way to try anything new. In addition, the album has its share of dull filler-material, songs which are even drearier than most of the filler on 'Diesel and Dust'.
Don't get me wrong -- 'Blue Sky Mining' is a fine album in a number of ways. The production is excellent once again, and it displays seamless fluency in terms of being another melodic, mature set of alternative rock with a political mission. Plus, the song-for-song consistency is pretty good, like I said. As with the last one, this album offered three fresh hits to modern rock radio, all of considerably high quality. The strongest cut here is the opening semi-title track, a melodic but stamping rocker that builds up steadily throughout the song, ascending from a harmonica-augmented intro through oddly arranged verses and refrains, climaxing in a gorgeous, pleading bridge. The next-biggest single, "Forgotten Years," an exciting singalong anthem that warned not to take times of peace for granted, is another highlight; the lesser-known "King of the Mountain" is undeniably catchy, although it may come off as a little too happy-sounding for some preferences. "Stars of Warburton" is probably the strongest album track on here -- classic new-era Midnight Oil, complete with a tight rhythm and engagingly groovy jangle-guitar in yet another singable chorus. There are even some nice ballady songs this time around, and this is coming from a band that has in the past displayed noteworthy difficulties with composing slower numbers ("Burnie," "Artic World" and "Harrisburg" especially . . . yeeesh!!). "One Country" is a nicely orchestrated, acoustic guitar-led piece that features pleasant singing from Mr. Garrett and waits until the near end to reveal its beautiful chorus, with backing vocals that sound exactly like Mike Mills from R.E.M.! The Gloomy, atmospheric "Mountains of Burma" is very cool as well, using everything from eerie synth sounds, violins and a gut-wrenchingly trudging drum beat in its favor.
Good songs and focus aside, the album still has some problems that can't be ignored. As I alluded to earlier, the record as a whole is just kind of dull and uninteresting for Midnight Oil. Mid-tempo rockers and sleepy ballads constitute everything here. The lack of variety on this album becomes all the more apparent on some definite filler tracks, including the dismal environmentalist ballad "River Runs Red" and the slightly rocking love song (!) "Shakers and Movers," neither of which find a decent melody. Worse yet is the closer "Antarctica," the second in a series of bad Midnight Oil songs about cold places. Well, okay, I'm joking around a little here. But in all seriousness, "Antarctica" is a failed attempt to take a chilling lyrical idea (Antarctica is the only continent left on earth not corrupted by the spoils of human greed, and pun not intended) and make an effective song out of it. This track has a weaker melody than anything else on here, and it's just so slow and bland and dragging that it ends up sounding pointless. If I have but one more complaint about 'Blue Sky Mining' it's that the lyrics aren't as motivated as they were on the last album, rather bordering on ultra-preachy, off-putting 'Red Sails in the Sunset' territory. Even in the stunning "Mountains of Burma," the lyrics are pretentiously cerebral, as are the ones to "King of the Mountain"; conversely, "River Runs Red" is a bit obtuse, and "One Country" is merely a naive, utopian, "we are the world" fantasy. Nevertheless, 'Blue Sky Mining' isn't a bad album, and it's certainly worth picking up used, as I did. I especially recommend it to enthusiasts of 'Diesel and Dust', as it's an earnest, mostly successful attempt at recreating the polished adrenaline that the 1987 hit offered in droves.
Share Your Views?
This is not an abridged concert; rather, it's one of those so-called "live albums" that is pieced together with highlights taken from various shows, and the sound quality is surely tweaked so that everything will be listenable. However, the compilation actually succeeds at delivering as much of the Oils' live fury as possible into your front room speakers. What makes this album worthwhile is that even though you've heard all these songs before, the live recordings of so many of these cuts offer a new level of intensity not experienced in their studio versions. "Dreamworld," for example, is arguably better on here, revealing itself to be a speedy, crushing live rocker, and not necessarily just the melodic, well-produced standout from 'Diesel and Dust'. Then there are "Brave Faces" and "Progress," both of which have fuller and more energetic sounds than they do in their weak studio incarnations. Plus, you get concert-only treats like Peter Garrett's lengthy spoken-word intro to "Beds Are Burning" (that is, if you consider that a good thing) and a jagged version of the intoxicating first half of "Scream in Blue." Thus, 'Scream in Blue Live' brings something fresh to the table, offering more than merely a live best-of collection.
If there's any criticism to be made here, it rests in the choices of songs used. It's very random -- there are two songs from the meek (if groundbreaking) 'Species Deceases' EP, but nothing from 'Head Injuries' or 'Red Sails in the Sunset'. Four songs from 'Diesel And Dust' are featured, but only one from 'Blue Sky Mining'. The abundance of 'Diesel And Dust' material can be seen as especially troublesome, as the presence of the limp "Sell My Soul" between relatively restrained rockers like "Beds Are Burning" and the straightforward anthem "Sometimes" causes a noticeable dip in the power on side two. Relics like "Powderworks" (from the band's self-titled debut) and "Brave Faces" are welcome, but how come no hit single from the latest studio album? I know, I know. These are minor complaints, and we are wading in subjective waters. Truth be told, this is one of Midnight Oil's more enjoyable releases, and also a nice way to become acquainted with some of their lesser-known older songs. I feel a little guilty about giving a nine to a "live album" that does not concisely capture a single live show, but the overall momentum here is still very effective for what it's worth -- that is, a live album. Definitely worth checking out.
Share Your Views?
Okay, this is where all of my credibility as a rock critic goes flying out the window like a poodle being tossed out of a second story apartment by a crazed Hispanic entertainer. Granted, there's a pile of dead poodles on the ground the break the fall, but the dog will still probably not survive. Well, enthusiasts of this album can resent me all they want, but just know that I make no secret of my massive turnaround in opinion toward 'Earth And Sun And Moon'. You see, when I first bought this, nearly two years before writing this review, I was instantly taken in by it. About a year and a half ago, I left a favorable reader comment on Rich Bunnell's old Midnight Oil page on the now discontinued section of the Prindle site. I gave it a nine, in fact! To top that off, about nine months ago, I virtually duplicated that comment in response to Bunnell's newer review on Music Junkies Anonymous. My mistake? I should have taken the time to listen to the ENTIRE ALBUM again before commenting that second time! But this leads me to an important point about 'Earth And Sun And Moon': Side one is quite good, but side two shows the Oils tired and at a greater loss for ideas than they had ever been up to this point.
Basically, the album was an attempt by the band to return to their roots and "rock out" a little more, without the inclusion of all the synths and experimentation they had dabbled in, more or less, for ten years prior to these sessions. Technically speaking, the production here is actually the best ever on a Midnight Oil album. The loudly ringing guitars, warmly resonate organs and clanging drums all combine to create the fullest, most richly acoustic sound the band ever pulled off. The mix is perfect, and, due the the band's expertise as instrumentalists, the playing is tight but emotionally expressive at the same time. Peter Garrett's singing in particular is exceptionally beautiful on this record -- Just check out the title track and you'll know what I mean. Of course, these new feats in production are commendable, because the last studio album did not rock enough, and that "Antarctica" song was an experimental disaster. Yes, the band do experience some success here. Half of these songs, mostly comprising side one, feature superb melodies and interesting arrangements. Problem is, the production is very one-sided, with every song designed as a simple, catchy, mid-tempo rocker. And this does not work on every song. Okay, the songs differ somewhat in speed, and some tunes boast heavier playing than others, but everything still starts to sound the same by the uninspired second half. In sum, the perfect production and sublime skills of the band make some of these songs work, but as a whole, 'Earth And Sun And Moon' comes off as samey and exhausted.
Don't get me wrong. The album is good -- it's just absolutely nothing more than that. I would peg a six at around average, so this album is slightly above average. But I personally don't think it's VERY good, and it certainly isn't great. If you want to buy it, don't feel dissuaded -- it's easy to find used. Anyway, if you're an Oils fan, as I am, you are likely to find at LEAST half of the songs enjoyable (there are 11 songs on here, and I like exactly 5 1/2 of them). The best song is the unpredictable opener "Feeding Frenzy," which rocks steadily during the verses, but then explodes all over the place with various, singable choruses augmented by pounding drums and some eerie organ parts! Ah, forget it, I've never been able to offer a sound description of that song with the feeble English language. The love-hate national anthem "My Country" and insurrectionist's theme song "Truganini" are both rousing rockers at the Oils' most political; the former is highlighted by a deceptively simple, but very engaging, piano line. The mellow title track engages its listener with its dreamy atmosphere and beautiful singing, and "Renaissance Man" is funky, groovy, danceable, and all that jazz (Garrett raps in this song, and it's hardly even noticeable!). Unfortunately, those are only the first five songs on the album, and the only ones I really love. What about the other six? None of them are downright "bad," but they're all just kind of boring and nondescript. Well, "In the Valley" is actually very catchy, but it's also extremely sugary for a Midnight Oil song, so expect some cringe-worthiness (this is the 1/2 song I like). And it's the lone highlight of side two, I would say. Since I bought the CD, I'm not sure whether side two begins with "Bushfire" or "Drums of Heaven," but neither of those songs are that good. "Bushfire" is another groovy thing, but it's slower than "Renaissance Man," and the groove isn't ballsy enough to hide the lack of melody in this odd campfire song. I can never even remember how the other one goes after it's over. "Outbreak of Love"? Boooooorrrrriiiiinnnnggg!!! And ridiculously specific in the chorus ("This is the end of the beginning of the outbreak of love"). The last two songs? Well, the rock-quotient goes up here, and "Now or Never Land" has this cool bass intro, but they're still pretty generic throwaways. So, it's not a bad album, and the Oils make an earnest attempt to escape their creative rut. But they're still in their rut, and the whole product just doesn't register with me. Not anymore, at least.
Share Your Views?
Jiminy Cricket, these later-period Midnight Oil albums are hard to form an opinion of! As with the last one, 'Breathe' took considerable listens for me to realize my exact feelings toward, and for me to understand just WHY I felt the way I did (more of my patented over-analysis around the corner). I never liked this one as much as I used to enjoy 'Earth And Sun And Moon', and the reason for that is simple -- 'Breathe' is not an accessible album at all. But there was a short time when I thought I liked this disc more than 'Blue Sky Mining', and I've since retracted from that view, of course. 'Breathe' does have likable qualities, and it's not as mediocre as some fans would have you believe (at least, I'm guessing; it was a commercial flop). But in the end, I decided that the 1996 outing was about equally as average as its predecessor. Thing is, both albums are luke-warm for completely different reasons, so further explanation is necessary.
Whereas 'Earth And Sun And Moon' featured top-notch production values, this one was deliberately recorded to sound more rustic and earthy, and the end result was an album with a much more fluent overall feel than the last record had. There's no pretense to rock out and release singles here. 'Breathe' has an atmosphere if an album ever does -- it sounds consistently gritty, dark, and unpretentious all the way through. Buzzing organs, mellow electric guitars and fuzzy percussion all contribute to this unique soundscape. And, to an extent, this overall feel is captivating, even refreshing, after the tireless effort that obviously went into the predecessor. On the reverse side of the coin, 'Breathe' arguably has no standout tracks. Well, it DOES have standouts, but it lacks a single fiery anthem in Midnight Oil's tradition. There's NOTHING like "Feeding Frenzy," "My Country" or "Truganini" on here. That said, do keep in mind that such a bludgeoning rocker would feel very much out of place on 'Breathe'. The emphasis this time is on the collective whole, not on being a set of great anthems mixed with some very mediocre ones. And the whole contains enough relatively strong material to remain interesting, sometimes even pretty, throughout. Unfortunately, though, a good amount of this also sounds like filler, too much so for the experiment to really take off.
Perhaps 'Breathe' is somewhat enjoyable to listen to for its lengthy fifty minutes of play because the stronger tracks are cleverly dispersed throughout the album, with the filler stuffed between them (as I explained already, better-side-one syndrome was a huge problem on 'Earth And Sun And Moon'). It ends especially strong, with the smooth, emotional rocker "E-Beat" (this melodic gem may be my favorite song on the album), the subtle folk-rock of "Barest Degree," and the very subdued, grainy instrumental "Gravelrash" (a most appropriately titled song, I'd say). Other high points are "Underwater," the fuzzy rocker that opens the album (or maybe this one is my fave); "One Too Many Times," a pleasant country divvy with some nice acoustic guitar playing; and "Bring on the Change," a speedier, more rocking number with cool distorted bass-work. On the other hand, it's those slow, dreary rockers like "Common Ground" and "Star of Hope" that drag the album down a bit. Even "Surf's Up Tonight," the album's lead single, is just, well, dull. The awkward chorus of "Sins of Omission" and that atmospheric thingy "In the Rain," which barely passes for a song, also assure 'Breathe' to be an uneven listening experience. So, it has its ups and downs. Nevertheless, if you like Midnight Oil, the band churn out yet another average release in their later, aging state, and the end result is worth checking out, if only for how interesting this all is. And 'Breathe' succeeds at least that much -- it really IS a fascinating, atypical, moody divergence for the band. It's just that "fascinating" may or may not equal "good" . . .
Share Your Views?
Well, here it is, the inevitable Midnight Oil greatest hits album. It's no surprise this came out when it did, after the Oils' popularity had (certainly stateside) seriously plummeted with the mid-'90s releases 'Earth And Sun And Moon' and 'Breathe'. This compilation could not have been better timed, at least on behalf of the record company's intention to "cash in" on the band's former success. Heck, they even promoted what was then the forthcoming album, 'Redneck Wonderland', with two tracks featured from that release. So, as enjoyable as this collection is, one can't help but see it for what it truly is (I'm guessing), a last-ditch effort to revive Midnight Oil's popularity, which was unfairly lost in the overwhelming heap of '90s rock vomit ('Earth And Sun And Moon' and 'Breathe' weren't great albums, but "My Country," "Truganini" and "Underwater" should have been huge hits). Predictably, '20,000 Watt R.S.L.' is your one-stop shopping spot for all of the band's major 'Diesel and Dust' and 'Blue Sky Mining' singles. Fortunately, the collection is redeemed from being a total "sell-out" by gathering a pretty solid assortment of the band's earlier highlights as well. Therefore, the album is a decent career retrospective up to this point, including material from all of the band's prior releases except for the self-titled debut, the 'Bird Noises' EP and the fabulous live collection. Want my recommendation? No? Too bad. Midnight Oil's individual albums are well-worth owning, and you should buy them all if you like this band. But, if you're only willing to get one Oils CD, go ahead and pick this up. It does a fine job at combining all of the band's major radio hits with their singles from the early days, hence the relatively high rating. There's no denying that you get a helluva fine set of hard-rocking, super-catchy Midnight Oil anthems on here. Personally, I think this would have provided a better sampler of the band's progress if the track-listing were chronological, but one disc couldn't fit all of the songs necessary for a proper career retrospective of this band anyway. So if you take it for what the end result is, a singles collection, this is very good.
As far as the track selection goes, my complaints are minor. "One Country" is a good song, but it's awfully slow and it obviously doesn't belong on here. "Surf's up Tonight," in my opinion, is not a highlight from 'Breathe'; "Underwater" is also a single, and it's much better. With those pet peeves out of the way, the most common qualm that people are likely to have is the inclusion of the two 'Redneck Wonderland' tracks, "What Goes On" and "White Skin Black Heart." Whether you like these songs or not (I love "What Goes On") has little to do with the problem here. 'Redneck Wonderland' is Midnight Oil's least-representative album, a nearly complete departure from their usual sound -- these songs are complete techno/industrial alt-metal! Drum machines, noisy synth effects, muffled vocals, the whole package. Needless to say, the tracks are COMPLETELY out of place on a Midnight Oil compilation! Pure marketing, I tells ya'. However, all of the other songs are pure musical bliss. And, ya' know what? Upon recently reading over my Midnight Oil reviews, I discovered that, in the process of over-analyzing the overall sound of certain albums, I did not give some standout tracks their due mention. So, what a great opportunity to comment on some of Midnight Oil's highlights this turned out to be! Of course, you get "Beds Are Burning," Midnight Oil's best-known song, and one of the most uniquely stellar radio hits of the 1980s. Put on this CD and you won't have those commanding horns and that unforgettable chorus out of your head for awhile; unless you don't have a soul or something. "Dreamworld" is one of the best power pop songs EVER writ -- I mean, how could anyone not stand up and play air-guitar to that crying main riff?! And "The Dead Heart"? WOW!!! The chorus: "We follow in the steps of our ancestry, and that cannot be brooo-o-ken!!" Very true, and tragic, but a beautiful song. That orchestrated coda is incredible too. Oh, but let's not forget those early masterpieces either! "Best of Both Worlds" is freakin' INTENSE. Just play that for someone who has only heard 'Diesel and Dust', and watch his reaction. And "U.S. Forces"? Perfect build-up throughout the song, and another exhilarating, sing-along refrain. This one should have your foot tappin'. "Kosciusko"? This song is just astounding, every second of it. So, yeah, '20,000 Watt R.S.L.' is a worthy best-of album. It's hardly definitive, but it's an acceptable purchase if you're only going to spring for one Midnight Oil disc, in which case you suck. (Hee, hee, hee, hee . . .)
Share Your Views?
Wow. The outcome of this album is truly ironic. Midnight Oil attempt to revitalize their sound with aggressive playing common of heavy metal and embellishments of dancable "techno" music. Yet, strangely, the record is kind of dull. While 'Redneck Wonderland' is certainly one of the band's hardest-rocking efforts to date, it may also be their weakest melodically. Even 'Breathe', in all of its mundane-ness, had an intriguing overall atmosphere and some sporadic beautiful melodies that kept my moderate interest. But all the sincere performances, energetic arrangements and ingrained production techniques put into this stew cannot hide apparent songwriting frailties. Still, the situation is not as dire as most Oils fans who have not heard the album might perceive -- contrary to what you may be led to think, 'Redneck Wonderland' is no commercial sell-out. The album as a whole does not sound all that marketable, even though the two selections on '20,000 Watt R.S.L.' suggest that the band completely went techno-alternative metal. Rather, many of these songs indicate that the signature Midnight Oil sound created on the early records is still intact, and there is actually a solid amount of stylistic variety to be found here. So, while all the drum machines, synthy guitar distortion and weird vocal effects fail to create the band's new masterpiece, Midnight Oil are still true to their style, and a little saving grace springs from this.
Even though 'Redneck Wonderland' has this fuzzy, abrasive overall sound, the band manage to generate a flock of fairly different sounding songs. There are your unadulterated industrial-metal fests; straight-forward ballads; and your trademark, anthemic rockers (infused with a healthy dosage of techno sounds, of course). Unfortunately, the quality of the songs also experiences a similar variation. Nothing on here is terribly bad, but even the best stuff sounds a bit second-rate, and not up to the band's usual standard -- there's not even anything as good as "Underwater" or "E-Beat" on here, if that helps. The all-out noise rockers probably work WORSE than anything else. "Concrete" and "Comfortable Place on the Couch" are painfully generic; the title track is plain generic. "Blot" is mildly enjoyable because you get to hear a good, slow guitar riff repeated over and over, with Peter Garrett doing a cool mono-tone vocal thing. But a fully fleshed-out song "Blot" is not. "Return to Sender" doesn't really fall into any of the categories mentioned above, but it's a mellow, organ-driven rocker that's fun in the same simplistic way as "Blot." The ballads are mostly okay; "The Great Gibber Plain" is a pleasant, dark acoustic guitar divvy, and the forceful but elegant "Safety Chain Blues" is driven by an eerie piano line and some crashing acoustic drum work. Only the closer "Drop in the Ocean" renders uneven the balladeering on 'Redneck Wonderland'.
Everything else I would label a Midnight Oil Anthem or a techno-rock song that does not stray too far from the combo's formula rocker, and these selections are hit-or-miss. "Cemetery in My Mind" is probably the album's strongest cut -- a catchy jangle pop tune that sounds like it belongs on the track-listing of 'Diesel and Dust'. Other, similar-sounding rockers on the album seem to grow decreasingly catchy; "Seeing Is Believing" is in very much the same vein as "Cemetery in My Mind," but blander. "White Skin Black Heart" really does concentrate more on sounding "industrial" than on having a hook. Then there's the controversial "What Goes On," a kinetic techno song that has been accused of sounding like '90s U2, and may sound more like a "sell-out" track than anything else on board. Given that I hate post-'Rattle and Hum' U2 AND most anything that sounds techno, I'm surprised, and pleased, to proclaim that I enjoy this one; I think it's that infectiously dancable, tumbling beat, combined with ear-catching lines like, "Cos they live so fast but they die so young/And we just keep wondering . . . what goes on!" I guess the song is about young people dying pointlessly over vain idealism. But to be honest, I don't CARE about Midnight Oil's lyrics anymore. That's because 'Redneck Wonderland', like the band's last two albums, fails to rouse its listener musically like Oils records from the '80s can. Once again, the band continue to push the boundaries of their unique sound, and the album is fairly cohesive and interesting, and even contains some good songs. But 'Redneck Wonderland' remains only of interest to fans, as the songwriting is much too below par for me to recommend it to casual listeners. I am getting tired of reviewing these late-period Midnight Oil albums . . .
Share Your Views?