Oil

Oil

Track Listings

1. Watchmen

2. Oil

3. Stand

4. Warriors

5. Somethin's Rattlin'

6. Down To The River

7. Mercy Of God

8. Courts Of The King

9. Through The Curtain

10. Radiant Beauty

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
In one of the finest albums ever to come from Canada, the Russ Rosén Band takes folk, rock, and Celtic music and fuses them into a seamless blend that perfectly presents the powerful vocals and fiddle-influenced guitars. The lyrics of Oil are poetic cries of adoration and love of Christ. Highly recommended.

Oil,Russ Rosen Band,N.A.

Diesel and Dust
Average customer rating:

Greatest Album by greatest band of all time

A record that transcends music

raw aussie energy

An all time great album-top 10, in fact

they reinvented rock and roll

Diesel and Dust
Midnight Oil
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music
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Blue Sky Mining

20,000 Watts R.S.L.: Greatest Hits

Earth and Sun and Moon

Capricornia

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

ASIN: B0000026DJ
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

Beds Are Burning
Put Down That Weapon
Dreamworld
Arctic World
Warakurna
The Dead Heart
Whoah
Bullroarer
Sell My Soul
Sometimes

Amazon.com

Few would claim that Midnight Oil's Peter Garrett is the world's greatest rock vocalist, but he clearly means what he sings. On Diesel and Dust, Garrett and company serve up a collection of solid pop-rock songs that follow the groundwork laid by their early albums. Intrinsic to their sound is a guitars-bass-drums attack spiced occasionally with horns and keyboards and capped with Garrett's throaty vocals. Garrett's lyrics on Deisel and Dust are noteworthy because they are not about love or personal relationships but instead address larger issues. "Beds Are Burning" is a call to return the land expropriated from Australia's aboriginal peoples, while "The Dead Heart" and "Bullroarer" celebrate their rich cultural heritage. Many bands and artists have made some sort of political or social concern apparent in their work, but few have done so as consistently, dedicatedly, and tunefully as Midnight Oil. --Al Massa

Customer Reviews:

Greatest Album by greatest band of all time.......2007-05-11

My single favorite band of all time - nothing will ever come close. This album is a great introduction to their sound. Full of incredible passion, powerful lyrics, unreal guitar solos, and creativity and originality in every song. The popular Beds are Burning is not even in my top 5 songs on this album (Sell My Soul is #1, and possibly my number 1 song of all time. Dreamworld is pretty special too).

If you fall in love with the album, as I did, you can move onto some of their older stuff - 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1, or Red Sails in the Sunset are similarly incredible, and even more creative.

The Oils are truly a special band, and 6 years after their breakup, I still pop in my mix CD's in the car when my kids aren't around. I'll never understand why they didn't become as popular as, say, U2 or REM - they are all that and more. But I suppose it makes it that much more amazing for the die hard fans that still rave about the Oils to this day.

Hope you enjoy - I'm pretty certain you will.

A record that transcends music.......2007-03-21

Diesel and Dust is the perfect merger of rock and social progressivism. Never has a record compelled me to feel as moved as this one, particularly on songs like 'Warakurna', 'Beds are Burning', 'The Dead Heart', or 'Dreamworld'. Never has anyone described with such power and poignancy the plight of the underclass or displaced minorities (in this case the Aboriginal peoples of Australia) in a manner that anyone can relate to. The evocative words ("The western desert lives and breathes at 45 degrees"), the tones used on Rob Hirst's drums, Jim Moginie's and Martin Rotsey's dueling acoustic guitars on the 'Dead Heart', and Peter Garrett's gravel like edge to his singing on tracks like 'Put Down that Weapon', 'Arctic World' or 'Sell My Soul' evoke the imagery of a band that traveled for miles through sandy hot desert lands in pickup trucks and tried to make sense of their experiences upon returning to Sydney. The music intimates the myriad of emotions that the band experienced after meeting and living among simple people, witnessing their stories of hardship and difficulties and the uplifting hope and dignity they found among them.

The record, despite its serious themes, is life affirming, as the defiantly rocking closer "Sometimes" appropriately underscores. Midnight Oil believes in the redemptive power of the human spirit in spite of the injustice and inequities in our world today.

From a musical standpoint, each song is flawlessly crafted and produced. Warne Livesey does an oustanding job of integrating the sounds of the earth and of the band, with the sounds of electronic beats and synthesizers. This is a modern rock record to be sure, in spite of its folksy songs and socially conscious subject matter. This record and "10,9,8..." were Midnight Oil's finest hours. However, this record has a power all its own, as any time we see hardship, suffering and inequality in this world, all we in the west need to do is listen to this record to understand how it tastes, smells and feels to be in that condition. A remarkable record. One for the ages. Get it if you don't have it.

raw aussie energy.......2006-07-14

Somewhere in a back corner of my mind, I foster an ambition in my next life of being Peter Garrett's runt sibling (I mean, I'd have to be a runt, wouldn't I? He's bigger than almost anybody I've ever seen on stage doing rock and roll) and the drummer in the band. That's how involved I get with Midnight Oil's music when I hear it. "Diesel And Dust", probably their most media-friendly album - even if, as an American, you don't get some of the political references (and make no mistake; Midnight Oil's music is not love songs or mundane angst; almost without reserve, it is ALL political) is also pretty much their most tuneful. That said, Peter cannot be said to be singing as much as pushing, growling, and wailing the songs out, albeit in a more or less agreeably melodic way. I could be accused of being not very picky, but personally I prefer voices like that, with genuine emotion and pure guts coming from every note. Pretty, trained singing is really fairly lifeless to me. This is the real deal, raw, angry, demanding your attention. I lived in Australia for a while - where I became acquainted with this music - and got to know the politics behind the songs. Down Under, you have a political opinion and you espouse it, sometimes loudly, but never do you hide your candle under a basket - everybody has a personal view and they're not afraid to let you know what it is. Midnight Oil, along with a lot of Aussie bands, uses their music as a forum, as shown when they set up an ad hoc outdoor performance in front of the Exxon headquarters in New York some time ago. (Wish I'd been there.) "Diesel And Dust" is rife with topical references, which still play well, nearly 20 years on; the genocide over generations of the Aboriginal people - did you know they were used in biological experiments, a lot of them quite deadly, until fairly recently? - ecological suicide, pollution, almost any hot-button topic is not beyond the reach of the Oils. And yet the music is so singable and danceable that they're able to get you thinking about the content before you even know you are. It's hard to pick a favourite on the album - the only song I'm not crazy about, and even then I usually don't skip over it ,is "Whoah" because it's a little draggy. "Bullroarer", "The Dead Heart", "Warakurna" and "Sell My Soul" are probably what I would list as favourites, for the sake of argument and discussion; all of them get my blood moving, and the instrumentation does not take a backseat to Peter's insistent yowls and vocal crescendos. Everything that comes from instrument or throat complements the other. This is probably my favourite Midnight Oil album, because it was my introduction to the band, but it is by no means the only one in my collection. I would have to recommend it highly to anyone who wants to expand their musical inventory - and get a little commentary on the side that is perhaps new to them. And next life, Peter. You don't have far to go to find your drummer.

An all time great album-top 10, in fact.......2006-06-16

I just noticed that I reviewed this album years ago, as "A music fan" [October 23, 1999]. Since I've listened to this album again in the meantime, I thought I'd try and do a more informative job this time!].

As per my original review, I have to say that it is an open question of whether this album is the Oils best, or "10-1" takes the honour.

Initially, my reaction was that the album had a killer opening three tracks. On relistening to it, it gets better, as some songs grow on you even more.

Here are my favourite tracks:

Beds are burning: pop/rock classic, melodic and clangy at the same time.

Put down that weapon: sort of in the same vein as "10-1"'s "Short memory". The track is a slow pop song that has a brilliant change of pace...a delicious bass riff veers into hyper, clangy rock, and then returns to a slow send off. Terrific stuff.

Dreamworld: one fan told me that the lead singer was a big fan of The Beach Boys. I'd always considered this song as a Beach Boys style song. It's my favourite song from the album, probably. Not the best intro, but once the harmonies and melodies kick in, it's a terrific pop song.

The dead heart: this is a real sing-a-long pop song. You should find the "do do do do do do"'s really catchy.

Sell my soul: this is the song that has REALLY grown on me-a lost Oils classic, a la "Sleep". I love the attention grabbing, funky opening "I am ready. Let's begin". Again, the song has strong melody, as is usual for quality Oils songs.

Sometimes: probably the best of the rest.

In my mind, I always think of this album as in the same vein as The Red Hot Chilli Peppers' "Californication" album. Both albums are immensely strong. This Oils album has really only song which I don't rate that highly, but I can't remember which it is! Californication is like that too, but this Oil's album has stronger songs, and more of them.

Same goes when comparing the Oils "10-1" album with the Chilli Peppers' "Blood sugar sex magik". "10-1" is great because of the four songs on it which form the foundation of the Oils' greatest songs ever. BSSM by the RHCP is also a very good album due to the presence of four songs, but again, I think the Oil's album has the stronger four songs.

P.S.

*** Other Australian cds I've reviewed at this site:

Midnight Oil: 10,...,1
Skyhooks: The collection
INXS: Kick
John Farnham: The great Australian songbook
Johnny O'Keefe: Birth of Australian rock'n'roll
Alex Lloyd: Amazing-The best of
The Saints: Know your product-the best of

they reinvented rock and roll.......2006-06-08

One guy came to me one day and said "listen to that one buddy, it's pretty cool". It was in 1993, and most people had never heard about this band in Europe, including myself.

And it was the great shock. It takes only a few seconds to realize what a masterpiece you have. This kind of thing happens rarely. Such an incredible voice, and this powerful, wild sound, coming from "elsewhere"... They reinvented rock & roll, and they did not joke!
Beds are burning was this kind of song that could appeal to almost everyone, from the hard rock purist to the radio amateur. The melody itself is eternal.
Another fantastic song on the album is "put down that weapon". Musically as impressive as the former one, it impresses also with the passion Garret has to deliver his peaceful message.

There is no weak track on this album. I mean, try any of them alone, and you will have something between "positively inspired" and "awesome".
Every track has got this sense of rough urgency that is the trademark of the group. In the same time the whole is perfectly produced and played.

Just my opinion, in the "ranking game" : Now that I know most of their albums, I would give 5 stars for 3 of them :

1. 10,9,8,7,6,5...
2. Diesel & Dust
3. Place without a postcard

Enjoy !

Average customer rating:

Awesome Aussies
Power and the Passion of one of Australia's Greatest Bands
I love'd it
Fine Compilation - Makes You Want More!
pretty freaking great!

20,000 Watts R.S.L.: Greatest Hits
Midnight Oil
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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General | Rock | Styles | Music

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Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music

Diesel and Dust
The Best of Simple Minds
Blue Sky Mining
Under the Milky Way: The Best of the Church
Contraband: The Best of Men at Work

ASIN: B000002C4D
Release Date: 1997-11-04

Tracks:

What Goes On
Power And The Passion
Dreamworld
White Skin Black Heart
Koscluszko
The Dead Heart
Blue Sky Mine
US Forces
Beds Are Burning
One Country
Best Of Both Worlds
Truganini
King Of The Mountain
Hercules
Surf's Up Tonight
Back On The Borderline
Don't Wanna Be The One
Forgotten Years

Amazon.com

Like the Violent Femmes and Concrete Blonde, Midnight Oil has released a few all-around terrific albums and several others with just a couple great songs. Collecting the familiar radio hits ("Blue Sky Mine," "Forgotten Years," "Beds Are Burning") and standout tracks from less worthy CDs ("Surf's Up Tonight," from 1996's otherwise forgettable Breathe the Australian rock band's highly political first career retrospective is a good starting point for new fans. This collection could have delved more into the classic albums, such as 1988's Diesel and Dust, but then every working band has to maintain the illusion that its later work is also vital. --Steve Knopper

Customer Reviews:

Awesome Aussies.......2007-07-17

Midnight Oil was a great political/social commentary band, and this album collects their best stuff from the 80s. If fellow Aussies Men at Work were playing for your ear, Midnight Oil was definitely playing for your mind as well. The songs on her have great messages, delivered in straightforward, no nonsense, rock. This stuff actually makes the listener think about things like justice and fairness. The really good tunes:

Dream World
Kosciusko
Dead Heart
Blue Sky Mine - great tune about mine workers used up by the mines
Beds are Burning
Forgetten Years - excellent song yearning for the end of war's waste

Power and the Passion of one of Australia's Greatest Bands.......2007-07-07

I highly recommend this collection of some of Midnight Oil's finest. If you are not overly familiar with arguably one of the worlds greatest ever alternative rock bands this is a great place to start. The songs, many from the 80's still fire with passion carrying the bands strong and outspoken views on the social injustices of their native Australia, in particular the plight of the indigenous people and environmental issues which struck a chord with many people. A dynamic force without peer as a live band in their day the Oil's released at least 4 classic albums and found some international success.

1. What Goes On
2. Power And The Passion
3. Dreamworld
4. White Skin Black Heart
5. Koscluszko
6. The Dead Heart
7. Blue Sky Mine
8. US Forces
9. Beds Are Burning
10. One Country
11. Best Of Both Worlds
12. Truganini
13. King Of The Mountain
14. Hercules
15. Surf's Up Tonight
16. Back On The Borderline
17. Don't Wanna Be The One
18. Forgotten Years

Please give this set a good listen it is one of Aussie rocks finest and most informed collection of songs.

I love'd it.......2006-08-15

this is must have for all those midnight-oil fans.i was fully satisfied.

Fine Compilation - Makes You Want More!.......2006-01-28

This Midnight Oil compilation cover their music over 20 years from 1979's "Head Injuries" till "Redneck Wonderland" from 1998. The only early album not represented is their first from 1978.

Their commercially most succesfull period around "Blue Sky Mining" is logically covered the broadest with 3 tracks from "Diesel and Dust" and 4 from "Blue Sky Mining". All tracks well chosen; actually these albums are so great that almost any tracks would be.

The greatly overlooked 1993 album "Earth and Sun and Moon" is only represented by "Truganini" which is a shame - "In the Valley" should have been here!

From "Breathe" a great song called "Surf's Up Tonight" has been included. I have never yet heard "Breathe" as a whole; but this song really stirs my curiosity to do so. It's a song of raw simple beauty, unlike any other track I have heard from the band; and I would never have guessed who it was if I had heard it on the radio - a little like Alex Chilton/Big Star.

Among the early songs "Kosciuszko" is my favourite.

The booklet includes an interesting band story written by Tim Winton. Makes you want more. Recommended!

pretty freaking great!.......2005-12-10

i've always enjoyed music by Midnight Oil. their brand of rootsy working class hard rock always seemed spot on and the distinct vocals added a nice sinister touch. this collection gathers their well known hits and offers a glimpse into both their back catalogue and their recent efforts (as in the weak and misguided electro rock of two new tracks on here). but thankfully, those two tracks don't put a big dent into Midnight Oil's permanent record. this is a great cd and a fine place for those late to the game to do a little bit of catching up on one of modern rock's finest exports.

Average customer rating:

Brilliant Musicianship, Though-Provoking Lyrics -- A Must-Own CD!
To Petar Vodogaz
Simply the Best
Astonishing music with thought provoking lyrics
Midnight Oil - A Continuing Success

Blue Sky Mining
Midnight Oil
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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4-for-3 Alternative Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 Classic Rock | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

4-for-3 International | 4-for-3 Music | Stores | Music

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Diesel and Dust
Earth and Sun and Moon
Capricornia
20,000 Watts R.S.L.: Greatest Hits
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

ASIN: B0000026WB
Release Date: 1990-02-09

Tracks:

Blue Sky Mine
Stars Of Warburton
Bedlam Bridge
Forgotten Years
Mountains Of Burma
King Of The Mountain
River Runs Red
Shakers And Movers
One Country
Antarctica

Customer Reviews:

Brilliant Musicianship, Though-Provoking Lyrics -- A Must-Own CD!.......2007-01-17

I've always liked Midnight Oil. Their unique sound, passion, intelligence, and musicianship were perfect for my music snob ears. If subject matter such as human rights, protecting the environment, and developing a caring heart are important to you, Midnight Oil is the perfect band.

I saw the Oils around the time of this release. I'll never forget the gig. Peter Garrett loomed larged on the stage. His jerky movements and impassioned vocal delivery are branded into my brain.

At the time of the release of Blue Sky Mining, the Oils were on nearly every radio station in Grand Rapids, Michigan. I remember one DJ who commented, "This is the best song on the radio" just before he spun the disc. For a DJ to actually voice an opinion takes guts. And to make such an absolute statement takes more still.

But the DJ's comments are entirely justified. "Blue Sky Mining" is a great song -- one that takes it place among many great songs on this album. Catchy, clever, powerful, unique -- Midnight Oil's Blue Sky Mining album is a milestone release, one of my favorites in my 2,500+ CD collection.

I highly recommend Blue Sky Mining.

To Petar Vodogaz.......2005-07-25

Petar, "10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 " was not Midnight Oil's debut album, that would be 1978's "Midnight Oil".

Simply the Best.......2005-06-21

I remember first listening to this album when I was fifteen. It was incredible then, and still is now. Every song is great. The energy and uniqueness of the Midnight Oil sound is present in every track.

The album starts off very strongly - the first five tracks (including Blue Sky Mining, Stars of Warburton, and Bedlam Bridge) are pure class. The songs are very easy to listen to.

If I had to think about a perfect album, this would probably be the closest that I could get to in finding such a beast. The songs on this album have a melodical, inspiring feel to them. I personally like Mountains of Burma, this song lifts you up and lets your head spin in the heavens.

It is, in my opinion, Midnight Oil's best ever album. Better than Diesel and Dust. But it now.

Astonishing music with thought provoking lyrics .......2005-06-07

Okay, so I know this album came out fifteen years ago and I was only like ten when it came out, but I still need to write a review on it. I love this album. They were so ahead of their time when they put this album out. It's just timeless. I love a band that has passion, energy, angst, and feeling in their songs and Midnight Oil has that in every single one. Their songs are very political and thought provoking. Out of all their albums, this one is my favorite. I love every single song.

On a side note, they were awesome to see live. They all had more energy then any group I have ever seen live.

Midnight Oil - A Continuing Success .......2004-09-21

Having become a listener of Midnight Oil most recently after listening to 10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1 (Midnight's Debut Album) I decided to get some more CD's from this band. Peter Garrett again excels himself in vocals. All Midnight Oil's songs seem to spring from their beliefs whether political or social. Whilst not 100% agreeing with what they have to say in their songs, I must say it is appealing and refreshing to have a band sing from their heart.

Blue Sky Mining, the first track is easily one of Midnight Oil's best of the best. It was based on a event that happened in Australia some time ago, and by remembering the event in a song format, I suppose Peter and his group is hoping that listeners won't forget lightly. Other songs to listen to that I found interesting and nice on this album release were Forgotten Years and King of the Mountain.

ALl in all, Blue Sky Mining, the CD is a strong follow up on this band's previous work. Good going Midnight Oil!

Average customer rating:

80s
Unbelievable
Beyond the Crest
Oil & Gold
Songs to Remember

Oil & Gold
Shriekback
Manufacturer: Fontana Island
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Alternative Dance | Alternative Styles | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

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Cormorant
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Sacred City

ASIN: B000001FW0
Release Date: 1990-06-15

Tracks:

Malaria
Everything That Rises Must Converge
Fish Below The Ice
This Big Hush
Faded Flowers
Nemesis
Only Thing That Shines
Health And Knowledge And Wealth And Power
Hammerheads
Coelocanth

Customer Reviews:

80s .......2007-04-04

It's a pretty good CD. Nemesis is still their best tune. Only listen to it once in a while.

Unbelievable.......2005-12-08

"Oil and Gold" was the first album I ever loved. It mixes so many genres and emotions that I don't know how anyone could not help but fall in love with it.

This is a decidedly dark CD, without any hint of upbeat bubbliness. The only song that could be considered upbeat is "Everything That Rises Must Converge" still has a strange darkness to it, despite being a perfectly danceable tune. "Nemesis" is huge, over the top, and beautifully evil song.

While these giant, thumping tracks are the meat of the album the ballads are what flesh it out. Easily the best is "Faded Flowers" which is in stark contrast to many of the tracks around it. It is a minimalist duet that has masterfully been worked in among the other heavier songs and manages to only enhance the flow.

If you want to hear one of the best albums of all time, this is it. It is near flawless in production value and musicianship.

Beyond the Crest.......2005-11-16

Oil & Gold marked a change in direction for Shreikback. This album has a huge sound, full of brass sections, backing singers and guitar licks that overshadow the essential Shreikback sound on too many tracks. In fact its the slower songs that work best for me on this album.
Even though I think this marks the beginning of a downward trend in their music, Oil & Gold still has its redeeming features. Malaria gets things off to a familiar, if somewhat more freneticly paced, start before Side 1 starts to drop away. Nemesis provides some interest at the start of Side 2, although its not the truly great song to me that it seems to be to so many others. I'll take All Lined Up, My Spine (is the Bassline) or Mercy Dash any time. The album actually finishes quite strongly with Hammerheads and the amazingly haunting Coelocanth.
If you are new to this band, Oil & Gold is probably a reasonable introduction as it has a more commercial sound but retains most of what it is that makes Shreikback so special. After this, however, I would be looking for older albums to fill out your collection.

Oil & Gold.......2005-09-12

Fantastic CD. Brought back a lot of memories of the '80's.

Songs to Remember.......2005-08-28

I heard about this band when i watched the movie 'Manhunter' and fell in love the 'This Big Hush' in the scene where the toothfairy is sleeping with the blind girl.
This song alone is worth the purchase, coelcanath and nemesis are pretty good songs also. Nemesis would of been a good song to use in a thriller/horror movie, it's got that sound to it..i love this album and it will forever be on my top list.

Average customer rating:

A decent record, but not up to Midnight Oil's best
Highly Recommended!
Probably the best oil cd
A strong release by Midnight Oil
yikes...5 stars, people? really?

Earth and Sun and Moon
Midnight Oil
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

Australia & New Zealand | International | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

Album-Oriented Rock (AOR) | Classic Rock | Styles | Music
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Blue Sky Mining
Diesel and Dust
Capricornia
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Redneck Wonderland

ASIN: B00000294N
Release Date: 1993-04-20

Tracks:

Feeding Frenzy
My Country
Renaissance Man
Earth And Sun And Moon
Truganini
Bushfire
Drums Of Heaven
Outbreak Of Love
In The Valley
Tell Me The Truth
Now Or Never Land

Amazon.com

The hurricane-force Aussies reign in their primal power with a varied, gentle, and remarkably tuneful progression on what's come before. "Truganini" is the icebreaker while hardluck charmer "In the Valley" and the retro psychedelia of "Renaissance Man" are standouts. Jeff Bateman

Customer Reviews:

A decent record, but not up to Midnight Oil's best.......2007-03-16

(Actually: 3.5 stars).

Midnight Oil was one of the best bands of the 1980's with four outstanding records (10,9.8.., Red Sails in the Sunset, Diesel and Dust, Blue Sky Mining) and one of the finest live records ever made (Scream in Blue). Their star began to decline a bit in the 1990's as the band members decided to devote more time to family, political activism (including Peter Garrett's political career). Earth, Sun and Moon reflects this reduced focus, as they seemed to try to make a good record instead of a great one.

The record is well-produced, has a very 'live in studio' feel, and sounds great on long drives. The songs themselves have a steadier and slightly slower pace. Jim Moginie has added more bluesy sounds to his diverse palatte, both on guitar and organ, but Rob Hirst seems less active this time around. The frenetic energy that gave rise to Midnight Oil's improvisation and experimentation is not captured in this recording, leaving one wanting a bit more.

The songs drag on a bit too long and are missing the catchy hooks that make so many Midnight Oil songs memorable. 5 of the 11 tracks run over 5 minutes in length, and no song is under 4 minutes, which is much longer than prior Midnight Oil recordings. The choruses are often drawn out, and consequently, some of the melodies fall flat.

The lyrics are more focused on national issues in Australia, and seem to serve as the perfect platform (whether intentional or not) for Garrett's political career. The passion is very much alive, focused (perhaps too narrowly), but the band shows it still knows how to evoke emotions with its direct, defiant and poignant deliveries.

The most memorable songs on this record from my point of view are: 'Renaissance Man', 'Earth and Sun and Moon', 'Truganini', and 'Now and Never Land'. Other worthy tracks are 'In the Valley' and 'Tell me the Truth'.

'Truganini' is as good a song as the band has ever written. It has the passion, creativity and musical dexterity of the best Midnight Oil songs. 'Feeding Frenzy' and 'Renaissance Man' show a deft touch with transitions, melody and demonstrate an ability to incorporate blues into the Midnight Oil framework without missing a beat.

'Earth, Sun and Moon' and 'In the Valley' show the band emphasizing melody over power effectively.

This record will probably have some appeal to those who are not fans of their 80's records, as they sound more like a straight ahead blues/folk rock band, and the musicianship is excellent, while the vocals, though loud, are somewhat more subdued. However, when compared with prior works, one feels as if the band had stopped making music their all-consuming ambition, as the band members moved into their 30's, stopped long tours and focused more on family and on Australia.

Highly Recommended!.......2006-10-15

"Earth and Sun and Moon" from 1993 continues Midnight Oil's commercial success of their two previous albums, "Diesel and Dust" and "Blue Sky Mining". Though a new producer, Nick Launay, was called in to produce, it's another slightly slick produced album - which is in no way meant as a negative observation. All three albums are among my favourites and all contain great songs and great playing.

Midnight Oil succeeds in combining various musical styles like, rock, soul, funk or folk into their own easily recognizeable sound. Other strengths are their fine vocal harmonies and their unique sense of creating catchy choruses.

On this album all their virtues are there. The hit single "Truganini", the title-track and "My Country" are fine examples of Midnight Oil soul-rock with a catchy chorus.

"Bushfire" is a quiet acoustic track and another favourite.

The outstanding track, though, is the exquisite "In the Valley" - great folkish melody - extremely catchy chorus - clever lyrics - in short one of the few songs that seem to have it all.

Highly recommendable album!

Probably the best oil cd.......2006-06-28

I have listened to this CD consistently since it came out and I haven't really gotten sick of it at all. I hope the next generation picks it up and comes to appreciate the musicianship and songwriting of one of the best 80-90s bands.

A strong release by Midnight Oil.......2004-09-21

This CD is somewhat slower in pace from other Midnight Oil releases, but this does not detract from the quality of 'Earth and Sun and Moon'. This CD was released in the period when Midnight Oil was enjoying its success and limelight.

Four songs on this release are standouts, they are 1. Renaissance Man 2. Truganini 3. In The Valley and 4. Tell me the Truth. What really appealed to me was the style and depth that all songs had with thought-provoking lyrics. Again, a strong release from Midnight Oil that will keep being listened to frequently by myself.

yikes...5 stars, people? really?.......2004-08-02

i mean, this is good, but not nearly perfect. granted, this band is a whole lot cooler than most people tend to believe. "oh yeah, they did that 'burning beds' song, right?" and yes, they did, but they're also australia's very own version of bruce springsteen: the band is made up of fiesty political activists who honestly put U2 to shame...because they actually DO things for the greater good. the frontman, peter garrett, all 7+ feet of him, even ran for the australian senate once. and came surprisingly close to winning. read their allmusic.com listing to get an idea of how tireless they've been on that front. anyway, their music conveys a palpable sense of the outback, of australian culture, then and now. the music is hardnosed, catchy, and distinct. they're really much better than they've gotten credit for. this album i have bad associations with, because it's what was playing in my car a couple months ago when i got in a wreck. nonetheless, it's one of their better offerings.

A Star Is Born (Expanded 1954 Film Soundtrack)

Average customer rating:

Forgive the cheesy title, but a star is re-born once again.
A Star Is Born Soundtrack Review
Judy at her peak!
a "Star" shines like never before...
Musical perfection of the highest magnitude!!!

A Star Is Born (Expanded 1954 Film Soundtrack)
Judy Garland , Harold Arlen , and Ira Gershwin
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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That's Entertainment!/I Could Go on Singing
A Star Is Born
Judy At Carnegie Hall: Fortieth Anniversary Edition
Easter Parade: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack
Judy Garland In Hollywood: Her Greatest Movie Hits - Original Soundtrack Performances 1936-1963

ASIN: B00009KU7U
Release Date: 2004-05-18

Tracks:

Overture
Night Of The Stars
Gotta Have Me Go With You
Norman At Home
Pasion Oriental
The Man That Got Away
Cheatin' On Me
'I'm Quitting The Band...'
The Man That Got Away (Instrumental Version)
Esther In The Boarding House
Oliver Niles Studio
Esther's Awful Makeup
First Day In The Studio
Born In A Trunk (Medley)
Easy Come, Easy Go
Here's What I'm Here For
The Honeymoon
It's A New World
Someone At Last
Lose That Long Face
Norman Overhears The Conversation
It's A New World (Alternate Take)
The Last Swim
Finale - End Credits
When My Sugar Walks Down The Street
The Trinidad Coconut Oil Shampoo Commercial

Customer Reviews:

Forgive the cheesy title, but a star is re-born once again........2007-07-09

In 1954, Judy Garland gave the most acclaimed performance of her career as a musical movie star in George Cukor's musical remake of the 1937 straight-up drama A Star Is Born. After its premiere, the film was heavily edited and would not be seen in its near complete form again for nearly thirty years. Judy was nominated for an Academy Award for her performance, but lost to Grace Kelly, to the chagrin of many Garland fans to this day, as well as many celebrities of the day. (Groucho Mark famously called it the biggest robbery since Brinks.)

In all that mess, the soundtrack was released by Columbia on vinyl record in mono and has since never been out of print and was a best-seller for years. In 1988, Columbia took the musical numbers and the overture directly from the film's stereo soundtrack (As, sadly, stereo soundtrack masters no longer existed.) and released those onto CD. The sound quality was somewhat horrendous, but digital audio was still in its infancy and not much else could be done.

In 2004, for the film's 50th anniversary, Columbia, Legacy, and Sony Music Soundtrax released this incredible new expanded remastered CD reissue of the film's soundtrack. This is the most complete soundtrack you can find and it's definitely worth upgrading from your 1988 CD release.

This CD contains not only all of the songs, including an extended intro to The Man That Got Away which was shortened in the film as well as the complete intro to Gotta Have Me Go With You, but also contains a near complete release of the instrumental score, which includes whole tracks and parts of tracks that were not used in the film, as well as an alternate vocal take of It's A New World, the deleted When My Sugar Walks Down The Street segment from Born In A Trunk, and a static-y complete version of The Trinidad Coconut Oil Shampoo Commercial, which was taken from a worn acetate playback disc - the only complete recording in existence.

The soundtrack is taken from a mixing and matching of several elements, such as acetate playback discs, the original Columbia mono soundtrack album masters, and the film's 4-track stereo soundtrack, among others. This means that the soundtrack goes back and forth from being stereo and mono. However, this does not detract from my listening experience any, and frankly, I can't tell much of a difference. One interesting note is that Gotta Have Me Go With You uses both the film's soundtrack and the mono soundtrack album masters to create a faithful listening experience, from the mono instrumental intro to the song itself, which except for a short portion, is taken from the film's 4-channel soundtrack. (The mono portion of the vocal part was used to edit out some plot-related screams that were present in the 1988 release. This method of retaining the aural integrity of Gotta Have Me Go With You was also used when it was included on the Rhino Records compilation Judy Garland In Hollywood: Her Greatest Movie Hits.)

Despite the fact that this soundtrack is taken from several different surviving elements and sadly not from a single set of elements, as Warner Bros. didn't have the foresight to save everything like MGM and Disney did, this is an excellent presentation of this landmark soundtrack. The sound quality for the most part is excellent, and the liner notes are also wonderful. Garland historian John Fricke writes a small essay on the production of the film and an annotated guide to the soundtrack, which gives a synopsis of the plot and also indicates where the tracks from the CD appear in the film. Producer Didier C. Deutsch also writes a small essay on the creation of this CD release, giving notes on the elements and some specific tracks.

Amazon is offering this soundtrack at an excellent price, and I have to say, it's a bargain for a soundtrack of this caliber and sound quality. Any Garland fan or movie soundtrack fan should have this in their collection.

A Star Is Born Soundtrack Review.......2007-01-10

A really excellent soundtrack to go with an excellent movie. This is some of Judy Garland's best material in both music and acting. The power of her voice on "The Man That Got Away" is amazing. "Born In A Trunk", "It's A New World", "Someone At Last" and "Lose That Long Face" are other recommended tracks. This is a MUST HAVE for all you Judy Garland fans.

Judy at her peak!.......2006-05-30

Judy Garland's finest film work was "A Star Is Born." Because she and her husband, Sid Luft, were also the producers, it was the most intensely involving production she had ever undertaken. The laser focus of her brilliant talent was never before realized on film to this degree. Also, she had gained tremendous personal confidence due to the unprecedented audience response to the concerts she had done between her MGM films and ASIB. The love with which the live audience embraced her, brought new heights to her acting as well.
The production values of the film were top of the line and it shows on this fine CD. It's a chance to experience Judy's talent on a more intimate basis without the visuals.
A must-have for every serious Garland collector.

a "Star" shines like never before..........2005-04-27

This reissued remaster of A STAR IS BORN is a must-own for fans of the movie, and in particular those who were somewhat dissatified by the previous CD edition (CK 44389). That edition was great for offering us most of the main numbers in stereo/mono mix but was marred by poor analogue distortion and other remastering problems (though this was the best that could have been done at the time). This new edition (CK 65965) presents the entire score, including background and incidental sections as well as the cut material, in a sparkling new package.

The big bonus for getting this latest edition is for Garland's complete rendition of "The Trinidad Coconut Oil Shampoo Commercial" (without the dialogue of James Mason). This has been taken from a rare acetate master, so while the sound quality is not the best, having the number complete without interrupting dialogue is a more than ample compensation. You will notice too that "Lose That Long Face" has been newly mastered from a better stereo source (cutting out the thunder-crashes that were heard on the first CD master, and Garland's singing no longer has those violent analogue fluctuations during the introduction). "Gotta Have Me Go with You" is now presented without the screams and noises, in a new master from the mono soundtrack.

"When My Baby Walks Down the Street", a section cut from the "Born in a Trunk" sequence, has been added as a bonus track. This sparkling-new STAR IS BORN reissue is a great tribute to what is most definitely Judy Garland's greatest hour on film.

Musical perfection of the highest magnitude!!!.......2005-02-25

Was there ever a more perfect voice than the one possessed by Judy Garland? Powerful yet gentle. Dynamic yet restrained. Bone-chilling yet soothing. She had the pipes!

And her instrument was showcased at its best in the music from her triumphant "A Star is Born".

This expanded version is a bona-fide treasure with the highlight being Garland's earth-shattering "The Man That Got Away," presented with vocals and several instrumental versions. Along with "Somewhere Over the Rainbow," "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas," and "The Trolley Song", "The Man That Got Away" is an essential for Garland fans, as well as those that know a good song when they hear it.

The fifteen-minute medley that was featured in the film as the "introduction" of "Vicki" to the public is another outstanding track, featuring "Born in a Trunk", "Suwanee," and "My Melancholy Baby," all exquisitely performed by the legendary talent.

Clocking in at just under eighty minutes, the soundtrack to the classic film is, indeed, in a class by itself, and deserving of repeated listening, maintaining its "freshness" after more than five decades.

Average customer rating:

No Sleep without this album. 4 out of 5 stars.
A glorious mess
Am I the only one who gets it?
Way to spacy and weird for me
Swirling, bizarre, unique, strange...exceptional

Red Sails in the Sunset
Midnight Oil
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
Diesel and Dust
Species Deceases
Blue Sky Mining
Capricornia

ASIN: B00000263U
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

When The Generals Talk
Best Of Both Worlds
Sleep
Minutes To Midnight
Jimmy Sharman's Boxers
Bakerman
Who Can Stand In The Way
Kosciusko
Helps Me Helps You
Harrisburg
Bells And Horns In The Back Of Beyond
Shipyards Of New Zealand

Customer Reviews:

No Sleep without this album. 4 out of 5 stars........2007-05-08

I'm being a bit cryptic by saying "No sleep without this album". That's just my way of saying "How on Earth can Midnight Oil have released two compilations without the song "Sleep" on them?

Prior to re-listening to this album around a year ago or so, I would have said that the best tracks on it were "When the generals talk" and "Best of both worlds". But then I realised that a song of their that I liked but didn't know the name of was here...it was "Sleep". THIS is the album where it appears, and it is, I think, a lost classic of this band. I think that they used to play this song more in their shows than they did later...it got lost somewhere.

"Sleep" is, as far as I can tell, a song about Aboriginal deaths in custody, or, perhaps, Aboriginal beatings in prison. Not really sure-the lyrics are suggestive without being definitive. It starts with a drum roll and a very pretty accoustic guitar strumming pattern is set up. When the backing singers start singing the title and the keyboard [or maybe horn] plays out its melody, the sound is unutterably beautiful. Lyrically, the song is satisfying and the lead singer Garrett pounds out the syllables at times, to great effect. The song does feature some studio effects that were initially off-putting but don't bother me so much now. The stand out track on this album.

The album opens with odd sounding song "When the generals talk". Maybe I liked this song more years ago, but now I'm not so hot on it. It has a weird drum pattern but witty lyrics "Sitting on the fence both ears to the ground". The guitars sound 'dirty' in this song. Some reviewers here have commented that the song is about the military, but if you listen closely to the lyrics it becomes clear exactly what generals Garrett is singing about [i.e. the part where he 'raps' the lyrics].

My pick as the best song after "Sleep" is "The best of both worlds". Pretty much the opening three songs have engaging qualities but also parts where the lyrics fall down or what have you. "The best of best worlds" has some really good singalong lyrics but the slow lyrics don't sit too well with me. Anyway, the song opens in frenetic fashion with some cool brass sounds and cool, dirty riff. Some parts of the guitar bits in this song are reminiscent of Van Halen, circa "1984". Think that the Oils may have sounded a bit like Van Halen before Van Halen did! There are some good overlapping vocals at the end of the song.

Having relistened to this album again after a while, I must say that the song "Jimmy Sharman's boxers" has grown on me. This is a song about an actual person who has an actual touring show where members of the public pay to fight Sharman's own boxers. The song opens with a sample of someone spruiking for the show...not sure if it is Jimmy Sharman himself. The music then becomes other-worldly...the guitars do something similar to what Dire Straits do with the guitar riff in "Industrial disease" except Midnight Oil's guitars sound ethereal. It's terrific. Rob Hirst's drums sound like a shot-gun at times and then he provides an apt, boxer at a speed-ball drum rhythym. Some interesting lyrics include "Their days are darker than your nights" and "Why are we fighting for this? Why are you paying for this? You pay to see me fall like shrapnel to the floor". This is the longest song on the album at around 7 1/2 minutes.

It's immediately followed by the shortest track on the album, "Bakerman", which less than a minute long. It's an odd track with a marching band arrangement.

One song that I particularly like is the very atmospheric "Harrisburg". This is an actual city in the US but I'm not sure if the song is as grounded in reality as "Jimmy Sharman's boxers"...perhaps Harrisburg had it's own nuclear reactor 'problem' as happened on Three Mile Island. It has a stunning opening of a rhythmic expiration of breath. An organ comes in and there is a vague similarity of stylistic intent as found in Pink Floyd's song "Money". The chorus is somewhat childlike...as in a nursery rhyme chant. There is the pointed lyric of "It's stuff that's twenty times hotter than the hottest stuff in Hell".

I didn't know that the leader singer, Peter Garrett, was a Christian, but once I found out, I did pick out such Christian references when I relistened to albums by the Oils. One such reference is found in the song "Who can stand in the way" [a lyric following this in the song is "Who can stand in the way when there is a dollar to be made"]. That reference is "If Christ were here...". I did find elements of this song Beatle-esque and there is lovely tubular bells sounding instrument in this song...or maybe it is glass being played. The other Christian reference I picked up was in the song "Minutes to midnight" which has the lyric "God is a good man".

The song "Kosciusko" is catchy with a nice beat and featuring violins. That song bleeds into the, what I'd call 'American sounding' song "Helps me help you". This song has didgeridoos in the introduction. Guitars in this song have a 1950's rock'n'roll sound to them. It's a song about greed and materialism-featuring the lyric "look at all the toys I've got".

Another song featuring tubular bells or some such is "Bells and horns in the back of beyond". A harmonica or piano-accordian, perhaps, also features. It's a trippy, ethereal, avante garde style of music. The guitars sound, alternatively, country and surf style. The drumming is quite punchy in the song too...a la the rhythm a boxer creates when punching the speed ball. An organ also features as do some banshees, perhaps!

The last track, "Shipyards of New Zealand" features something like a glockenspiel, or whathaveyou. Violins feature and the guitar sounds quite 'dirty' at times.

One reviewer here likened this album to The Beatles' White album. I've reviewed that album here. The comparison I like to make with Oils albums is with another band I put in their league...The Red Hot Chili Peppers. The two Oils albums I class as "great" are "10,....,1" and "Diesel and dust". These two albums form a natural parallel with the Peppers' "Blood sugar sex magik" and "Californication". By this I mean the "10-1" album is great by virtue of 4 great songs which appear on it, and "Diesel and dust is great" by virtue of being rich in quality songs, though not necessarily great songs. For me, "Red sails in the sunset" is analogous to the Peppers "One hot minute". They both have a couple of quality tracks but the rest of the album is by no means 'filler' and there are, in fact, many gems to be found in the rest of the album.

I've got more Midnight Oil albums than I would otherwise have had, purely because I went for the 'value' option of getting bundle cds. The album I wanted, "10-1" was bundled with "Red sails in the sunset" and "Place without a postcard" whilst the album I really wanted, "Diesel and dust" was bundled with "Blue sky mining". At least one of those bundles is available here on Amazon though perhaps not quite on as good as terms as I got here in Australia, where these albums were made.

For me, "10-1" and "Diesel and dust" are amongst the greatest albums ever released, by anyone. "Red sails" and "Blue sky mining" are both very good albums and would vie with eachother for the mantle of the third best Midnight Oil album of all time. As for "Place without a postcard"...that's a very odd and quirky album...unlike anything I've heard by the Oils.

Since you can't get "Sleep" on any Oils compilation, I HIGHLY recommend "Red sails in the sunset". I think that the cover art for this album must rank as one of the all time great album covers too.

A glorious mess.......2005-05-08

In many ways, this is Midnight Oil's "White Album." I say that mostly because of the extreme shifts in style and tone as one moves from one song to another. It takes a great deal of skill and, dare I say, panache to pull this off. To the Oils' credit, they manage to do it.

You know that MO is headed into relatively uncharted territory right from the start when Rob Hirst (not Peter Garrett) takes the lead vocal on the opening track. Garrett for his part does one of his patented talk-overs/raps in the middle eight, but this is definitely Hirst's show. "Best of Both Worlds" finds MO at its hard-rocking best and features great performances all around, including one of Jim Moginie's best solos. It's definitely one of the Oils' best tracks - well-written, well-performed, and well-recorded. The rest of the first half of the CD is not quite as strong, but "Sleep" is a great song about the homeless, "Minutes to Midnight" is a fairly compelling song about the impending apocalypse, and "Jimmy Sharman's Boxers" is an excellent look at the exploitation of the Aboriginies, the main them of the band's next album.

The second half of the CD opens again with a potent 1-2 punch. Both "Who Can Stand in the Way" and "Kosciusko" feature almost gut-wrenching changes in tone and arrangement. "Kosciusko" is again one of the band's better and harder rockers. The rest of the CD is a little less stunning, but still great. I'm one of those fans who actually likes the experimental tracks like "Harrisburg" and "Bells and Whistles in the Back of Beyond" or whatever it's called.

As I stated at the beginning, the material on the CD is so diverse that to some it may come across as a mess. Midnight Oil somehow ties it all together by following many of the same lyrical themes throughout the recording. Because of this the record comes across as a unified work rather than a collection of songs by a band desperately trying to find some direction. All things considered, this was a very strong prelude to the masterpiece (D&D) that was to follow.

Am I the only one who gets it?.......2005-05-06

Red Sails is a masterpiece, and I'm a bit shocked to find a number of online reviews that sell this album way short. This is, for me, the best of all Oil albums, with possible exception of Blue Sky Mining. The genius of Midnight Oil was the ability to convey their message through so many different musical approaches. They were not one-dimensional at all. Red Sails is the best example of this. "Sleep," "Jimmy Sharman's Boxers," "Who Can Stand in the Way," and "Kosciusko" are the strong points of the album. Everything else, other than the pointless instrumental, "Bakerman," supports the album very well from beginning to end. The fact that some of the other reviewers don't follow where this album goes should be taken as a sign that Red Sails is quite distinctive. In this case, this distinctiveness was the mark of one of the greatest rock bands of all time taking chances and playing by their own rules.

Way to spacy and weird for me.......2005-02-22

As a long time fan of Midnight Oil, this CD is very surprising to me. 'Red Sail in the Sunset' is a release that is so un- Midnight Oilish. There is no method to the songs and in no order so the CD sounds spacy and weird. Makes me wonder what Peter Garrett and members were doing whilst recording this CD. Only one song stands out in this release and that is 'Kosciusko'. The rest of the songs are forgettable and I know this CD will be the least played album in my home.

Swirling, bizarre, unique, strange...exceptional.......2004-08-25

This is a "grower" if there ever was one. I remember, as a 16 year old, being very confused by Red Sails In The Sunset considering my only exposure to Midnight Oil was based on Diesel & Dust and Earth and Sun and Moon, stylistically tame by comparison. It's not that Red Sails In The Sunset is weak or has a lack of focus; it's just not that accesible on first listen. Or second listen. You will have to give it some time.

To put it simply, of all of Midnight Oil's albums, this is their most sprawling and weird. Most of the guitar parts have a warbling sound to their attack, Jim Moginie goes keyboard happy towards the second half of the album, Rob Hirst takes the lead vocals on two songs, and the lyrics of Garrett, Hirst, and Moginie spread themselves over everything from cryptic to explicit. On top of all of that, the mix comes across a little muffled and makes the whole thing sound like a passive-aggressive romp.

But they are still politically charged, musical experimentation being no exception. Best of Both Worlds is a regrettably chilling account of the cold war possibly turning into a nuclear holocaust. Jimmy Sharman's Boxers drives the guilt right into sports spectating: "Why are you paying for this?/You pay to see me fall like shrapnel to the floor." When The Generals Talk, sung by Hirst, makes for a very puzzling opener as disco beats compete with a modern commentary that highly-ranked military men make the best public speakers.

And most of all, lyricall speaking, I enjoy Who Can Stand In The Way's preaching against the dangers of capitalism: "If Christ were here he'd camera check/He's cry so loud the planes would stop/He'd cry so loud the earth would shake/And men would fall in tinsel town...Who can stand in the way when there's a dollar to be made?" And musically I always get caught up with the woozy sounding Sleep and the slappy-yet-unplayful Minutes to Midnight.

With such a wide array of albums accompanied by a top 40 hit, it's easy to overlook the fact that in 1984, Midnight Oil quickly recorded an odd egg that slipped under the radar. But if you find it, there is easily a lifetime's worth of challenging pop to disect and devour. I did, and I'm glad.

Average customer rating:

An Impressive Finale
musicus interruptus
Midnight Oil as we love them!
Oils Always
Capricornia - Best of the Aussie band

Capricornia
Midnight Oil
Manufacturer: Liquid 8
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Similar Items:

Redneck Wonderland
Blue Sky Mining
Diesel and Dust
Earth and Sun and Moon
No Man's Land

ASIN: B00005Y40M
Release Date: 2002-02-19

Tracks:

Golden Age
Too Much Sunshine
Capricornia
Luritja Way
Tone Poem
A Crocodile Cries
Mosquito March
Been Away Too Long
Say Your Prayers
Under The Overpass
World That I See
Poets & Slaves

Product Description

1. Golden Age
2. Too Much Sunshine
3. Capricornia
4. Luritja Way
5. Tone Poem
6. Crocodile Cries, A
7. Mosquito March
8. Been Away Too Long
9. Say Your Prayers
10. Under The Overpass
11. World That I See
12. Poets & Slaves

Format: CD

Amazon.com

Since 1990's benchmark Blue Sky Mining disc, Australian agitprop rockers Midnight Oil have arguably functioned better in theory than in practice. You can't nitpick the band's politics--however left they may lean, they are at their core humanist--but while theirs is a noble cause, music, at its core, is entertainment. Tough talk about land misappropriated from aboriginals is just not what most folks crave day after day, record after record. While no one will walk away from Capricornia confusing Midnight Oil with knuckleheads like Sum 41, most will notice an appreciable softening of the edges, especially musically. Songs like the outstanding "Tone Poem," though lyrically driven by sobering ecological questions, is also notable for a bridge and chorus built on a chiming, instantly memorable guitar part. Similarly, "Under the Overpass" drapes a snippet of melody from Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" over a springy keyboard bit that Brian Wilson might have fashioned for a top-down corker. Capricornia--its title track buoyed by one of the Oil's most insistent choruses--is a rock record, but it's one with more settings than "pummel." --Kim Hughes

Customer Reviews:

An Impressive Finale.......2007-03-22

Capricornia, Midnight Oil's final recording, is the band's most consistent from start to finish since Blue Sky Mining. After several listens, I think it deserves to be considered as one of 6 essential Midnight Oil records to own (along with 10,9,8..., Red Sails in the Sunset, Diesel and Dust, Blue Sky Mining, and Scream in Blue (Live)).

Warne Livesey, who produced Diesel and Dust, returns for this record, and does another outstanding job, helping to modernize and update the Midnight Oil sound for the 21st Century. Livesey subtly softens the edges of the guitar and vocal sound without sacrificing the overall power of each, or the fast pace of the songs. Guitar melodies with softer, bass pickup tones are emphasized, and subtle electronica beats and sounds are interspersed to give the record a modern feel. The volume level of this CD significantly greater than the earlier CDs, probably by 50% or so. Jim Moginie, who has been involved in writing almost every Midnight Oil song over their long career, appears to have had more free reign to let his ideas come to fruition as he initially envisioned them, rather than having the band take a demo and rework it. As a result, the band members take their lead from his guitar, and the songs have a more consistent feel and pace from beginning to end.

In another difference, the traditionally strong and loud backing vocals of Hirst, Moginie and Hillman (which are a combination of a co-lead vocal and a harmony vocal) are appropriately deemphasized in order to allow Peter Garrett the space to take center stage. Garrett has never sounded better as a lead singer, and Livesey seems to believe in Garrett's abilities more than Garrett himself or the band ever did. On many songs, it is difficult to discern the unique markers of Garrett's voice. He sounds like a singer, not a personality with a mic. The music used to be made to fit to Garrett. On this record, Garrett fits the music. The lyrics are also different this time around, as the writing is more subtle, personal and not quite as direct or in your face as older classics like 'Truganini' or 'Beds are Burning'.

The songs overall have a stronger focus on melody, a brisk pace with few groove killers, and if you didn't know it was Midnight Oil, you'd think this was a young band in their 20's. The difference is that young rock bands in the first decade of the 21st century suck, but this record and this band are great.

Now for the songs:

1. Golden Age - A fast paced guitar rock song that is based on a melodic, jangly guitar riff (which sounds as if it was played on a 12 string guitar or with an effect that simulates the dual octaves of a 12 string) by Moginie that I don't get tired of hearing. Rotsey does an excellent job of playing off Moginie's riff (which was always a band strength). The song has the pace of earlier Midnight Oil songs, but is hummable, singable, and is a great change of direction for a group known for the power rocker and the emphatic rock ballad. The selective use of backing vocals, sometimes buried beneath the lead vocal enables the song to glide at its smooth and fast pace without any unnecessary breaks in the groove.

2. Too Much Sunshine - A subtly eclectic rock song that begins with a heavier guitar, processed (and slightly distorted vocals) and a harder drum sound and then transitions to a bridge with a softer, cleaner, echoed guitar riff by Rotsey, followed by a rocking chorus. This one sounds like a track the Red Hot Chili Peppers could've done on By the Way or Stadium Arcadium. The pace is again fast and breezy. Moginie gives another stellar performance.

3. Capricornia - The best pop song Midnight Oil has ever done. The tasteful, jangly guitar melodies of Moginie and Rotsey echo Johnny Marr circa The Smiths. Garrett handles the role of lead singer on a melodic song very well. His vocals are appropriately doubled, echoed and spaced to make them effective in this context.

4. Luritja Way - My favorite track on this CD. Subtle melodies and transitions, beautiful, driving acoustic guitars that recall REM's "Me in Honey" or earlier Midnight Oil tracks like 'Sleep' or 'Minutes to Midnight', a deep bass and a brisk pace make this song instantly likeable and memorable. Garrett again shines on vocals with Hirst providing backup lower in the mix, and a lead vocal in the break.

5. Tone Poem - A solid rock song with a great lead guitar by Moginie. This song has good, eminently listenable guitars, space during the verses, a steady rock beat, and a chorus that grows on you with each listen.

6. A Crocodile Cries - a brief piano instrumental/interlude by Moginie. It works like an intermission in a film. The last time they did something like this was the horn/big band instrumental `Bakerman' on Red Sails in the Sunset.

7. Mosquito March - Probably the closest thing to grunge punk that this band has done. The guitars range in tone from clear and deeply resonant to thickly distorted, and the changes between intro to verse to bridge to chorus are seamless. Livesey perfectly compresses the guitars to prevent them from overwhelming the pace of the track and the hypnotic quality of the Garrett's singing. This one also reminds me of the kinds of rock songs the Chili Peppers play today.

8. Been Away Too Long - A relatively short, fast paced rock song with a verse that builds up to a blistering chorus. This song is a bit too repetitive and doesn't have the hypnotic feel of Mosquito March.

9. Say Your Prayers - The most electronica and synthesized track on the record. The song is actually based on a bluesy acoustic guitar riff, typical of older Midnight Oil songs, but is buried under a nicely crafted industrial sound reminiscent of U2 circa Achtung Baby or Zooropa. The horns which helped made Diesel and Dust a special record make a return appearance on this track. This one has got a nice groove and grows on you with each listen.

10. Under the Overpass - A song that begins as an acoustic folk ballad, and then evolves into an industrial blues song and later into a U2 like rock ballad. Moginie's guitar tone and sound is the closest he has come to The Edge (though all of these bands came out of the same post-punk era of guitar playing). Another memorable track.

11. World That I See - a melodic rocker ode to the environment. As has become typical with this record, a fast, crisp pace, excellent guitar melodies, a deep bass, selective use of distorted guitars (on the chorus) and nice vocal harmonies. An enjoyable track. They sound like a band 20 years younger than they are.

12. Poets and Slaves - This six minute slow ballad that alternates between blues, guitar rock and a piano ballad is closer to the experimentation that the band did on Red Sails in the Sunset. Though the pace is much slower and the song takes a while to build, the guitar parts are nicely played (including slide guitar) and the song seems to grow on me with each listen.

If this was Midnight Oil's final statement (and with Peter Garrett's career as a Labour member of parliament and shadow minister blossoming that is most likely the case) then there is no better way to go out then with a performance like this one. This is probably one of the best alternative rock records of this decade.

musicus interruptus.......2006-08-23

I've been thinking about what I should say about this album for about a month. I don't feel qualified anymore to break down the content of most of it, though you can be pretty well assured it is primarily engined by political ideas (or ideals); I lived in Australia for long enough to know how fervently the populace embraces the political arena (there is NO apathy concerning it) and the Oils were foremost in music in addressing just about every hot-button topic (and very well, I might add) but I have been away for a long while and have not kept up, having plenty here to occupy me in that regard. Peter Garrett has given up tilting at windmills musically and has, as it were, entered the fray for real, as a member of the Australian legislature, and I hope he is realizing his dream of effecting change. The fervor to do so always burned in his eyes, and I would love to hear one of his speeches; I know they are eloquent.

That said, this lamentably final entry by the Oils is arguably their most tuneful to date. It has passion, good writing, and great musicianship. Put up against Diesel And Dust, their other very singable - and probably most famous - recording, I would be hard pressed to choose between them.Capricornia starts out by grabbing you off your seat with "Golden Age", which immediately became a favourite of mine; throughout, the jangling guitars and drum-heartbeat make me dance in my car seat. "Too Much Sunshine" would appear to be about what we are doing to the environment - always high on the Oil's list - and further in, "Under The Overpass" seems to be about the homeless. As I said, I've been out of it for some time, so the bulk of this CD is likely addressing Australian issues I am not qualified to expound upon, but some things do come through loud and clear. If you screw up the environment, be prepared to be bit in the butt. Quite a few songs here carry that message, in Peter's characteristic howl.

There are no draggy songs here - the one possible exception being the slow-beat "Poets And Slaves", which makes up for it by being melodic and listenable - and the whole of it makes one sad that there will not be any more. This was the premier band to come out of Australia - not just my opinion - and they fed a need in music that is not so well addressed in an industry that embraces hiphop and soaring vocals these days. This album will stand the test of time in being considered one of the great works of its genre. There is no way you can sit there immobile while listening to it. I wish there would be more; i am glad they went out on such a stylish, well-done note.

Midnight Oil as we love them!.......2006-03-29

I agree with all the other reviewers in that this is a fine return to form for the band-- back to the "Diesel and Dust" and "Blue Sky Mining" days. Somehow I missed this CD when it came out but luckily I caught it and really enjoy it. My favorite is "World That I See" but really the entire CD is filled with what you would expect for a band returning with all the trademarks that propelled them into the spotlight way back when (I remember seeing them in concert in L.A. in 1988; X opened for them!). It is too bad that this is the end for them but they have left a great legacy of principled, righteous rock.

Oils Always.......2004-11-24

Like many U.S. fans of the Oils, my listening career started with "Diesel and Dust," moved backwards to "Head Injuries" and "Midnight Oil," then forwards to this crowning achievemment: "Capricornia." Throughout, the vision, integrity, and talent of these musicians has remained intact. Of how many bands can that be said?

Capricornia - Best of the Aussie band.......2004-10-02

Politics and music don't mix, I have said it before and again say it. However Midnight Oil through their lyrics sing about issues and problems that affect them and us as a nation. Capricornia is primarily geared up for the Australian fans of Midnight Oil as this album and its tracks portray issues that effect Australians of today about our past and future paths.

Songs like Golden Age, Capricornia, Say Your Prayers are songs that standout in this album and Peter Garrett gets his bands' message out clearly in these songs. And it's good to see Midnight Oil return to its rock roots, for this style most suits them in this contemporary music world.

Average customer rating:

You fools!
Missing Theme Song - but otherwise not bad
Fine score, but a consumer warning for the CD
Thomas Newman is a Genius!
Almost perfect for the film, loses points as a cd

Jarhead

Manufacturer: Decca
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Syriana
Jarhead (Widescreen Edition)
Jarhead
The New World
Munich

ASIN: B000BVRM1S
Release Date: 2005-12-06

Tracks:

Welcome To The Suck
Raining Oil
Battery Run
Mirage Bedouin
Don't Worry Be Happy - Bobby McFerrin
No Standard Solution
8 Men 5 Camels
Full Chemical Gear
Unsick Most Ricky-Tick
Morning Glory
Bang A Gong (Get It On) - T-Rex
Desert Storm
Desert Sunrise
Zoomies
Horse
Pink Mist
Jarhead For Life - Naughty By Nature
O.P.P. - Naughty By Nature
Dickskinner
Permission To Fire
Dead Anyway
Scuds
Listen Up - Public Enemy
Fight The Power - Public Enemy
Soldier's Things - Tom Waits

Amazon.com

For his third collaboration with director Sam Mendes (after American Beauty and The Shawshank Redemption), composer Thomas Newman has come up with one of his finest scores. The music mixes modern atmospheric quasi-rock touches with Middle Eastern influences (with particularly great success on the tracks "Welcome to the Suck" and "Zoomies."). The latter manifest themselves in both the beats and the instrumentation--the credits include soloists on exotic instruments such as the bowed cumbus (a type of banjo-like lute) and the processed xaphoons (a sax made of bamboo). All the more jarring, then, when the CD's handful of songs pop up. (It's quite a jolt to hear Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry Be Happy" after four eerie instrumental tracks.) The other song picks are obvious but well chosen: T-Rex's "Bang a Gong (Get It On)," "Naughty by Nature's "O.P.P.," Public Enemy's "Fight the Power," and Tom Waits's "Soldier's Things." Still, it's Newman's work that propels this CD, not the pick-up songs. Surprisingly, Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyries," which figures in one of the movie's most memorable scenes (when soldiers watch Apocalypse Now), isn't included here. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Customer Reviews:

You fools!.......2006-10-27

I am reading all the negative reviews of this soundtrack, and most of them mention the absence of Kanye West's "Jesus Walks." One reviewer gives the album one star because he was "misled" into buying the album.

Um, hello? This is an instrumental score for the film! NOT a Various Artists soundtrack! This is, you may have noticed, an album that falls under the name of Thomas Newman! If anyone bought this expecting other music, then it's entirely their own fault. It even says on the front: "MUSIC BY THOMAS NEWMAN."

That said, I'd also like to correct Amazon on something - they said this is Newman's third outing with Mendes, the other two being "Shawshank Redemption" and "American Beauty."

Shawshank was directed by Frank Darabont, NOT Sam Mendes.

Mendes' other pairing with Newman was actually on 2002's "Road to Perdition," which is another great soundtrack I'd heartily recommend purchasing.

Missing Theme Song - but otherwise not bad.......2006-03-01

If you've watched the previews for this film, you're likely expecting a song called Jesus Walks by Kanye West to be on the soundtrack but it's not there - very annoying. But otherwise it's a pretty good CD of music to listen to while you work out or drive fast.

Fine score, but a consumer warning for the CD.......2006-01-20

Thomas Newman's original music for JARHEAD is not only typically daring with many unconventional sounds (utilizing samples, electronic treatments and exotic percussion), but one of his most stirring, rock-influenced efforts as well (as with the opening track, "Welcome to the Suck"). At first I thought there were no melodies as memorable as "Dead Already" from AMERICAN BEAUTY or "Road to Chicago" from ROAD TO PERDITION, but the 3/4-time march used in both "Raining Oil" and "Desert Storm" has grown on me. Of course the CD is recommendable for Newman's score alone. But...

...while one doesn't buy a CD of this nature primarily for the extra songs, one does expect the extras to be competently presented when they appear. So I was taken aback to hear Public Enemy's "Fight the Power" at a faster tempo and higher pitch than usual, as though mastered from a sped-up tape. I can't think of any intentional reason for this, so I'm assuming it was a mistake, but either way I found it not only annoying in itself but because of "Fight the Power"'s thematic significance, with its reference to the Bobby McFerrin tune heard earlier in the movie. ("'Don't Worry Be Happy' was a number one jam/Damn if I say it you can slap me right here".)

So then, while I like the Thomas Newman score a lot, I'm docking the CD a star for the sped-up "Fight the Power". Caveat emptor.

Thomas Newman is a Genius!.......2006-01-07

Thomas Newman is brilliant as always and delivers beautifully. Having read the book prior to the motion picture, Thomas Newman truly brings Swofford's tale to life. If you enjoyed The Horse Whisperer or the Shawshank Redemption score, then you'll thoroughly enjoy Jarhead.

Almost perfect for the film, loses points as a cd.......2005-12-23

Make no mistake - Jarhead proves Thomas Newman's abillity to write music for film. He is not making the music in order to show off his amazing talents, he is making the music so it is perfect for the film. Whereas some composers might score depressing scenes with grand sweeping movements trying to make themselves look like complex composers, Newman knows what will enhance the scene and what won't, and what can convey the message required.

Ultimately, this describes Jarhead perfectly. I have seen the movie and music is seamless and perfect for it. For the most part, there is a sonic texture created, with guitars and drums to represent the bravado of the characters. If you are a fan of Newman's stirring orchestral works this is definitely not something you would like. Newer fans of "American Beauty" and the like will find things to enjoy here, but not in as vibrant or pleasing a way as in that album. The score on it's own is just not as exciting or involving as it could be. It is interesting in it's own right, but not very pleasing to hear. However, there are many good tracks interspersed throughout the score to take you to the good spot.

Overall, Jarhead warrants a 4.5/5 for the film, but on a cd, it's score drops to 3/5. It is pleasant at times, and mostly an interesting CD, but there are too many Newman masterpieces to consider this one high on your buying list. Then agan, if you are a Newman fan, this CD should satisfy you're urge to see what the guy is up to. Final score? Three out of five.

Average customer rating:

Midnight Oil's least successful experiment
Decent album, but not essential
Great music produced by a deaf man!
Simply put... Fantastic Album!
Good but not their best

Place Without a Postcard
Midnight Oil
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Species Deceases
Midnight Oil
Head Injuries
Red Sails in the Sunset
10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1

ASIN: B000002742
Release Date: 1990-04-18

Tracks:

Don't Wanna Be The One
Brave Faces
Armistice Day
Someone Else To Blame
Basement Flat
Written In The Heart
Burnie
Quinella Holiday
Loves On Sale
If Ned Kelly Was King
Lucky Country

Customer Reviews:

Midnight Oil's least successful experiment.......2005-04-14

Midnight Oil began as a surf-music-inpsired, politically-conscious hard rock band in the late 1970s. Their second album, HEAD INJURIES (1979), is one of the best hard rock albums to come out of Australia during that era (along with, yes, Acy Deecy's BACK IN BLACK). In the early 1980s, however, the band began experimenting with different sounds and different types of song structures. PLACE WITHOUT A POSTCARD is the first (and least successful) result of this change in direction.

The main problem with the album (as others have pointed out) is that the production is terrible. Midnight Oil travelled all the way over to Great Britain to work with Glyn Johns and ended up with this? The songs are, for the most part, pretty good. "Brave Faces," "Don't Wanna Be the One," "Lucky Country," and "Someone Else to Blame" are all potent political rockers just begging for better production. Other highlights include "Armistice Day," "Quinella Holiday," and "If Ned Kelly Were King."

The CD certainly anticipates the epic 10,9,8,7.... but it is hard to recommend it to anyone other than the most ardent Midnight Oil fan. It's better than the debut record and certainly has great potential, but they don't quite pull it off. It's kind of a bummer, because there is potential here for it to be a classic.

Decent album, but not essential.......2004-05-19

This album sounds about what you'd expect the band to sound like between the albums Head Injuries and 10-9-8-7. There are some good songs, notably Brave Faces, Burnie, Quinella Holiday, and Loves For Sale.

The main problem with this album is the production. This is probably the worse MO album from a production and mixing perspective. Even the preceding album, Head Injuries, sounds a lot better (more crystal clear), and also has better songs. If this album was remixed/remastered, it would be much more liked. Still, a stereo with an equalizer can make this album sound fairly good.

Although not an essential album for casual MO fans, this still belongs in all MO fanatic collections.

Great music produced by a deaf man!.......2004-05-08

In the Woody Allen film Hollywood Ending, Allen's character watches clips of a film he was shooting while he was suffering from temporary blindess. After it's over he says "Call Dr. Kevorchian! This movie looks like it was shot by a blind man!"

Place Without A Postcard sounds like an album that was produced by someone who had their ears full of cotton. Glyn Johns had always made music sound very fresh and clear in the past as with The Rolling Stones, The Who, and The Clash. But this time around, Midnight Oil sound like they were playing inside of a tin can.

This is a shame too because if you can actually get your ears past the muddy sounds, you can hear some good things going on. A song like Brave Faces stands out remarkably well in a live setting (see live album Scream In Blue) even if it is compositionally unconventional. The same can be said for Basement Flat; a very good song but it sounds like the beginning was recorded in a basement flat itself. Written In The Heart, Quinella Holiday and Loves On Sale all come at you with the energy of their sophomore album Head Injuries, but sound too tame to be taken seriously. Lucky Country keeps the tradition of the album up being a glorious sounding song but paired with the sonics that make it sound esoteric.

Coming after the crispness that makes Head Injuries an early Midnight Oil favorite, Place Without A Postcard comes across as a small letdown. But if the production job were better, I might even call this album underrated. Only then would you appreciate the anti-militantism of the single Armistice Day.

Simply put... Fantastic Album!.......2004-01-16

This and Breathe are the best two Midnight Oil albums. The songs are aggressive, yet somewhat elusive. When I listen to this disc, I'll find myself playing it over and over again. If you love Midnight Oil then you need this album!

Good but not their best.......2002-12-08

Before i got this album i was expecting something like 10.9.8.7.6.5.4.3.2.1. but i was disapointed.
The album is good but it displays little of what the oils are capable of, they dont really experiment with their music in this but i have to say Brave Faces,Burnie,Basement flat are all decent songs well worth listening to

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