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Midnight Oil - Midnight Oil Audio CD

A fair review of the Midnight Oil "Midnight Oil" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Midnight Oil reviews here, or go back to the Midnight Oil tabs.

Midnight Oil Band: Midnight Oil
Title: Midnight Oil
Rating:
Release Date: 1990-04-18
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Powderworks 2: Head Over Heels 3: Dust 4: Used and Abused 5: Surfing with a Spoon 6: Run by Night 7: Nothing Lost, Nothing Gained

Aussie Original
1976 is considered the year the group was born, as that was the point at which the last of the four lifetime members joined with the others and the point when the group changed its name to Midnight Oil. "Midnight Oil" is the debut album from the original Australian group of the same name. They released this debut album in November of 1978.

The album opens with a tremendous amount of energy, which is the group's trademark. "Powderworks" grabs the listener immediately and lets them know that this is not an easy listening album; that this is a group that has something to say and they are going to force you to hear it. In many ways, the song is about the group itself, that they are a powderworks about to blow. "Head Over Heels" steps back a bit and is a bit more melodic, though still with a lot of energy, especially for a love song of sorts. "Dust" is a nice piece of social commentary and a good tune as well. "Used And Abused" is another high energy piece with yet another message about society. This finishes the first half of the rather short album, all of the pieces are very strong.

"Surfing With a Spoon" is a piece which opens more slow and soft, but it picks up just before the lyrics kick in. It is another piece of social commentary on the pace of city life. "Run by Night" is the group's first attempt at a single. It is a very high energy catchy piece. "Nothing Lost - Nothing Gained" is the closing piece on the album, and is rather different than anything which came before it. It is nearly three minutes longer than any of the other pieces, and more than double the length of all the tracks except "Powderworks". The piece is slower and more reflective, a difference which is made even more apparent by its being placed by the high energy single "Run by Night".

This is a very good debut album, one in which the listener is immediately made aware of the style of the band; the high energy; the social awareness; etc. The group consists of: Peter Garrett (vocals) - interestingly enough, Peter has become Australia's Federal Minister for Environment, Heritage and the Arts under Kevin Rudd's administration; Robert Hirst (drums, vocals); James Moginie (guitar, keyboards); Martin Rotsey (guitar); and Andrew James (bass) - Andrew Jones is the only original member to have left the group.
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Midnight Oil Ignites the Fire
Still, this song in particular shows off the band's Who-influenced surf punk. The very energetic debut by the Aussie rockers starts off with a bang with the explosive "Powderworks", a song that would be given a much more vigorous workout on the live album Scream in Blue Live. "Nothing Lost, Nothing Gained" closes the album as a slow bluesy piece with an absolutely scorching pair of Martin Rotsey solos. Most of what's in between isn't as strong as these two bookend numbers, but the energy the band brings to each number outweigh any technical flaws that might be present in their playing. The fact that Midnight Oil would emerge a year later with the dynamite Head Injuries only shows how quickly their musical skills would grow, a trend that would continue into the 90s as each album would prove to be a musical leap from the previous one. Not the best Midnight Oil album, but still a strong debut.


Underated Classic Post-punk Gold
Ignore the lousy reviews. This was Midnight Oil's best album. The Oils had a distinctive sound and had perfected their show. . I saw them live many times! This CD captures the energy and unique synergy of Peter Garret's vocals (he actually sang on this album!), Rober Hirst's powerhouse drumming, James Moginie's dynamic riffs and leads. . . Frankly, sorry boys, but in my view it was all downhill from here on. The Oils achieved commercial success beyond expectations, and probably in spite of their all too overtly political and pedestrian lyrics. . but the real gold is this first album, in terms of its shere poetry and power. Check it out!! Don't believe me!! LISTEN2IT!.


the oil is burning
midnight oil's debut album yet they may have a lack of alblity which would feature on latter albums but this features some class solo's yeah i can't understand the lyrics but who cares
i just love this album for being different .


Midnight Oil would do better
Unlike those other four bands, however, Midnight Oil's debut record is not a classic. In my opinion, Midnight Oil is one of the best five bands that emerged between 1975 and 1985, ranking right up there with U2, REM, the Ramones, and the Clash. To be honest, it sounds as if the band may have not quite been ready to go into the studio in 1978. There is only one stand-out track, "Powderworks," which certainly hints at the brilliance of later releases. Still, there is a scorching version of this song on SCREAM IN BLUE (LIVE), rendering this version almost moot. Among the other tracks, "Dust" and "Surfing with a Spoon" are OK, but that's about it. To be honest, this is probably the only Midnight Oil CD that I don't play anymore. I'll give it 3 stars because I love Midnight Oil and I am willing to admit my biases.

For completists only.


You can see a complete list of all Midnight Oil discography, or go back to the Midnight Oil tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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