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Midnight Oil - Bird Noises Audio CD

A fair review of the Midnight Oil "Bird Noises" 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: Bird Noises
Rating:
Release Date: 1990-04-18
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: No Time for Games 2: Knife's Edge 3: Wedding Cake Island 4: I'm the Cure

God is Hiding in This Teacup
To my mind, the music on "No Time For Games", "Knife's Edge", and "The Cure" is similar to what the Oils would release a year later on Postcard, but perhaps a little less refined. Released between Head Injuries and A Place Without a Postcard, this 4 song EP is a quick snapshot of where Midnight Oil was at in 1980. There's also the gorgeous "Wedding Cake Island", a surf inspired instrumental that showcases the compositional skills of guitarist Martin Rotsey and multi-instrumentalist Jim Moginie. Midnight Oil has never gotten the respect that they deserve as musicians, especially Moginie, who in my opinion is one of the most underrated musicians to emerge over the course of my lifetime. Bird Noises is not Midnight Oil's best work, but it remains an interesting curio in the history of this fine group. .


Somewhat trivial
The production and sound quality is very good (better than Head Injuries, and much better than Place Without a Postcard). Bird Noises is an okay EP. But there are only four songs on the disc, and none are very memorable. The songs are so-so, mediocre.

I'd put this at the bottom of Midnight Oil releases to get.


"Let's rock!"
Its four songs are an eclectic assortment and it is probably the first recording that widened Midnight Oil's scope. This EP, released in 1980, is something of an oddity. After this, listeners would no longer be able to pigeonhole the band. It opens with the most characteristic Oils song, the terrific rocker "No Time For Games", which deals with the angst of youth in the face of middle class conformity and parental expectations. "Knife's Edge" is a similar in your face rock song, with a brilliant driving rhythm. With "Wedding Cake Island" the EP becomes a bit more indefinable. A tropical/Hawaiian-like instrumental, this is a gorgeous track, complete with a melody (very unusual for the Oils!) "I'm the Cure" is a strange one. Presumably about drugs, the vocals are spoken very slowly, almost slurred. To the non fan it might sound sick - however it is very insighftul. It's an uncomfortable song - I'm not sure if I like it, but I can't deny its impact. "Bird Noises" is very good. It foreshadows the brilliance that would follow in two years' time, with the album "10,9,8,7,6,5,4,3,2,1".


surprising
Worth getting for these 2 tracks. the 2 best known tracks on this are "no time for games", about kids from the wrong side of the track and "Weddingcake Island" a great instrumental piece which sounds very much like a "The Shadows" instrumental.


Bird Noises
No Time for games absolutely rocks, Garrett's voice wails. The classic early oils sound, grungy and powerful. If you want to get in touch with what it was like to be an oils fan in the early 80s, get this record.


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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