[Powderworks] P&TP Review in Beat Magazine
Andrew Cook
cooka@hotmail.com
Wed, 21 Nov 2001 17:00:03 +1100
G'day all,
Review of the tribute album from the Beat magazine, a Melbourne street mag:
It’s become a tradition of sorts, the tribute album. Once a band reaches a
certain
supreme height in it’s existence,
the tribute album is a welcome sign of musical
respect from it’s peers. It’s
also a fresh take on the tributed bands’ songs, and
especially on this Midnight Oil
tribute, the calibre of bands is second to none, and
the Oil’s tunes covered take on a
whole new life of their own.
Midnight Oil are an iconic
Australian band not only because of the sheer amount
of albums and singles sold not only here (2.5 million sales)
but worldwide (11 million), but the messages behind their
songs, and the political/environmental issues they have
combated through thier music over the last 25 years. The
Franklin River, the Daintree Forest, Kakadu National Park.
Midnight Oil were there to support the cause, and now it’s
their turn to step back and see what the bands in their
shadow bring to their songs.
Something For Kate tackle Dreamworld in their emo-melancholy
guitar distorted mode, while Shihad put up a
stadium-rocked up version of Kosciusko. Melbourne Ska-pop
outfit Area 7 place a quirky keyboard-driven bent on
Read About It, complete with hammond organ interlude. A real
standout is Sydney punkers Frenzal Rhomb’s punked
up take on The Dead Heart, vocalist Jason Whalley assuming a
perfect Peter Garrett vocal likeness. But the most
interesting versions are the most non-Midnight Oil sounding,
like female fronted The Superjesus mellowed version of
Short Memory, and all-girl band Skulker’s sweetly popped-up
Forgotten Years. The Oils get an electronic working over
by Regurgitator on thier the drum n’ bass inspired rendition
of Stand In Line, originally released on the Armistice Day
12" in 1982. Grinspoon haul in DJ Magoo, Josh Abrahams and
Jonathon Burnside for their electro-rock interpretation of
Don’t Wanna Be The One. Also included are covers by Bodyjar,
Jebediah and Waylayd; and the album is beautifully
concluded by Augie March with a shimmering ambient rendering
of the barely recognizable Beds Are Burning.
ROBERT MOLNAR
Cheers,
Andrew
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