[R. B. Norton]

Not extraordinarily insightful, but all press is good press...


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Double Dose Of The '80s

February 22, 2002
By Jill Ward
MIDNIGHT OIL - Capricornia

Neither time nor new Millennium pop has managed to quench the fire of
veteran rockers MIDNIGHT OIL. On February 19th, the politically charged
Aussie outfit returned with Capricornia, its first U.S. release in almost
four years. And make no mistake, the collection is another fiery round of
potent "cause rock," housing all the energy of their classic Aboriginal
anthem, "Beds Are Burning," the band's breakthrough hit single which called
attention to the issues of Australia's native people.

This time around, the boys tackle everything from the plight of the people
of East Timor to the downright shamefulness of apathy. The passion of
falcon-like frontman PETER GARRETT and company can be felt in the smoky
Capricornia cut, "Say Your Prayers." "I got the cure for compassion
fatigue/spend a weekend with the Timorese/running scared from the
military/you can share your disease," growls Garrett among the tune's
distorted guitars.

Reminiscent of their standout albums Diesel & Dust (1987) and Blue Sky
Mining (1990) is the rolling and ambient track "Tone Poem" which croons its
caveats, "where will you live when the fields are falling/where will you
live when the feedlots calling/equality's the only plea/green fields are
burning/the reefs on fire and bellies are swollen."

With seemingly tireless fervor, Garrett has always put his money where his
mouth is when it comes to the numerous contemporary causes he supports. With
his towering frame and trademark shaved cranium, the imposing-looking
frontman not only ran for office in his homeland on a Nuclear Disarmament
ticket, in 1998 he accepted a second term as President of The Australian
Conservation Foundation, an environmental group.

Named after the hostile northern territory of Australia, Capricornia
describes its rugged landscape (metaphorically, perhaps?) as "a land of skin
and bones" via the rumblings of the cut, "World That I See." In the
circus-like closer "Poets and Slaves," Garrett conjures up the "dry old
creek beds" and recalls the "clouds coming down low on the corn." The breezy
sonics of the album's title track "Capricornia" and the crisp guitars of
"Golden Age" alone make these tunes necessary additions to your road trip
compilation.

And speaking of road trip ... the band is planning to spend the first half
of 2002 touring North America and the remainder of the year tackling dates
in Europe. Don't miss out on the "power and the passion"! In the meantime,
check out the well-oiled new tunes from Australia's veteran rock band,
Midnight Oil.

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