Midnight Oil

SV: [Powderworks] A "dissenting" opinion?

Bjorn Blomquist bjorn.blomquist@mbox301.swipnet.se
Sun, 10 Mar 2002 15:46:43 +0100


> Finally got ahold of the Capricornia album, and have listened many times
> over the last several days, both at home and at work.  I must say, I
> find it "disappointing", in that while I think it's strong lyrically I
> just don't find the musical side very different or "progressive"
> compared to last several albums.  I'm not sure what I'd like to hear
> different, but it feels to me like they've hit some kind of wall or
> reached some kind of limit, and only have a limited range of musical
> "styles" to use....

That was my initial reaction of the album as well, that it isn't as varied as an Oil album usually is and that we have heard them doing these songs before. In this case I actually think it's a good thing. Midnight Oil have spoilt us throughout the years with every album sounding different from the previous, and this time we get the REAL Midnight Oil. 'Capricornia' is a mix between their, in my opinion, three greatest albums (DAD, BSM, E&S&M). It's like they want to show us: here we are, sounding like ourselves, doing what we are doing the best. Much credit to the producer Warne Livesey for helping the boys to find their classic sound again. (Honestly, would you like another 'Redneck Wonderland'?) This album also *sounds* very good. It may be the best-sounding Oil album ever? I mean, compare it to 'Breathe'!!! The producer surely is important for the sound.

I think however that more of the weakness lays in that some of the lyrics are very sparse (read: repetitive), at least for coming from the pens of the Oils.
We are already discussing "Too much sunshine", but this one isn't much better:

"Have I been away too long
Have I been away too long
Have I been away too long
I just can't wait
Have I been away too long
Have I been away too long
Have I been away too long
I just can't wait"

or when a whole verse is just:

"When they march, when they march in the fields of green
When they march, when they march in the fields of green" (What is THAT song about anyway?)

I think this is part of being "out of ideas", because we heard one-line choruses and repetitions on 'Breathe' and 'RW' as well. On the other hand, we also get songs like "Poets and slaves" which is far from being repetitive with a simple structure. 

> Being a loyal Oil-er, I'll keep listening, and maybe it will grow on me
> more substantially...

Definitely it will. I did for me, and probably for most of us.

/Bjorn