[Powderworks] Washington Compost Review of Capricornia
Tony D'Astolfo
tonyis@the-loo.com
Thu, 28 Mar 2002 09:23:13 -0500
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Found this in the post this morning. Just wanted to hear your thoughts =
on this one since most if not all Oils fans have spoken for themselves =
on this album...
Washington Post reviewer Britt Robson wrote this about "Capricornia," =
the new album by Midnight Oil:
It was probably too much to hope that "Capricornia," Midnight Oil's =
first release in four years, would provide one of the world's most =
passionately political bands a chance to weigh in on the terrorist =
attacks of Sept. 11 and their attendant ramifications. More than likely, =
the time constraints were too narrow to change the contents of a =
collection slated for international release less than six months after =
the attacks.
Even on its own terms, however, "Capricornia," both musically and =
lyrically, feels more unfocused and disengaged than the group's previous =
high standards have led fans to expect.
At its best, Midnight Oil has portrayed the parochial injustices in its =
native Australia with a fervor and universality that pack an emotional =
wallop. The most notable example is "Beds Are Burning," a riveting =
screed against the taking of aboriginal land rights in Australia that =
became a global hit in 1987. But on songs with subjects ranging from =
colonial imperialism to the despoiling of the environment to the =
exploitation of labor workers, had the knack of transforming slogans =
into definable narratives and propaganda into propulsive entertainment. =
Leaving aside last year's tragedy, the international protests against =
the World Trade Organization and the rise of a global economy over the =
past few years would seem to provide fuel for similar anthems.
Instead, "Capricornia" opts for vague allusions and, by the Oils' =
standards, tame, impressionistic tales. Is the pervasive use of sunshine =
as a metaphor for evil (most obviously on "Too Much Sunshine") a =
description of a relentless everyday climate or a metaphor for global =
warming? Is "Golden Age" -- punctuated by the refrain, "It's time to =
claim that sweet release / let it go let it go" -- meant to be literal =
or satirical? Is the often-harkened desire for "a simple answer" on =
"Mosquito March" a good thing?
Such lack of clarity sabotages the band's political potency. The only =
unmistakably specific topical song, "Say Your Prayers," was previously =
released on a 1999 benefit compilation record for the disenfranchised =
people of East Timor.=20
The music similarly seems to work at cross-purposes. With Warne Livesey =
as producer for "Diesel and Dust" (1987) and "Blue Sky Mining" (1990), =
the group incorporated its penchant for experimental flourishes (techno, =
funk, art-rock) into a rollicking guitar-drums-bass thrust more =
seamlessly than it has before or since. But the return of Livesey =
coincides with a more power-pop, almost R.E.M.-like approach on =
"Capricornia" that makes the disc's political undercurrents (if that's =
indeed what they are) sound even more cautious. The hooks on "Golden =
Age," the lead single, seem designed for radio airplay, and the =
melodious, mid-tempo title track feels like a valentine.
Two songs on "Capricornia" tease Oils fans with vestiges of the band's =
smart, sinewy social commentary. Anchored by sharp drum accents and a =
heraldic guitar riff, "Tone Poem" rages at the consequences of sprawling =
consumerism with a heady blend of desperation and defiance. And "Under =
the Overpass," the first of three slower-paced numbers that close the =
disc, poignantly portrays the weary spirituality and uncompromising =
terms of life for those on the margins. Now -- as always, if not more =
than ever -- we could use more of this heat and light, the sound of =
Midnight Oil in full combustion.=20
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<DIV>Found this in the post this morning. Just wanted to hear your =
thoughts on=20
this one since most if not all Oils fans have spoken for themselves on =
this=20
album...</DIV>
<DIV><STRONG></STRONG> </DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>Washington Post reviewer Britt Robson wrote this about=20
"Capricornia," the new album by Midnight Oil:<BR><BR>It was probably too =
much to=20
hope that "Capricornia," Midnight Oil's first release in four years, =
would=20
provide one of the world's most passionately political bands a chance to =
weigh=20
in on the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11 and their attendant =
ramifications. More=20
than likely, the time constraints were too narrow to change the contents =
of a=20
collection slated for international release less than six months after =
the=20
attacks.<BR><BR>Even on its own terms, however, "Capricornia," both =
musically=20
and lyrically, feels more unfocused and disengaged than the group's =
previous=20
high standards have led fans to expect.<BR>At its best, Midnight Oil has =
portrayed the parochial injustices in its native Australia with a fervor =
and=20
universality that pack an emotional wallop. The most notable example is =
"Beds=20
Are Burning," a riveting screed against the taking of aboriginal land =
rights in=20
Australia that became a global hit in 1987. But on songs with subjects =
ranging=20
from colonial imperialism to the despoiling of the environment to the=20
exploitation of labor workers, had the knack of transforming slogans =
into=20
definable narratives and propaganda into propulsive entertainment. =
Leaving aside=20
last year's tragedy, the international protests against the World Trade=20
Organization and the rise of a global economy over the past few years =
would seem=20
to provide fuel for similar anthems.<BR><BR>Instead, "Capricornia" opts =
for=20
vague allusions and, by the Oils' standards, tame, impressionistic =
tales. Is the=20
pervasive use of sunshine as a metaphor for evil (most obviously on "Too =
Much=20
Sunshine") a description of a relentless everyday climate or a metaphor =
for=20
global warming? Is "Golden Age" -- punctuated by the refrain, "It's time =
to=20
claim that sweet release / let it go let it go" -- meant to be literal =
or=20
satirical? Is the often-harkened desire for "a simple answer" on =
"Mosquito=20
March" a good thing?<BR><BR>Such lack of clarity sabotages the band's =
political=20
potency. The only unmistakably specific topical song, "Say Your =
Prayers," was=20
previously released on a 1999 benefit compilation record for the =
disenfranchised=20
people of East Timor. <BR><BR>The music similarly seems to work at=20
cross-purposes. With Warne Livesey as producer for "Diesel and Dust" =
(1987) and=20
"Blue Sky Mining" (1990), the group incorporated its penchant for =
experimental=20
flourishes (techno, funk, art-rock) into a rollicking guitar-drums-bass =
thrust=20
more seamlessly than it has before or since. But the return of Livesey =
coincides=20
with a more power-pop, almost R.E.M.-like approach on "Capricornia" that =
makes=20
the disc's political undercurrents (if that's indeed what they are) =
sound even=20
more cautious. The hooks on "Golden Age," the lead single, seem designed =
for=20
radio airplay, and the melodious, mid-tempo title track feels like a=20
valentine.<BR><BR>Two songs on "Capricornia" tease Oils fans with =
vestiges of=20
the band's smart, sinewy social commentary. Anchored by sharp drum =
accents and a=20
heraldic guitar riff, "Tone Poem" rages at the consequences of sprawling =
consumerism with a heady blend of desperation and defiance. And "Under =
the=20
Overpass," the first of three slower-paced numbers that close the disc,=20
poignantly portrays the weary spirituality and uncompromising terms of =
life for=20
those on the margins. Now -- as always, if not more than ever -- we =
could use=20
more of this heat and light, the sound of Midnight Oil in full =
combustion.=20
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