Record Details
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Record ID
1455
Artist
Midnight Oil
Title
Capricornia
Field / Genre
Rock
Year Recorded
2002
Label
Columbia
Pressing
Aus
Rating
****
Discs
1
Media
CD
Date Bought
11 Oct 2008
Cost
¤9.00
Cover Name
—
Review
<p>With Capricornia, the Australian political rockers return with their first album of new material in four years. More than 25 years into their career, there's nothing surprising about Midnight Oil's approach at the turn of the millennium, but Capricornia finds them delivering their expected blend of melodic, muscular, and thoughtful guitar rock. They're still as righteously indignant as ever over the plight of the common man, although perhaps not quite as direct or focused. There's plenty of fire in the belly, though, on driving cuts like "Golden Age" and the tempered optimism of "World That I See," while they exhibit their trademark resilience on "Tone Poem." From its lovely, stripped-down intro, "Under the Overpass" (about the homeless) builds to a powerful climax, providing one of the album's highlights, and they work up a good head of steam on the forceful "Say Your Prayers" (which, musically, is reminiscent of U2's "Zoo Station"). Capricornia isn't likely to garner them a new audience, but it's equally unlikely to disappoint Oil's devoted fan base.</p><p>—<strong>Tom Demalon</strong></p>