Do you remember “Beds Are Burning” the 1987 world-wide hit from Australian rockers MIDNIGHT OIL? Considered ‘one hit wonders’ by some stupid press, MIDNIGHT OIL are much more than that. Since they first exploded out back in 1978, the band blaze a singular trail of blistering gigs from Australia’s pubs and clubs to arenas and festivals around the world. Always with their catchy rocking rhythms and provoking lyrics.
Titled “Resist“, the CD will be Midnight Oil’s 15th studio release, the first batch of Oils songs in 18 years.
Apart from maintaining their timeless, classic rock&pop / hard rock sound the strength of Midnight Oil’s longevity is their ability to reach across the political divide through the power and passion of rock’n’roll.
Those political divides have only widened since Midnight Oil released their classic albums ”10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1” (1982) and ”Diesel and Dust” (1987) to prove activism and pop-rock music could be commercially viable.
Thankfully Midnight Oil’s farewell album ”Resist” delivers everything Oils fans could have hoped for. It’s direct and passionate, but the rage has been tempered by a sense of failure.
Peter Garrett once sung “The time has come / To say fair’s fair,” but on Resist’s opening track ‘Rising Seas’ he bemoans that his generation could have already failed the youth through inaction on climate change.
Jim Moginie and Martin Rotsey’s trademark one-two guitar punch is in full grandeur on ‘Nobody’s Child’, while late bassist Bones Hillman is provided a fitting finale to showcase his talents on ‘We Resist’ as Garrett sings, “In the age when the loudest voices win / Words are now worth less than silence.”
Rob Hirst, as always, provides the muscular backbone to further cement his reputation as one of Australia’s finest drummers.
”Resist” has certainly whet the appetite for Midnight Oil’s farewell tour. They sign off as Australia’s greatest political rock band, who still have something poignant to say. Oh, and they rock hard as well.
It’s now up to the new generation to keep pushing that battering ram forward.
Midnight Oil – RESIST (2022)
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