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The oil is burning

.Richard | england | 11/22/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"midnight oil's debut album yet they may have a lack of alblity which would feature on latter albums but this features some class solo's yeah i can't understand the lyrics but who cares

i just love this album for being different"

Midnight Oil Ignites the Fire

Jack Baker | LeRoy,IL | 02/06/2008

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The very energetic debut by the Aussie rockers starts off with a bang with the explosive "Powderworks", a song that would be given a much more vigorous workout on the live album Scream in Blue Live. Still, this song in particular shows off the band's Who-influenced surf punk. "Nothing Lost, Nothing Gained" closes the album as a slow bluesy piece with an absolutely scorching pair of Martin Rotsey solos. Most of what's in between isn't as strong as these two bookend numbers, but the energy the band brings to each number outweigh any technical flaws that might be present in their playing. The fact that Midnight Oil would emerge a year later with the dynamite Head Injuries only shows how quickly their musical skills would grow, a trend that would continue into the 90s as each album would prove to be a musical leap from the previous one. Not the best Midnight Oil album, but still a strong debut."

Midnight Oil would do better

R. Miller | Arlington, VA | 04/14/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"In my opinion, Midnight Oil is one of the best five bands that emerged between 1975 and 1985, ranking right up there with U2, REM, the Ramones, and the Clash. Unlike those other four bands, however, Midnight Oil's debut record is not a classic. To be honest, it sounds as if the band may have not quite been ready to go into the studio in 1978. There is only one stand-out track, "Powderworks," which certainly hints at the brilliance of later releases. Still, there is a scorching version of this song on SCREAM IN BLUE (LIVE), rendering this version almost moot. Among the other tracks, "Dust" and "Surfing with a Spoon" are OK, but that's about it. To be honest, this is probably the only Midnight Oil CD that I don't play anymore. I'll give it 3 stars because I love Midnight Oil and I am willing to admit my biases.



For completists only."