Midnight Oil

Subject: Re: [powderworks] RE: remasters & preorders
From: Brian Jacobs
Date: 18/06/2014, 12:36 am
To: "powderworks@yahoogroups.com.au" <powderworks@yahoogroups.com.au>, Chris <seeker42@gmail.com>

My spin:

Oils Classics:

Underwater--A really distinctive song for the band, and one that's awesome both live and on disc.  The lo-fi mix of the album works for it too.

Surf's Up Tonight--This sounds like a return to the band's roots, and it's an epically good live song.

Home--I love the way Emmylou's voice works with Peter's. This song just blew me out of the water when I first heard it.

Very good songs:

Common Ground--The best rock song on the album.  I've always chalked up the cringing anti-Semitic line in the song to cultural differences, but I don't blast it in the car....

One Too Many Times--I'm really glad they put this on the album. It's so out there, but it's so lovely.

Good song:

Time to Heal--Totally listenable, totally singable. Too saccharine to be any better than good.

Sins of Omission--never really loved this song, though I feel like I could. I think this one suffers from Breathe's lofi aesthetic.

Weak

Star of Hope--Like Sins, I think this one is hurt by the lofi, but unlike Sins, I don't think there is as much to salvage. I think a better mix would bring it to good.

In the Rain--uh....  There's nothing I like about this song.

E-Beat--This one puts me to sleep.  I'm actually surprised how much love it's getting.  Hey, different strokes.

Barest Degree and Gravelrash--in this category because I'm having trouble really remembering them well, having not listened to Breathe in a couple months.  That makes them pretty unremarkable to me.

Sent from my iPad

On Jun 17, 2014, at 9:02 AM, "Chris seeker42@gmail.com [powderworks]" <powderworks@yahoogroups.com.au> wrote:

 

My basically worthless opinion, track by track....

Excellent:
Sins of Omission (I've often thought that if the Oil's had pushed this song out in '93, their last decade might have followed a rather different trajectory)
In The Rain (reminds me of early stuff like Koala Sprint, and the falsetto chorus is exquisite)
E-Beat (OK, so it's kinda EaSaM redux, but it's great)
Barest Degree (I seem to recall Mark Dodshon's book explaining that Rob hates what happened to his song, but I love it)

Nearly Excellent:
Surf's Up Tonight (I always resented that this was on 20,000 Watts instead of E-Beat or Sins of Omission, but that doesn't make it a bad song)
Time To Heal (the instrumental section from 2:10 through 2:47 is excellent, but over way too soon)
Star of Hope (for some reason people remember this album as being folky, but it's actually pretty dark and grungy. This song tries both, with grungy verses and a folky chorus, and it doesn't quite gel. But I love the grungy bits.)
Bring On the Change (here's one that I'd love to hear a total remix on, I suspect there's a perfectly classic Oils song under the weird production)

Good:
Underwater (an interesting experiment. I always think I don't like this song until I listen to it, then I remember that I just don't like the first 40 seconds before it gets into gear. The last 2 minutes are pretty good.)
Common Ground (I actually really like the "Nothing's Left, Nothing's Found" hook in the chorus)
Home (somehow a Neil Young song crept onto this Oils album? I like it, but I'm not sure what it's doing here)
Gravelrash (the song is fine, but a guitar instrumental deserves a more interesting guitar sound than this, and the album's characteristic mushy drums get to me on this track more than most)

I Don't Really Get 'Em (but they probably aren't objectively bad):
One Too Many Times (um. I don't really have anything to say about this song. It bores me stupid)

- Chris
(Who should be writing his thesis, and has blocked every distracting website except Gmail. Whoops)



On 17 June 2014 23:01, Michael Blackwood blackwood_michael@hotmail.com [powderworks] <powderworks@yahoogroups.com.au> wrote:
 

I thought RW was mostly excellent, especially after Breathe disappointed me.  That said, even as a "disappointing" album, Breathe has 3 tracks on it that I consider excellent:  E-Beat, Barest Degree, and Bring on the Change.  But the whole album is mixed in such a murky, lo-fi way that it grates on my nerves for muting so much of that distinctive 'Oily' sound.
 
Mike
 
Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2014 17:11:14 +1000

Subject: Re: [powderworks] RE: remasters & preorders

 
Is liking RW a controversial opinion around here? Personally I've always felt that it's the best of the post-Diesel albums.

As for Breathe, well. It's got a few great songs, but the pacing is strange. I listen to it with a playlist that drops One Too Many Times and it livens up a bunch.
I do think there's potential there to really shine on a different mix, but...I dunno, it's kinda unique. Maybe leave it alone.

- CJK


On 17 June 2014 16:53, david earle canadavros@yahoo.com.au [powderworks] <powderworks@yahoogroups.com.au> wrote:
 


count me in...but then I actually reckon RW is a ripper, so I'm used to being a pariah
 
David

From: "Kevin Yates kyates@bne.catholic.edu.au [powderworks]" <powderworks@yahoogroups.com.au>
To: "<powderworks@yahoogroups.com.au>" <powderworks@yahoogroups.com.au>; "<tjs.arndt@yahoo.ca>" <tjs.arndt@yahoo.ca>
Sent: Tuesday, 17 June 2014 4:14 PM
Subject: Re: [powderworks] RE: remasters & preorders

 
Leave Breathe alone.

I might be one of only a few, but I like it, just as it is.  ; )

Kev

Sent from my iPhone



On 17 Jun 2014, at 3:06 pm, "tjs.arndt@yahoo.ca [powderworks]" <powderworks@yahoogroups.com.au> wrote:

 
I see the remastered CD series goes up to ESM... Would it be too much to ask for that Breathe actually be REMIXED rather than just remastered???! (Give the tapes to Nick Launay and let him work his magic!) Cheers, Trevor
Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone
From: "'jeremy peisley' jp1975@optusnet.com.au [powderworks]" <powderworks@yahoogroups.com.au>
Date: Mon, 16 Jun 2014 23:12:08 +1000
Subject: [powderworks] RE: remasters preorders

 
For those who will be looking to do the pre-order thing for the remasters may want to consider holding off until they are released. For those of you internationally i guess it also comes down to shipping, but for those in Aust i have been reliably told from someone who will know 100% that the remasters will be priced a $10 each thru JB Hifi & Sanity. At present the remasters are not listed on JB & they are on Sanity. Now even though there listed on sanity for anywhere from $9.99 for the EPs up to $15 -$22 for the albums i have been reassured that quote :
 
“Those prices will come into effect day of release”
 
Cheers
 
JP
 

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