[Powderworks] My letter to Hartford Courant reviewer
Laura Wolfe
Laura Wolfe" <casalobo@lightspeed.net
Fri, 5 Apr 2002 08:50:08 -0800
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Here is the letter I just emailed to the editor at the Hartford Courant =
regarding Eric Danton's moronic review of "Capricornia." Hope y'all =
like it.
Bill Wolfe
May I suggest that Eric Danton get his facts straight before he presumes =
to review an album? His review of Midnight Oil's excellent return to =
form, "Capricornia," contains numerous errors of fact; it also suggests =
that he did not listen to the album closely or often enough to form a =
valid critical opinion.
Mr. Danton states that Midnight Oil's 1987 breakthrough album, "Diesel =
and Dust," sold "reasonably well." In fact, it sold approximately 2 =
million copies in the U.S. alone and spent a fair amount of time in the =
Billboard top 20.
He then states that, in the 15 years since then, the band has released =
eight albums which "have gone nowhere on the charts or...in the American =
musical consciousness." Wrong again. Their 1990 release, "Blue Sky =
Mining," sold over a million copies and made the top 20. Oil did a =
worldwide tour of large venues for most of 1990. In the southern =
California region where I live, they played three shows in four days to =
a total of nearly 30,000 people. They returned in 1993 with "Earth and =
Sun and Moon," which sold well and was the basis for a US tour that ran =
from June through October of that year. The last figure I saw indicated =
that Midnight Oil has sold more than 4 million albums in the U.S. alone.
Midnight Oil's low profile since 1994 was a conscious choice by the band =
to remain in Australia with their families. Nevertheless, they released =
three excellent albums, none of which Mr. Danton has apparently ever =
heard: 1996's "Breathe," 1998's "Redneck Wonderland," and 2000's "The =
Real Thing" (a collection of unplugged performances and four new songs =
that was released only in Australia).
As for his comments about "Capricornia," it seems that Mr. Danton has a =
different CD in his possession than I do. In fact, the band's =
"political screeds" have not become "increasingly humorless and shrill." =
On the new album, I would venture to say there is not a single song =
that could fairly be called either a "screed" or "shrill." I wonder =
what songs Mr. Danton is referring to. Midnight Oil has become much =
less political and far more spiritual in their approach to issues. In =
this regard, I would draw Mr. Danton's attention to "Golden Age," "Under =
the Overpass," "Tone Poem," and the title track. Other than "Say Your =
Prayers," a track about East Timor from a 2000 benefit album, I'm =
willing to bet that Mr. Danton can't tell me what specific political =
issue any other song on the CD addresses. That is the band's intention. =
They have matured and mellowed, and they are, objectively speaking, =
neither humorless nor shrill.
Finally, although Mr. Danton states that the CD feels like an album =
"even the musicians didn't put their hearts into," "Capricornia" was a =
labor of love for Midnight Oil during the past two years. They believe =
it is their best album since at least 1993, if not 1987. The fact that =
radio is embracing the album -- and that Midnight Oil is about to launch =
a long North American tour (from late April through July)-- shows that =
this comeback album is resonating with their fans. I believe =
"Capricornia" will be discovered by many new fans as well. =20
Perhaps Mr. Danton needs to listen to it a few more times, paying close =
attention to both the music and the lyrics. Should I send him my copy, =
so we can be sure he's listening to an actual copy of "Capricornia"? Or =
perhaps he'd rather listen to the wonderful musical contributions from =
the likes of Creed, Pink, or Alien Ant Farm? At the very least, he =
should see Midnight Oil when they perform in Hartford; he obviously =
needs to experience one of the greatest, most passionate live acts ever =
if he is to appreciate their music and message.
Bill Wolfe
The thought manifests as the word;
the word manifests as the deed;
the deed develops into the habit;
and habit hardens into character.
So watch the thought and its ways with care,=20
and let it spring from love
born out of concern for all things.
-- The Buddha
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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Here is the letter I just emailed to =
the editor at=20
the Hartford Courant regarding Eric Danton's moronic review of=20
"Capricornia." Hope y'all like it.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Bill Wolfe</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>May I suggest that Eric Danton get his =
facts=20
straight before he presumes to review an album? His review of =
Midnight=20
Oil's excellent return to form, "Capricornia," contains numerous errors =
of fact;=20
it also suggests that he did not listen to the album closely or often =
enough to=20
form a valid critical opinion.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Mr. Danton states that Midnight Oil's =
1987=20
breakthrough album, "Diesel and Dust," sold "reasonably well." In =
fact, it=20
sold approximately 2 million copies in the U.S. alone and spent a fair =
amount of=20
time in the Billboard top 20.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>He then states that, in the 15 years =
since then,=20
the band has released eight albums which "have gone nowhere on the =
charts=20
or...in the American musical consciousness." Wrong again. =
Their 1990=20
release, "Blue Sky Mining," sold over a million copies and made the top=20
20. Oil did a worldwide tour of large venues for most of =
1990. In=20
the southern California region where I live, they played three shows in =
four=20
days to a total of nearly 30,000 people. They returned in 1993 =
with "Earth=20
and Sun and Moon," which sold well and was the basis for a US tour that =
ran from=20
June through October of that year. The last figure I saw indicated =
that=20
Midnight Oil has sold more than 4 million albums in the U.S. =
alone.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Midnight Oil's low profile since 1994 =
was a=20
conscious choice by the band to remain in Australia with their =
families. =20
Nevertheless, they released three excellent albums, none of which Mr. =
Danton has=20
apparently ever heard: 1996's "Breathe," 1998's "Redneck Wonderland," =
and 2000's=20
"The Real Thing" (a collection of unplugged performances and four new =
songs that=20
was released only in Australia).</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>As for his comments about =
"Capricornia," it seems=20
that Mr. Danton has a different CD in his possession than I do. In =
fact,=20
the band's "political screeds" have not become "increasingly humorless =
and=20
shrill." On the new album, I would venture to say there is not a =
single=20
song that could fairly be called either a "screed" or "shrill." I =
wonder=20
what songs Mr. Danton is referring to. Midnight Oil has become =
much less=20
political and far more spiritual in their approach to issues. In =
this=20
regard, I would draw Mr. Danton's attention to "Golden Age," "Under the=20
Overpass," "Tone Poem," and the title track. Other than "Say Your =
Prayers," a=20
track about East Timor from a 2000 benefit album, I'm willing to bet =
that Mr.=20
Danton can't tell me what specific political issue any other song on the =
CD=20
addresses. That is the band's intention. They have matured =
and=20
mellowed, and they are, objectively speaking, neither humorless nor=20
shrill.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Finally, although Mr. Danton states =
that the CD=20
feels like an album "even the musicians didn't put their hearts into,"=20
"Capricornia" was a labor of love for Midnight Oil during the past two=20
years. They believe it is their best album since at least 1993, if =
not=20
1987. The fact that radio is embracing the album -- and that =
Midnight Oil=20
is about to launch a long North American tour (from late April through =
July)--=20
shows that this comeback album is resonating with their fans. I =
believe=20
"Capricornia" will be discovered by many new fans as well. =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Perhaps Mr. Danton needs to listen to =
it a few more=20
times, paying close attention to both the music and the lyrics. =
Should I=20
send him my copy, so we can be sure he's listening to an actual copy of=20
"Capricornia"? Or perhaps he'd rather listen to the wonderful =
musical=20
contributions from the likes of Creed, Pink, or Alien Ant Farm? At =
the=20
very least, he should see Midnight Oil when they perform in Hartford; he =
obviously needs to experience one of the greatest, most passionate live =
acts=20
ever if he is to appreciate their music and message.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>Bill Wolfe</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>The thought manifests as the =
word;<BR>the word=20
manifests as the deed;<BR>the deed develops into the habit;<BR>and habit =
hardens=20
into character.<BR>So watch the thought and its ways with care, <BR>and =
let it=20
spring from love<BR>born out of concern for all things.<BR>-- The=20
Buddha<BR></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>
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