Customer Reviews

Real Thing

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I find it a shame that this record is only available in the United States as an import. Like their release of Redneck Wonderland, there must be a Midnight Oil conspiracy in the US.

It has been 20+ years that that Midnight Oil has belted out songs of political truths from Australia. The Real Thing CD covers those years in an unnplugged format with classics like Tin Legs and Tin Mines, US Forces up to recent songs such as Truganini. Drawn from their unplugged performance with MTV and a show at the Metro in Sydney, The Real Thing still strikes the nerve that keep this band afloat - voices of the political truth. Midnight Oil are the intellectual band of their era and they have not lost themselves in loves songs of false pretense but on the hope that their voices will make a change. Songs on the Real Thing are stripped of their power in volume but lyrical strength and messages are left in tact. The Real Thing does not define them like their previous release Redneck Wonderland but it gives insight into the creative process that gets them to the power chords of politcal truth. The studio songs on this album are strong and give us hope that there is still another Redneck Wonderland, 10-1 or Diesel and Dust album in these Aussie rockers. The Real Thing is a must for every true Oil fan. Get it while you can with the bonus disc of videos of Cemetery In My Mind and Redneck Wonderland because when it is finally released in the States, it probably will be stripped down to one disc.

2000 release features 4 new studio songs and 10 live unplugged acoustic songs (8 from The Metro Theatre, Sydney 1994 and 2 from MTV Unplugged 1993). This limited edition Australian import does the standard version one better by including an additional bonus disc with multimedia content (including videos of two songs) and an extended interview.

This is an extraordinary collection of acoustic versions of some of their best music. 'US Forces' is particularly excellent! The Real Thing version of 'In the Valley' is much better than the one on Earth and Sun and Moon. However, most of these live gems were recorded in 1994. I would have liked some live outakes of their most recent stuff from Redneck and Breathe (Couldn't you picture a live acoustic version of 'Underwater' from Breathe? Whoah, indeed!). But, all Midnight Oil fans (and some who are not), will be very happy!

Woody Guthrie said 'any more than three chords and you're showing off.' Well, I guess them Midnight Oil boys decided to do some pretty big showing off on The Real Thing, their latest release. This is a mixed bag of 10 live 'unplugged' ah-kuu-shtick versions of 'big' songs like Blue Sky Mine, The Dead Heart and Short Memory along with some more obscure stuff (like Rotsey's brilliant Tin Legs and Tin Mines) thrown in for good measure. There are also 4 new studio tracks, a 'limited edition bonus interview cd' and a couple of CD Extra videos from 1998's One Nation scuttler, Redneck Wonderland. Tons of fun for the whole family. My gut reaction when I heard that this would be another Oils collection album was 'ah, they're slacking off and laughing all the way to the bank.' Who knows, and after having given it a listen - who really cares (after all, they, a music group, have probably donated more dollars to worthy causes than the Howard government ever will). New cuts like The Last of the Diggers are as musically and lyrically powerful as anything they've released - though the title track is a bit too groovy for me (picture Maxwell Smart on LSD doing a recording with the Freak Brothers). The unplugged versions of the songs are generally on par with the studio versions - sometimes more-so - and judging from what I saw and heard a few times on the Redneck Wonderland tour, as good as the legendary Oils live and plugged-in sound. With no wall of sound to hide behind the boys deliver even more on harmony arrangements as few other acts - ever - with musicianship that'd give some snotty jazz elitists a lesson in how it's done. One drawback - no lyric sheet. Shame, shame.

There's not much more I can say in addition to what the other reviewers have already said in regard to the acoustic versions of the old songs. However, what really put a smile on my face were the new studio originals--Last of the Diggers, Say Your Prayers, and Spirit of the Age (the title track is excellent as well, but its a cover). I think the Oils lost a little focus on Redneck Wonderland, their last studio CD. Although the songs themselves were solid, it suffered from serious over production in an attempt to sound modern (i.e., 'electronica'). It left me wondering where the band would head next. Well, hopefully the three aforementioned songs provide an answer--back to a more organic sound. Think of 'Diesel and Dust' for Y2K. Thus, the new tunes fit nicely along side the unplugged numbers (especially 'Short Memory' which really smokes).

If there was any justice in the world, Midnight Oil would be a bigger band than U2 (which I imagine they are in Australia, I don't know). Nobody can touch the Oils intensity and energy. And by the way, I know its an import, but fork out the extra few coins anyway, The Real Thing is well worth it.

With the news of the Oils disbanding, any Oil CD is more valuable now than ever...thank goodness there is plenty to choose from. Every one is amazing in its intensity and heart, and this is one of the best. Midnight Oil is one of the strongest live bands anywhere, and the bonus of "live and unplugged" material plus new songs is too good to be true!! This is a must have for Oilheads, and a good starting place for listeners to decide for themselves about this band. Musically intense, lyrically intense, always timely...what a great band!!!

Midnight Oil's songs are low on love and romance and high on political truths of the world. The Real Thing comes very close the truth. By unplugging their instruments, Midnight Oil gives us an insight on how their thought process works before they become plugged in at high volume. Midnight Oil has not released much stateside and this release gives us a glimpse that they still have another Diesel and Dust or Redneck Wonderland record in them. The plugged songs on this recording are strong and seem to have not dropped to far from the intensity of Redneck Wonderland. It is a collectors piece for all Oil fans. Enjoy.

I'm listening to it right now and "Warakurna" still sends chills down my spine after about 100 times being played. This is such an excellent album, it is unfortunate that most of the people who will buy it are already Oils fans...

and if you are not an Oils fan and are reading this review, why don't you buy this album and become one?

This 2001 release by the popular rock band Midnight Oil is one of their best releases and I would have to say would be in my top 3 album picks for this entertaining and talented group. This is an limited edition album with CD extras and 10 MO classics live and unplugged. It's like you are there in the crowd listening to them live. This is the Imported Australian version that American folks are so enraptured about.

Two new songs released on this album are 'Say Your Prayers' and 'The Real Thing' that have become solid hits for Midnight Oil. The hits from past MO albums are included and overall this CD is well worth the spending, for the quality of the new songs mixed with the old is superb.

What to say about the Oils? How I wish I just could have seen them live. Their music is full of power and passion and energy. Their unplugged rendition of "The Dead Heart" is absolutely stunning. I also love the studio take "Last Of The Diggers".

A great record. Recommended.