Published on Jun 30, 1997
Who would have thought the apocalypse would sound so damn
beautiful? When Midnight Oil released
Blue Sky Mining in 1990, there wasn’t a more timely album
out there. Exxon set off an environmental movement that became both
a debate topic and a fad. No other group had more credibility when
it came to addressing environmental issues than Midnight Oil. And
with the success of
Diesel And Dust, all the ‘Oils really had to do is get up on
the soapbox, create some catchy rhythms and let loose to have a
hit.
Thankfully, they took the high road on
Blue Sky Mining. And even after the environmenal movent
became passe, this album has not lost an iota of urgency. It
accomplished the ultimate goal of a great political album: use
personal examples to shed light on a bigger issue.
I picked this album up when I was 16. My sophomore year in high
school was better than junior high, but it still was an isolated
hell. This album spoke to me like
Nevermind and
Pretty Hate Machine speaks to bitter, pissed off kids of the
’90s. Songs like “Bedlam Bridge,” “Mountains Of Burma” and “River
Runs Red” are all stunning accounts environmental and personal
despair.
Credit the musicianship as much as the lyrics as to why
Blue Sky Mining works on as many levels as U2’s
The Joshua Tree. Drummer Rob Hirst and guitarist Jim Moginie
share the bulk of the lyric writing, dispelling the preconception
that charismatic lead singer Peter Garrett writes most of the
lurics. Moginie and Martin Rotsey are a great rhythm/lead guitar
duo, especially in the song “River Runs Red”. The band complements
each other so much that you can almost tell what each song is about
by the music alone (on the other hand, this is coming from a guy
who has worn out this tape so much, clear spots can be seen in some
parts in the tape).
Blue Sky Mining is probably the mellowest of the ‘Oils
collection. It as also their most powerful release. Just as you’re
about to sink into the helplessness of “River Runs Red” and
“Montains Of Burma”, a song like “King Of The Mountain” and “Blue
Sky Mine” kick you in the ass like an Australian pub bouncer.
“Shakers And Movers” and “Forgotten Years,” the two best tracks
on the album mesh the despairing lyrics with their driving beat
that has made them so great to see live. On “Forgotten Years”, the
drumming and the guitars are at their most fierce on the album as
Garrett cries “The hardest years, the darkest years, the roarin’
years, the fallen years”. On “Shakers And Movers,” the band builds
up to a peak and Garrett crystallizes the mood by singing “And the
storm is breaking now/yeah the storm is breaking now/yeah the storm
is crashing now”.
No matter how dark and intense Midnight Oil makes the storm,
there’s always a hint of light coming after. But on
Blue Sky Mining, the light is very dim. Still, Peter Garrett
has not sang with more confidence as he does on this album.
The ‘Oils are best when they are playing their songs live. But
with
Blue Sky Mining, the songs are just as effective coming from
your car stereo as it is in a packed concert hall.
Like The Clash’s
London Calling, this album came out as the new decade opened
up. And like
London Calling, its message still holds up towards the end
of the decade. Expect this album to be way up there on my “best
albums of the 90s” list.