Midnight Oil

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - Columbia 1982

Tracks:
1. Outside World / 2. Only The Strong / 3. Short Memory / 4. Read About It / 5. Scream In Blue / 6. US Forces / 7. Power And The Passion / 8. Maralinga / 9. Tin Legs And Tin Mines / 10. Somebody's Trying To Tell Me Something

Comments:

For me, listening to "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1" is to dive into Midnight Oil's back catalog. I first became acquainted with the group with the albums " Diesel and Dust ”and“ Blue Sky Mining ”and only with the excellent 1993 album“ Earth and Sun and Moon” I became a serious fan of the group, which I have since followed with great pleasure.

I tried once before to dive into the group's past with “Red Sails in the Sunset”, which I did find a little disappointing, by being able to only modestly finding the fine melodies and vocal harmonies that I loved about the group. Maybe it was the advent of bassist and vocalist Bones Hillman that changed the group's sound in my direction, when he joined after “Diesel and Dust” in 1987?

In any case, my impression of "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1" is a bit the same - something is missing. The group's political commitment and indignation over human injustices is, as on most albums, highly present; so in that field the group has been consistent over the years; it is the group's somewhat harder and less melodic songwriting that does not appeal to me in the same degree. Fortunately, there are songs that live up to expectations. "Short Memory" has a really nice guitar line and a nice melodic chorus, in addition to an interesting different beat. The upbeat ”U.S. Forces ”offers fine crisp acoustic guitars, melodic passages and nice harmony vocals. And then there's the single "Power and the Passion", which I knew beforehand - a slightly heavy number with a catchy chorus.

Although it's not quite like the Midnight Oil of recent years, I guess I shall end up diving back again into another of the group's early albums; for example. "Place without a Postcard" from 1981, which was the predecessor to "10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1"

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