Adds:
The Marias: DAKITI
William Doyle: Nothing At All
Spoon: The Hardest Cut
Marisa Monte, Jorge Drexler: Vento Sardo
Pearl Charles: Deja Vu
Midnight Oil: Rising Seas
Monsoon: Dont Move
Hurray For The Riff Raff: RHODODENDRON
Elizabeth King: What You Gonna Do
SPOTLIGHT:
Midnight Oil: Rising Seas
Between 1983 and 1988 I lived in Brisbane, Australia. It was a bit of a weird time to be honest, I’d followed a girl I met in Istanbul, but that’s another story. As I was trying to figure out how to adapt to my new surroundings and I delved into the Aussie music scene finding many gems, from Hoodoo Gurus to The Riptides, INXS, The Church and, inevitably, Midnight Oil. “The Oils” as they are fondly referred to down under have been warning us that the planet is under attack from corporate interests, the profitability of war, and asking us to treat indigenous peoples with respect. Their seminal albums “Diesel and Dust” (1987) and “Blue Sky Mining” (1990) were calls to arms way before the term “Climate Change” became a political potato. Lead singer Peter Garrett put music aside for a decade to enter the Australian Parliament, ultimately holding several ministerial portfolios focusing on education and the environment.
The band returns this week with new single, “Rising Seas.” Written by guitarist Jim Moginie, it has the classic Oils sound, big hooks, anthemic rock with chiming guitars, and a message. Global warming is real and none of us should be ignoring what’s happening.
The new song’s release is timed to coincide with next week’s UN Climate Change Conference. The band says: “Ice sheets are melting with ‘temperatures rising’ and still Australia is dragging the global chain on real action on meaningful carbon emission targets. The uncompromising song adds the band’s unique voice to billions of others around the world seeking a safe, habitable, and fair future for our planet.”
