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Redneck Wonderland
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Redneck Wonderland

Reviewed in Q Magazine

Eclectic rock from long-in-the-tooth Australian five-piece who enjoy a good old moan. Midnight Oil absolutely refuse to be pigeon-holed on this, their 12th album in a weighty 21 years. One minute they're mixing drum'n'bass rhythms with thrash guitars on the title track, the next they're strumming acoustics with lighter-waving gusto as The Great Gibber Plain rolls out. What weaves these seemingly incompatible strands together is the distinctive, battered voice of vocalist Peter Garrett and their obsession with making political statements, the majority of them utterly disparaging of white, corporate Australia. It all makes for a heady brew of 12 demanding songs and the album's sheer pig-headedness won't be to everyone's taste. But the passion and obvious songwriting savvy make this an interesting and rewarding ride for the broad-minded.

Rated: ***

Reviewer: Howard Johnson