tdh Opinions Reviews P.W.A.P

Place Without a Postcard

Reviewed In Wilson and Alroys' Reviews

By now the Oils had worked out most of the 80's formula: relentlessly political lyrics matched with crisp, head-banging rock 'n' roll. What they're missing, though, is instrumental variety; they go with distorted guitars on almost every track, with almost no keyboards or anything else - even the modest acoustic guitar on "Lucky Country" comes as a surprise. Their songwriting has improved, with more focused, poetic, and confrontational lyrics that center on social (the ska-like "Loves On Sale") and political protest. And there's at least one total classic in the track listing: "Brave Faces," one of their first really memorable anthems. "Armistice Day" is also noteworthy as a smouldering political piece that builds to a devastating crescendo, and "Burnie" is a moody riff tune with good dynamics. But a lot of the rest is tiresome, either with collections of interesting riffs that don't add up ("If Ned Kelly Was King") or with sludgy verses that bury the tuneful refrains ("Basement Flat"). A decent record, but almost all of their later ones are audibly better.

Rating: ***

Reviewer: John Alroy