An exciting experience for many who know and love the music but simply haven't had the chance to check out the live experience. And the shows? Well, bass player Bones Hillman tells me the Oils have around sixty songs 'worked up', an extrordinary set list. If only they had the time. My night out included a kickin' version of 'No Time For Games', unofficial 'Oz anthem 'Lucky Country', an extended Food on the Table-type mix of 'Blue Sky Mining', Nick Cave's 'Good Son' and one of my favourites, 'Outside World', sadly without the big Hirsty drum fills.

Peter Garrett was most entertaining, mounting the bar at one point, almost taking out a light and firing off a few barbs in the direction of John Elliott and John Howard, "a pea-brained Prime Minister." Now what about the rest of the set you ask?? It included a stack of new songs off the latest and most mature album to date, 'Breathe', showcasing a bunch of melodic tunes driven by that cool and groovy Oils rythmn section that pumps along like a locomotive.

Overall, 'Breathe' isn't as 'in ya face' as other releases but it's the kind of CD you'd whack and leave on. No need to adjust the volume. Perhaps not the 10 setting but at least an eight. The Oils have chosen to use American producer Malcolm Burn who brings a certain sparseness to the recording. Perhaps he learnt something from his time working with Daniel Lanois.

The themes are heartfelt with talk of home - surfing and common ground. And if you miss the instrumentals reminiscent of Wedding Cake Island, 'Gravelrash' is a hummer. Be bald. Be brave. Bye bye from N.B.

From Channel V, by Nick Bennett

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