AMG Review of Real Thing [Australian Bonus Interview Disc]

Aaron Badgley
All Music Guide

An interesting release from Midnight Oil. Following the hardcore, hard rock sound of 1998's Redneck Wonderland, Midnight Oil dipped into their archives (the live recordings date back to 1993 and 1994), recorded some new material, grabbed their acoustic guitars, and basically mellowed out their sound. This is not an "unplugged" set (although some of the songs were recorded for #Unplugged), but rather, Midnight Oil rediscovering their roots and putting some new arrangements to older songs. And it works, "Blue Sky Mine," "US Forces," and "Truganini" sound fresh and exciting. Garrett's vocals have never sounded better. This is not Midnight Oil's first venture into live recording, but it is certainly their best. They sound tighter and more enthusiastic than 1992's Scream in Blue Live. The new recordings do not stand up well against the classics, but on their own they are melodic, thought provoking, standard folk/rock songs. Overall, a strong, good album. Fans will enjoy this set, as well as casual listeners. Collectors note, initial Australian pressings included a bonus CD of interview material and CD ROM material. The interviews are of interest to extreme fans only.