What constitutes a fair listen? It's fair to say that some of the most "immediate" music can quickly lose it's appeal after a few listens and it reveals it's hidden shallows. Conversely some of my favourite albums I really didn't like at first but somehow they've wormed their way into my consciousness.
Music isn't an endurance sport for me, that's why the classical music I listen to is melodic, recognisable as music and there are certain composers just by reputation I'm not going to listen to. I'm probably missing out but what the heck My favourite albums haven't become so by me forcing myself to listen to them but somehow Astral Weeks for example has gone from something I found excruciating to my go to in certain situations and moods, it's a thing of beauty.
All of which is another barely relevant preamble to writing about this album. It doesn't evoke extreme's in me, being neither instantly terrible or setting my feet tapping and my jaw dropping in wonderment. I warmed instantly to the opening of the first track and stayed with that right up to the guitar joining in and until the slightly jarring first vocal utterances. Having cleared his throat though that settled down to my ears and it was listenable.
My Country also has a great opening and is a decent track...
There's been some comment about the politics of this band. Cards on the table, I'm quite happy to have my music and politics mix, in fact I can be a bit strident, it's why I won't listen to Eric Clapton but that's another story.
Gradually though this album and truth be told the vocals did begin to wear me down a bit. As usual there were bits of interest but not enough and I felt myself yearning for something familiar. Having read Rob's intro and done some other reading I like the sound of Midnight Oil, just not particularly sold on the sound they make. It's a 5 from me.