Midnight Oil (Remastered)

Midnight Oil wear their musical influences proudly on their self-titled 1978 debut. Anchored by the punkish yelp of former law student Peter Garrett, the Sydney band charged unselfconsciously through aggressive hard rock (the snarled “Powderworks”), rough-and-tumble pub rock (“Used and Abused”), and organ-heavy prog (“Head Over Heels,” on which Garrett’s falsetto resembles that of Rush’s Geddy Lee). Midnight Oil’s vibrating energy was inspired by a tireless touring schedule—in 1977, they did more than 200 concerts—and the band’s eclectic roots. The time they spent playing gigs in Sydney’s surfing community influences the brisk “Surfing With a Spoon,” while their fondness for slow-boiling rock epics informs the Pink Floyd-esque album closer “Nothing Lost - Nothing Gained.” Charming and earnest, Midnight Oil documents a band on the precipice of great things.