| Capricornia | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 19 February 2002 | |||
| Recorded | 2000–2001 Sydney | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 41:17 (Australian version) 45:49 (US version) | |||
| Label | Sprint/Columbia (Australia) Liquid 8/BMG (International) | |||
| Producer | Warne Livesey | |||
| Midnight Oil chronology | ||||
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| Singles from Capricornia | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
Capricornia is the eleventh studio album by Australian band Midnight Oil, released in February 2002 by Columbia Records in Australia and Liquid 8 Records in America.
On the two previous albums Breathe (1996) and Redneck Wonderland (1998), all tracks were credited "Midnight Oil"; on Capricornia the band returns to crediting individual contributors for each track, with Moginie dominating the list as is seen on most of their records.
After the hard rock/electronic sounds of the previous album Redneck Wonderland, on this record Midnight Oil moved to a stripped back sound, with acoustic and clean electric guitars dominating the sound of the album (Golden Age, Luritja Way, Under the Overpass), although some tracks (Too Much Sunshine, Mosquito March, Poets and Slaves) feature significant distorted guitars. These latter tracks also feature distorted vocals. The album also features a short piano solo track (A Crocodile Cries) in the middle of the record, the melody of which is reprised for the album closing Poets and Slaves.
The album was produced, mixed and arranged by Warne Livesey, who also worked on Midnight Oil's seminal Diesel and Dust and Blue Sky Mining records. The bonus track Say Your Prayers, which appears on US versions of the album and was one of the four new tracks on The Real Thing, was produced by the band and Daniel Denholm.
The name and concept of Capricornia was taken from the novel of the same name written by the Australian author Xavier Herbert. The name Capricornia refers to part of the Queensland coast and inland region around Rockhampton, which is close to the Tropic of Capricorn.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Golden Age" | Garrett, Hirst, Moginie | |
| 2. | "Too Much Sunshine" | Moginie | |
| 3. | "Capricornia" | Hirst, Moginie | |
| 4. | "Luritja Way" | Hirst, Moginie | |
| 5. | "Tone Poem" | Garrett, Moginie | |
| 6. | "A Crocodile Cries" | Moginie | |
| 7. | "Mosquito March" | Garrett, Moginie | |
| 8. | "Been Away Too Long" | Garrett, Moginie | |
| 9. | "Under the Overpass" | Hirst, Moginie | |
| 10. | "World That I See" | Hirst, Moginie | |
| 11. | "Poets and Slaves" | Moginie |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Golden Age" | Garrett, Hirst, Moginie | 3:47 |
| 2. | "Too Much Sunshine" | Moginie | 3:46 |
| 3. | "Capricornia" | Hirst, Moginie | 3:19 |
| 4. | "Luritja Way" | Hirst, Moginie | 4:03 |
| 5. | "Tone Poem" | Garrett, Moginie | 4:54 |
| 6. | "A Crocodile Cries" | Moginie | 1:07 |
| 7. | "Mosquito March" | Garrett, Moginie | 3:06 |
| 8. | "Been Away Too Long" | Garrett, Moginie | 3:17 |
| 9. | "Say Your Prayers" | Moginie | 4:28 |
| 10. | "Under the Overpass" | Hirst, Moginie | 4:07 |
| 11. | "World That I See" | Hirst, Moginie | 4:11 |
| 12. | "Poets & Slaves" | Moginie | 5:48 |
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Golden Age" | Garrett, Hirst, Moginie | |
| 2. | "Too Much Sunshine" | Moginie | |
| 3. | "Capricornia" | Hirst, Moginie | |
| 4. | "Luritja Way" | Hirst, Moginie | |
| 5. | "Tone Poem" | Garrett, Moginie | |
| 6. | "A Crocodile Cries" | Moginie | |
| 7. | "Mosquito March" | Garrett, Moginie | |
| 8. | "Been Away Too Long" | Garrett, Moginie | |
| 9. | "Under the Overpass" | Hirst, Moginie | |
| 10. | "World That I See" | Hirst, Moginie | |
| 11. | "Poets & Slaves" | Moginie | |
| 12. | "Kiss that Girl" | Moginie | |
| 13. | "Pub with No Beer" | Gordon Parsons |
| Chart (2002) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA) [2] | 8 |
| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ) [3] | 28 |
Midnight Oil are an Australian rock band composed of Peter Garrett, Rob Hirst (drums), Jim Moginie and Martin Rotsey (guitar). The group was formed in Sydney in 1972 by Hirst, Moginie and original bassist Andrew James as Farm: they enlisted Garrett the following year, changed their name in 1976, and hired Rotsey a year later. Peter Gifford served as bass player from 1980 to 1987, with Bones Hillman then assuming the role until his death in 2020. Midnight Oil have sold over 20 million albums worldwide as of 2022.
Head Injuries is the second studio album by Australian pub rockers Midnight Oil, which was released in October 1979 on their own Powderworks label and distributed by Columbia Records. The album was produced by Leszek J. Karski, recorded at 'Trafalgar Studios' in Sydney. It was the last Midnight Oil album to feature founding bass guitarist Andrew James, who quit the band due to illness. It peaked at No. 36 on the Australian Kent Music Report and by mid-1980 had achieved gold status in Australia.
Red Sails in the Sunset is the fifth studio album by Australian group Midnight Oil which was released in October 1984 under the Columbia Records label. It was recorded and produced in Tokyo, Japan and is significant for becoming their first No. 1 album in Australia – it also entered the United States Billboard 200. The cover image, by Japanese artist Tsunehisa Kimura, depicts Sydney Harbour after a hypothetical nuclear strike. Some of its tracks were performed live in January 1985 at a Sydney Harbour Goat Island concert to celebrate radio station Triple J's 10th birthday, which was simulcast on ABC Television and subsequently re-broadcast on their then-Tuesday night music program Rock Arena. In 2004 the film footage later became part of a DVD album, Best of Both Worlds. Red Sails in the Sunset contains the only Midnight Oil tracks with lead vocals provided by their drummer Rob Hirst, "When the Generals Talk" and "Kosciusko". The album spawned two singles, "When the Generals Talk" and "Best of Both Worlds" but neither appeared on the Australian singles chart.
Diesel and Dust is the sixth studio album by Australian rock band Midnight Oil, released in August 1987 by SPRINT Music label under Columbia Records. Diesel and Dust was produced by Warne Livesey and the band. It is a concept album about the struggles of Indigenous Australians and environmental causes, issues important to the band. It drew inspiration from the Blackfella/Whitefella Tour of remote Indigenous communities with the Warumpi Band and Gondwanaland in 1986. The album peaked at No. 1 on the Australian Kent Music Report Albums Chart for six weeks.
Blue Sky Mining is the seventh studio album by Australian alternative rock band Midnight Oil, released on 9 February 1990 under the Columbia Records label. It received high ratings from critics. In March of that year, the album peaked at number one on the ARIA Albums Chart for two weeks. A limited release of the record featured clear blue vinyl.
Scream in Blue is a live album by Midnight Oil that was released in May 1992 under the Columbia Records label. It contains songs carefully culled from 5 live concerts recorded over a 9-year period. The audiences sound quite large, but also included is material from a 1990 protest concert held on the street in front of Exxon headquarters in New York City. The album is mixed so as to sound like one continuous concert.
Earth and Sun and Moon is the eighth studio album by Australian rock group, Midnight Oil, that was released in April 1993 under the Columbia Records label. It peaked at No.2 on the ARIA Albums Chart.
Breathe is the ninth studio album by Australian rock band, Midnight Oil, which was released on 15 October 1996 under the Columbia Records label. It peaked at No. 3 on the ARIA Albums Chart and appeared in the top 40 on the New Zealand and Swiss Albums Charts. The album was produced by Malcolm Burn and according to Australian musicologist, Ian McFarlane, it had a loose, raw style with almost a low-key sound.
Redneck Wonderland is the tenth studio album by Midnight Oil that was released in July 1998 under the Columbia Records label, which peaked at No.7 on the ARIA Albums Chart. The title of the album was inspired by a wall graffiti, a picture of which can be seen in the promotional Oil Rag Vol. VI issued along with album release. The album was certified Gold in Australia in 2014. The album's eponymous song was ranked number 93 in Triple M's "Ozzest 100", the 'most Australian' songs of all time. The album marked a shift to an electronic influenced hard rock style.
Bird Noises is the first extended play by Australian rock group, Midnight Oil, which was released on 24 November 1980 under the band's own independent label, Powderworks Records / Sprint Music. It was produced by Leszek Karski and manufactured and distributed by CBS/Columbia. Bird Noises reached the Top 30 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart.
Species Deceases is an extended play by Australian rock music group, Midnight Oil, which was released on 26 November 1985 under the CBS record label. Species Deceases debuted at No. 1 on the Australian Kent Music Report Singles Chart for six weeks from December 1985 to January 1986. It was the first Australian single and/or EP to reach the number-one spot on its chart appearance and remains Midnight Oil's only No. 1 on the national singles chart.
James Moginie is an Australian musician. He is best known for his work with Midnight Oil, of which he is a founding member, guitarist, keyboardist and leading songwriter.
Wayne Stevens, known by the stage name Bones Hillman, was a New Zealand musician best known as the bass guitarist for the Australian alternative rock band Midnight Oil, which he joined in 1987 and remained with until his death in 2020.
Ghostwriters are an Australian rock band formed in Sydney in 1990, principally involving Midnight Oil drummer Rob Hirst and Hoodoo Gurus bassist Richard Grossman. Their highest-charting single was "Someone's Singing New York New York" (1991) written by Hirst. It reached No. 29 on the ARIA Australian Singles Chart.
20,000 Watt R.S.L. is a compilation album by Australian rock band Midnight Oil released in October 1997 on their own label Sprint Music. The word "Collection" appears on the front of the CD along the hinge in the same type face as the title and the name of the band and may have been intended as part of the album's title; however, it does not appear on the spine. The release has also been distributed inside a cardboard sleeve which adds "Midnight Oil: The Hits" to the album art, distinguishing it as a compilation album.
The Real Thing is a mostly acoustic live album by Midnight Oil, which includes four additional studio recordings, among them a cover version of Russell Morris's classic "The Real Thing". It was initially issued in Australia with a bonus disk of interview material listed as containing 2 tracks but the CD was divided into 30 tracks, dividing the interview up so that past albums and each track on "The Real Thing" gets a short discussion followed by snippet from the album or song being discussed. Later international releases had a bonus disk with videos of "Cemetery In My Mind" and "Redneck Wonderland".
Warne Livesey is an English/Canadian music producer, mixing engineer, songwriter and musician. He has produced Midnight Oil, The The, Matthew Good Band and Deacon Blue.
Armistice Day is a live album by Australian rock band Midnight Oil. The majority of the album was recorded live at The Domain in Sydney, Australia on 11 November 2017; also known as Armistice Day, with three tracks recorded at Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne on 6 and 8 November 2017 and three more tracks recorded at The Domain on 17 November. The album was released on 9 November 2018 on 2xCD and 2xDVD and peaked at number 5 on the ARIA Charts.
The Makarrata Project is the twelfth studio album by Australian band Midnight Oil, released on 30 October 2020 by Sony Music Australia. The album is the first new material from the band since 2002's Capricornia, their first studio album to hit #1 on the ARIA Charts since 1990's Blue Sky Mining, and one of the final releases to feature bassist and backing vocalist Bones Hillman before his death in November 2020.
Resist is the thirteenth studio album by Australian band Midnight Oil, released on 18 February 2022 by Sony Music Australia. The album will be supported by the band's final Australian and New Zealand tour, concluding in May 2022 with guitarist Jim Moginie saying "We've played intensely physical gigs since our humble beginnings back in 1977 and we never want to take even the slightest risk of compromising that." Despite this being the group's final tour, all members are still open to recording in the future.
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