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Instead of sticking with the up-tempo, political manifestos that made Earth and Sun and Moon so powerful, Breathe is a collection of mid-tempo tunes that seem to have a more inward focus. While inward searches have long been a standard device for musicians, they have rarely produced results as ill fitting as they do on Breathe. The group seems to spend much of the album restraining itself to fit the mood of the material. As a result, the band tries different styles (including country) throughout the recording, but never makes any of them work. The fit is made worse by the band's inability to write good material to match the new focus. After listening to songs like One Too Many Times and Barest Degree, it's clear that years of writing songs protesting the world's injustices have left the band a little rusty when it comes to composing songs about personal feelings. However, the biggest casualty of this misguided focus is Peter Garrett. Garrett's vocals usually have a wonderful mix of urgency and disgust that adds power to the Midnight Oil's solid musicianship. But on Breathe, Garrett sounds too often like he is reading the lyrics. Without his power, Breathe flounders.

Only on Time to Heal does Breathe work. The band seems very comfortable with the song's tempo and style. Garrett finds his passionate core to deliver a paean to reconciliation and rebirth. If the rest of the recording were like that song, it would be hailed as another great Midnight Oil work. Unfortunately, Breathe has to be seen as a step backwards for a great band.


A good album, but not close to greatness   May 2, 2002
 2 out of 3 found this review helpful

While this album is listenable and enjoyable, there aren't any songs here that rank among Midnight Oil's best, and the music doesn't have quite the intensity of old. Singer Peter Garrett doesn't really sound like he's into it, and while many of the songs sound like they would rock out when played live, there's something missing in the recording. The highlights are "Underwater", "E-Beat", and "Surf's Up Tonight". The slow songs are a mixed bag: "Home", with guest Emmylou Harris, is good, while "One Too Many Times" dives into country and "In the Rain" is just strange, with its amplified ukulele and synthesizer.


9 out of 10 - grand stuff   January 2, 2004
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

MIDNIGHT OIL's 12th studio 1997 album release, and third to the final album with their amazing vocalist Peter Garrett- is all stripped down with rawness and a no holds barred honest-to-goodness laid back totally rocking and straightforward piece of a fine album; definitely one of their finest moments.
This time produced by Malcolm Burn (who've contributed work on Tara MacLean's THE PASSENGER)-the album may've started tamed down, and may seem to drag on the next couple of first tracks - but it comes to build up once it came around with its 4th track "Time to Heal", dealing with the loss of hope and at the same time the acceptance of what the civilization have become to turned on to - which thematically is all over here in Breathe - along with the other tracks "Star Of Hope", "Bring On The Change", the great country sing-along twang found on "One Too Many Times", and the poignant ballad "Home" that features country-artist Emmylou Harris on background vocals.

Someone have said that the OIL's are coming around to spirituallity after all the trail of spreading around their angst and anger about the irresponsibility of the masses amidst social issues and environmental problems. Such a song given in context related with such matters here is in the latterly mentioned song and most evidently on "The Barest Degree" - emphatically speaking out that in all the garbage and damage that mankind had brought upon into this world, the end will be in the hands of the Creator to hand out the reckoning of balancing out the accountability that have been rendered misused, and all the abuse that is commited on the earth that is lived upon.

The cd album was packaged on a recycable disc-sleeve, which speaks for itself about what MN OIL've often stood for,,, but the music is indispensable in its own terms.


Hands down the best Midnight Oil album.   January 16, 2004
 2 out of 6 found this review helpful

To whom it may concern,
If you've reached my review, then thank you! This is a great album! I cannot stop listening to this disc, and that's since Oct. of '96! The musicianship is stellar, the songs amazing! If you say you like rock, then get this album! You will not be let down.