Peter Garrett and his killer combo were every bit as committed and every bit as capable of delivering incendiary blasts of topical sonic sizzle as their contemporaries.

Australian band Midnight Oil was always an underrated entity, even during its '80s heyday. Peers like U2 and The Clash garnered far more attention in the "rock and raise awareness" competition, even though imposing frontman Peter Garrett and his killer combo (Jim Moginie on guitars/keys, Martin Rotsey also on guitar, Rob Hirst on drums and Peter Gifford on bass) were every bit as committed and every bit as capable of delivering incendiary blasts of topical sonic sizzle as their contemporaries. Maybe there was something about being Aussies that kept them at a distance, or the fact that songs about Aboriginal land rights didn't fully resonate with the record-buying masses in the U.S. and U.K.

Whatever the case, the Oils deserved better—they were authentically kickass at their best, which this reissue of their classic 1987 album Diesel and Dust makes clear. "Beds Are Burning" was almost a breakthrough song for them ; its killer bass riff and Garrett's snarling vocal graced dance clubs at the time and certainly stood out among the synth-driven pop numbers in vogue back then. "The time has come/ A fact's a fact/ It belongs to them/ Let's give it back," goes the chorus of this utterly infectious song, almost certainly the only hit song about oppression of Aborigines ever recorded.

And there are other gems on the disc: "The Dead Heart" is arguably even catchier than "Beds Are Burning." Beginning with an instantly catchy triplet of tuneful guitar, classic rhythm and irresistible "doo doo doo" backing vocals, the song delivers a virtually perfect balance of Garrett-led lyrical vitriol and a memorable sing-along chorus. "We carry in our hearts the true country/ And that cannot be stolen/ We follow in the steps of our ancestry/ And that cannot be broken," sings the band, exemplifying the diamond-sharp brilliance a well-executed topical rock song can sometimes achieve. If a political conflict could only be resolved by the quality of a popular song addressing it, then Aborigines would a lot better off these days thanks to tunes like this'un. "Dreamworld" and "Put Down That Weapon" are also killer tracks, every bit as relevant today as they were when the Oils recorded them. "And it happens to be an emergency...some things don't come for free" could just as easily apply to today's energy crisis and climate of war as it did to the band's late '80s concerns down under.

While there are no bonus tracks, this reissue does contain a wonderful DVD documenting the Oils' 1986 tour of remote Aboriginal settlements with The Warumpi Band -- the so-called "Blackfella/Whitefella Tour." Compelling footage of campfire performances by both bands is riveting: white and Aboriginal children dance side by side, and the fiery Mr. Garrett gives those gangly limbs a kinetic workout on classic Oils tunes like "Best of Both Worlds" and "Helps Me Helps You." The footage of this harsh but beautiful landscape (largely unchanged for thousands of years with its mystical but besieged inhabitants) combined with the potent music generated by "tribes" from two different worlds, makes this reissue essential for any Midnight Oil fan. A. | Kevin Renick

RIYL: The Clash, anthropology, rock with topical meat

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