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'{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}} {{Use Australian English|date=April 2012}} {{Infobox album | name = Red Sails in the Sunset | type = studio | artist = [[Midnight Oil]] | cover = MidnightOil_RedSails.jpg | alt = | released = {{Start date|df=y|1984|10}} | recorded = June–August 1984<br />Victor Aoyama Studio, Tokyo, Japan | venue = | studio = | genre = [[Post-punk]], [[Rock music|rock]], [[New wave music|new wave]] | length = 50:33 | label = Sprint, [[Columbia Records|Columbia]] | producer = [[Nick Launay]], Midnight Oil | prev_title = [[10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1]] | prev_year = 1982 | next_title = [[Species Deceases]] | next_year = 1985 | misc = {{Singles | name = Red Sails in the Sunset | type = studio | single1 = When the Generals Talk | single1date = 1984 | single2 = Best of Both Worlds | single2date = 1985 }} }} '''''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.&nbsp;1 album in Australia – it also entered the United States [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]. The cover image, by Japanese artist [[Tsunehisa Kimura]], depicts [[Port Jackson|Sydney Harbour]] after a hypothetical [[nuclear warfare|nuclear strike]]. Some of its tracks were performed live in January 1985 at a Sydney Harbour [[Goat Island (Port Jackson)|Goat Island]] concert to celebrate radio station [[Triple J]]'s 10th birthday, which was simulcast on [[ABC Television (Australian TV network)|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 (Midnight Oil 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. At the [[Australian pop music awards|1984 Countdown Music Awards]], the album was nominated for Best Australian Album.<ref name="Top40TV">{{Cite web | url = http://users.ncable.net.au/~ronjeff/top40/oz_king.htm | title = Australian Music Awards | publisher = Ron Jeff | access-date = 16 December 2010 }}</ref><ref name="1987noms&wins">{{cite web|url=http://1970scountdown.atspace.com/1987.html|title=Final episode of Countdown|website=1970scountdown|access-date=23 October 2020}}</ref> ==Background== [[Midnight Oil]] released ''Red Sails in the Sunset'' in October 1984. It was recorded in June to August in Japan, and was produced by [[Nick Launay]], who had worked on their breakthrough album, ''[[10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1]]'' (1982).<ref name="McF"/><ref name="ARDb"/> Columbia asked the band to return to the studio and record a more commercial single that could chart in America, but the band refused. Drummer Rob Hirst said that the band told Columbia to take it or leave it, and Columbia released the album as-is.<ref name=spin/> It peaked at No.&nbsp;1 for four weeks on the Australian charts,<ref name="Kent"/> and charted on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].<ref name="BillA"/> Singles from the album were also released in the United States and United Kingdom but had no chart success.<ref name="McF"/> Whilst the album showed an over-reliance on technical wizardry (opinion!), their lyrical stance was positive.<ref name="McF"/> The band continued to expand their sound and explore themes of politics, consumerism, militarism, the threat of nuclear war and environmental issues.<ref name="Howl"/> The album cover by Japanese artist [[Tsunehisa Kimura]] featured a [[photomontage]] of Sydney – both city and harbour – cratered and devastated after a hypothetical nuclear attack.<ref name="MemTV"/> Live concert footage of "Short Memory" was used in the Australian independent anti-nuclear war movie ''[[One Night Stand (1984 film)|One Night Stand]]''.<ref name="OneNight"/> A promotional video for "Best of Both Worlds" received airplay worldwide on cable music TV station MTV.<ref name="BestBoth"/> In January 1985, Midnight Oil performed ''Oils on the Water'', a concert on [[Goat Island (Port Jackson)|Goat Island]] in [[Port Jackson]] to celebrate Triple J's tenth birthday,<ref name="McF"/> before a select audience of fans who had won tickets in a radio competition. The concert was filmed, simulcast on ABC-TV and Triple J, and released on video,<ref name="McF"/> which was remastered for their 2004 [[Best of Both Worlds (Midnight Oil album)|Best of Both Worlds]]'' DVD. ==Reception== {{Album ratings |rev1 = [[AllMusic]] |rev1score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="AMG"/> |rev2 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' |rev2score = (favourable)<ref name="RSA"/> |rev3 = ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' |rev3score = (favourable)<ref name=spin-review/> }}<!-- Automatically generated by DASHBot--> [[AllMusic]]'s William Ruhlmann found that group were "ambitiously taking on a variety of lyrical causes in a variety of musical styles" and the album's "martial rhythms, chanted vocals, and guitar textures, served as a jumping-off place".<ref name="AMG"/> However Garrett's vocals showed an "unrelentingly judgmental tone ... sung with dead seriousness ... tended to douse the album's potential enjoyment".<ref name="AMG"/> ''[[Rolling Stone]]''{{'}}s Don Shewey felt their music "combines the postpunk abrasiveness of the Clash and Gang of Four with the Kinks' music-hall variety and the pure pop of groups like Cheap Trick".<ref name="RSA"/> Shewey wrote that their "references to local politics and history that stud the group's songs and account in large part for its huge appeal down under may seem exotic or puzzling to Americans".<ref name="RSA"/> Bill Wolfe of ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' wrote, "Midnight Oil is not only the ''Australian'' band of the '80s, it may very well be ''the'' band of the '80s. Period."<ref name=spin-review/> ==Track listing== {{Track listing | headline = Side one | title1 = When the Generals Talk | writer1 = Garrett, Hirst, Moginie | length1 = 3:32 | title2 = Best of Both Worlds | writer2 = Hirst, Moginie | length2 = 4:05 | title3 = Sleep | writer3 = Garrett, Hirst, Moginie | length3 = 5:09 | title4 = [[Minutes to Midnight (song)|Minutes to Midnight]] | writer4 = Garrett, Moginie | length4 = 3:20 | title5 = Jimmy Sharman's Boxers | writer5 = Hirst, Moginie | length5 = 7:10 | title6 = Bakerman | writer6 = Hirst | length6 = 0:52 }} {{Track listing | headline = Side two | title7 = Who Can Stand in the Way | writer7 = Garrett, Moginie | length7 = 4:33 | title8 = Kosciusko | writer8 = Hirst, Moginie | length8 = 4:47 | title9 = Helps Me Helps You | writer9 = Hirst, Moginie | length9 = 3:44 | title10 = Harrisburg | writer10 = Moginie, [[Denis Kevans]] | length10 = 3:46 | title11 = Bells and Horns in the Back of Beyond | writer11 = Garrett, Gifford, Hirst, Moginie, Rotsey | length11 = 3:30 | title12 = Shipyards of New Zealand | writer12 = Garrett, Moginie | length12 = 5:53 }} ==Charts== ===Weekly charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- !scope="col"| Chart (1984/85) !scope="col"| Position |- !scope="row"| Australian [[Kent Music Report]]<ref name="Kent 1993">{{cite book|title=[[Kent Music Report|Australian Chart Book 1970–1992]]|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=[[St Ives, New South Wales|St Ives, NSW]]|year=1993|isbn=0-646-11917-6}} NOTE: Used for Australian Singles and Albums charting from 1970 until [[Australian Recording Industry Association|ARIA]] created their own [[ARIA Charts|charts]] in mid-1988.</ref> | style="text-align:center;"| 43 |- {{album chart|New Zealand|21|artist=Midnight Oil|album=Red Sails in the Sunset|rowheader=true|accessdate=30 November 2018}} |- !scope="row"| USA [[Billboard 200]]<ref name="BillA"/> | style="text-align:center;"| 177 |- |} ===Year-end charts=== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |- !scope="col"| Chart (1985) !scope="col"| Position |- !scope="row"| Australian [[Kent Music Report]]<ref name="Kent 1993"/> | style="text-align:center;"| 21 |- |} ==Certifications== {{certification Table Top}} {{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=Australia|artist=Midnight Oil|title=Red Sails in the Sunset |award=Platinum|number=4|certyear=2014|refname="Album Certification"|access-date=31 December 2014}} {{certification Table Bottom|nosales=yes}} ==Personnel== Album is credited to:<ref name="AMGCred"/> ===Midnight Oil=== * [[Peter Garrett]]&nbsp;– lead vocals (except tracks 1, 8) * [[Peter Gifford]]&nbsp;– bass guitar, backing vocals * [[Rob Hirst]]&nbsp;– drums, percussion, backing vocals, lead vocals (tracks 1, 8) * [[Jim Moginie]]&nbsp;– guitars, keyboards, arrangements (brass, string) * [[Martin Rotsey]]&nbsp;– guitars ===Additional musicians=== * Charlie McMahon&nbsp;– [[didgeridoo]] (track 9) * Kazufumi Ohhama&nbsp;– arrangements (brass, string) ===Production work=== * Producer&nbsp;– [[Nick Launay]], Midnight Oil at Victor Aoyama Studio, Tokyo, Japan ** Live production&nbsp;– Michael Lippold * Engineer&nbsp;– Gary Fox, Nick Launay ** Assistant Engineer&nbsp;– Yoshi Yuki Kaneko, Shigeo Miyamoto * Mixing&nbsp;– Nick Launay at Victor Aoyama Studio, Tokyo, Japan * Business consultant&nbsp;– Gary Morris * Lighting&nbsp;– Ronnie James * Office coordinator&nbsp;– Stephanie Lewis * Tour Manager&nbsp;– Neil Thompson ===Art work=== * Yasutaka Kato&nbsp;– cover design, design, graphic design * [[Tsunehisa Kimura]]&nbsp;– artwork, cover art == References == {{Reflist|refs = <ref name="McF">{{Cite book |title=[[Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop]] |last=McFarlane |first=Ian |author-link= Ian McFarlane |publisher=[[Allen & Unwin]] |year=1999 |chapter= Encyclopedia entry for 'Midnight Oil' |chapter-url=http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=487|isbn=1-86448-768-2 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040813100940/http://www.whammo.com.au/encyclopedia.asp?articleid=487 |archive-date=13 August 2004 }}</ref> <ref name="ARDb">{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120927020538/http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/m/midnightoil.html |url=http://hem.passagen.se/honga/database/m/midnightoil.html |title=Midnight Oil |last1=Holmgren |first1=Magnus |last2=Stenerlöv |first2=Carl-Johan |publisher=[[Australian Rock Database]]. Passagen.se (Magnus Holmgren) |archive-date=27 September 2012 |access-date=12 February 2014 }}</ref> <ref name="Kent">{{Cite book |title=[[Kent Music Report|Australian Chart Book 1970–1992]] |author-link=David Kent (historian) |last=Kent |first=David |publisher=Australian Chart Book, St Ives, N.S.W. |year=1993 |isbn=0-646-11917-6 }}</ref> <ref name="BillA">{{cite web |url={{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p4911|pure_url=yes}} |title=Midnight Oil – Charts & Awards – ''Billboard'' Albums |website=allmusic |access-date=21 October 2008 }}</ref> <ref name="Howl">{{cite web |archive-url=http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/14231/20120727-0512/www.howlspace.com.au/en/midnightoil/midnightoil.htm |url=http://www.howlspace.com.au/en/midnightoil/midnightoil.htm |title=Midnight Oil |publisher=Howlspace |editor=Ed Nimmervoll |editor-link=Ed Nimmervoll |archive-date=27 July 2012 |access-date=22 January 2014 }}</ref> <ref name="MemTV">{{cite web |url=http://www.memorabletv.com/musicworld/ozrock/ltom.htm |title=Memorable TV – L to M |publisher=Memorable TV |access-date=22 October 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081017142844/http://www.memorabletv.com/musicworld/ozrock/ltom.htm |archive-date=17 October 2008}}</ref> <ref name="OneNight">{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087844/soundtrack |title=''One Night Stand'' (1984) soundtrack |publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]] (IMDb) |access-date=24 October 2008 }}</ref> <ref name="BestBoth">{{cite web |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0491669/ |title=''Best of Both Worlds'' (2004)|publisher=Internet Movie Database (IMDb) |access-date=24 October 2008 }}</ref> <ref name="AMG">{{cite web | url = {{AllMusic|class=album|id=r13024/review|pure_url=yes}} | title = ''Red Sails in the Sunset'' – Midnight Oil | last = Ruhlmann | first = William | publisher = [[AllMusic]]. [[Rovi Corporation]] | access-date = 30 April 2012 }}</ref> <ref name="RSA">{{cite news | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080725135258/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/midnightoil/albums/album/179177/review/5941111/red_sails_in_the_sunset | url = https://www.rollingstone.com/artists/midnightoil/albums/album/179177/review/5941111/red_sails_in_the_sunset | title = Midnight Oil – ''Red Sails in the Sunset'' | last = Shewey | first = Don | work = [[Rolling Stone]] | publisher = [[Jann Wenner]] | issue = 455 | date = 29 August 1985 | archive-date = 25 July 2008 | url-status = dead | access-date = 30 April 2012 }}</ref> <ref name="AMGCred">{{cite web | url = {{AllMusic|class=album|id=r13024/credits|pure_url=yes}} | title = ''Red Sails in the Sunset'' – Midnight Oil | publisher = Allmusic. Rovi Corporation | access-date = 30 April 2012 }}</ref> <ref name=spin>{{cite journal|title=Bubblin' Crude|last=Wolfe|first=Bill|journal=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|date=August 1985|volume=1|issue=4|pages=18–19|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TZaFMCee5HQC&pg=PA18}}</ref> <ref name=spin-review>{{cite journal|title=Spins|last=Wolfe|first=Bill|journal=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]|date=August 1985|volume=1|issue=4|pages=29|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TZaFMCee5HQC&pg=PA29}}</ref> }} ==External links== * [http://www.midnightoil.com Midnight Oil] {{Midnight Oil}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Red Sails in the Sunset (Album)}} [[Category:Midnight Oil albums]] [[Category:Sprint Music albums]] [[Category:1984 albums]] [[Category:Albums produced by Nick Launay]] [[Category:Columbia Records albums]]'