Diesel and Dust

Diesel and Dust (1987) is an album by Australian rock band Midnight Oil that pairs driving, guitar-led rock and alternative-pop arrangements with a strong rhythmic pulse. Peter Garrett's urgent vocals and the band's muscular, percussive playing carry songs that confront Australian political and social issues, especially Indigenous land rights and environmental concerns, in direct, anthemic forms exemplified by tracks like "Beds Are Burning" and "The Dead Heart". The record foregrounds activism within concise, radio-friendly rock songs while retaining moments of atmospheric restraint.