Capricornia, the 14th studio album from veteran Australian rock band Midnight Oil is a composite of loose, upbeat melodies, socially conscious lyrics and powerful vocals. Best known for their late 1980s hit "Beds Are Burning," Midnight Oil has been making quality music since their formation in 1976. Over their 25-year existence, they have sold millions of albums both in the U.S. and throughout the world. Like most aging bands, Midnight Oil's popularity has steadily dwindled since the height of their fame, but they have still made several well-received albums that have sold respectable numbers.

When not making music, Midnight Oil lead singer Peter Garrett, guitarists Martin Rotsey and Jim Moginie, bassist Bones Hillman and drummer Rob Hirst are deeply involved in social and political activism. Lead singer Peter Garrett ran for the Australian senate in the mid 1980s, losing by only a small margin. In the early 1990s, Midnight Oil held a benefit concert in front of the Exxon headquarters in Manhattan to protests the environmental damage done by the Exxon Valdez oil spill. They also have campaigned extensively for nuclear disarmament and a solution to the problem of global warming.

For many years, Midnight Oil's biggest focus has been to raise money and gain support to combat abuses that the Australian government has perpetrated against the Australian aboriginal population. They have tried to use their fame and money for many good causes, and still had time to produce an album every few years.

This album, however, is a bit disappointing. Given the quality and critical acclaim of much of their earlier music, Capricornia does not seem to live up to the level of songwriting of which Midnight Oil are capable.

Much of the album is comprised of optimistic melodies driven by simple chord progressions and no frills drumbeats. There a few slow and moody ballads that balances with the more positive fast paced songs. Some songs are better than others, but the album is missing a clear hit. No one emerges as a near masterpiece, and it leaves the album feeling only slightly more than mediocre. A good guitar riff can make or break a song, and Capricornia lacks one that stands out. It is hard to find a melody on Capricornia that stays in your head after the music has stopped.

Lead singer Peter Garrett's easily recognizable voice is one of the better elements of this album. His voice can be a hard rock roar in one song, and a smooth carrier of a higher pitched melody the next. His vocals often travel well outside of the original melody, bringing a little more depth to each song.

Some of Capricornia's lyrics are about the problems between aboriginal Australians and white Australians, and the government's inability to find a way for both groups to peacefully coexist. The song "Tone Poem" speaks about this issue. After years of violence against the aborigines, many Australians believe it is nearly impossible to find a way to allow them to live as they did before white settlers, and many lyrics point directly to the guilt that is felt because of this. "We can fade away or start over again/ Where will you live when the fields are falling?/ A willing victim, I don't think so/ We won't be pinned against the wall/ There is no slogan that can feed you."

While Midnight Oil may not have produced an album that is a stage for a major comeback, Capricornia will hit a good note with their large existing fanbase. Though they are probably no longer destined for multi-platinum sales, the album is an assertion that Midnight Oil will not fade into obscurity while they still have a message to send.

• Midnight Oil makes a leaky comeback