Love from a short distance
Various artists
Shock Records
Reviewed by Nick Fredman
The range of artists who contributed to this excellent compilation is an example of the growing support for the East Timorese people's struggle for self determination.
The title track and original concept is from a poem by U2's Bono, written to commemorate the 1991 Dili massacre. In November 1995, Irish Senator David Norris attempted to sneak into East Timor to deliver the poem. Subsequently, Bono and Melbourne ambient-techno act Soma recorded the poem as part of a project organised by Painter and Docker Paul Stewart, brother of journalist Tony Stewart who was killed by Indonesian troops in 1975. Offers from around the world soon came in for the compilation, which was to be a follow up to last year's highly successful All in the Family CD, and again a benefit for East Timorese orphaned children.
Traditional East Timorese music is represented with a moving lament by Mau Soco and "Kay Rala Xanana", a tribute to the imprisoned leader of the resistance by Melbourne's Laranguto Cultural Group.
The solidarity between indigenous Australians and the East Timorese is shown in the contributions by Christine Anu and Yothu Yindi, and Aboriginal artist Donna Brown who designed the CD booklet in collaboration with East Timorese artist Bernado Duarte.
Other outstanding tracks include "Xavier", Wild Pumpkins at Midnight's powerful story of the plight of East Timorese children; Billy Bragg's "Bread and Circuses", and a typical rollicking rocker from the Painters and Dockers. A minor down side is the accidental inclusion of "By myself", the feminist anthem by young women thrashers Hecate, rather than their equally awesome "Kaos", which is actually about East Timor.