There’s always been something cheerful in watching the Grand Excess that is Oasis drive through another recording cycle. The Gallagher brothers have clearly been ceaselessly entertaining, stacking one row on top of another to formulate one of rock’s most deafening dynamic duos. And the revolving door of band members has been striking, too, adding a sense of necessity to the group’s ever-expanding legacy.
Whether ripping through the reachable tunes of (What’s the Story) Morning Glory? in 1995 or biting off more beautiful excess than they could chew with the bloated but pleasingly-fucking-excellent Be Here Now in 1997, Oasis has always had a lot to offer. Even in their so-called period of decline, the band put out some truly stellar work. Standing on the Shoulders of Giants, for one, is dynamite rock supremacy.
Throughout all the transitions and dark hours, the Brothers Gallagher have kept their swagger and kept their stride. When it came time for reinvention, the band said “Fuck it” and offered rejuvenation with Don’t Believe the Truth. And the second offering in this lovely cycle is finally upon us in the form of 2008’s beautifully-textured and hard-ass-rockin’ Dig Out Your Soul.
With Noel explaining that he had designs on “throwing the kitchen sink” at the new record, thoughts of the splendiferous overindulgence of Be Here Now came to mind. But Dig Out Your Soul is so much more than that and, at the same time, it is so much less.
Merrily, the record finds the band firing on all cylinders and pouring out some of the best pure rock music of the year. Writing duties are spread out, with Noel still hammering down the majority but Liam coming up with a few beauties of his own. Gem and Andy Bell contribute a tune each.
Shit gets under way with a smack, as Noel’s “Bag It Up” takes hold with one of the band’s most catching choruses ever and as fine a set of claptrap lyrics as we’re going to get. “I got my heebie-jeebies in a little bag,” Liam snarls flippantly.
Article comments
1 - Glen Boyd
Well fuck, it's fucking brilliant then, fucking innit?
-Glen
2 - Jordan Richardson
Fucking right it is!
3 - zingzing
y'all should go check out alan mcgee's guardian uk blog, "why the music world needs oasis," which is just the most ridiculous thing this side of... well, anything. for those who don't know, mcgee was the man who signed oasis to creation records, which he ran during the late 80s-late 90s.
the biggest story here is the total collapse of andy bell. what the fuck is up with him? he used to be a great guitarist and songwriter, and ride's "nowhere" is an absolute classic. sad.
4 - Christopher Rose
Things you never want to see (again) in life: the words "brilliant" and "oasis" in the same sentence - unless in a context similar to "after 5 days in the desert I found an oasis and drinking water again was brilliant".
Like the label that spawned them, the sarcastically named Creation Records, Oasis have never had an original idea in their collective lives and have carved both an ugly scar across the face of music and earned a fortune out of a foul brew of trite posturing and vacuous rock karaoke.
Ohh, I feel so much better now!
zingzing, I schlepped over to The Guardian site and read that irritatingly self-serving piece of shit McGee wrote. It will take days to get the stains off, so thanks for that! Shame The G men closed comments on it, presumably because many of them were similarly hostile to NoWaySis as mine would have been.:-)
5 - zingzing
now, now, chris. there was some goodness on creation. the jesus and mary chain started there, and primal scream released some goodness (i can't help my love for primal scream...)
but! creation also released my bloody valentine, for which they shall forever be forgiven all other sins.
but this mcgee article surely tested whatever christian concept of forgiveness i hold on to.
6 - Christopher Rose
J&MC had one idea which they repeated ad nauseum and I've never understood the point, never mind the appeal, of those other two. Much ado about nothing, just like the label itself!
7 - zingzing
jesus y maria were awesome! the coolest band on the planet, easily. that's not to say they were the greatest... and if you think they only had one idea, and i assume you're talking about psychocandy, you haven't paid much attention. in fact, they went out of their way not to repeat psychocandy, making most of their second album acoustic. what they had was chops, great pop songwriting and miles and miles of cool.
primal scream i won't defend except for to say that i love them.
but my bloody valentine... oh my god. if you don't understand the point or appeal of them... well, you just don't like guitar racket. or beauty.
8 - steve from CT
great record..Has a revolver like feel to it. I love how all the songs bleed into one another...its incredible. Its an album to play start to finish...
Madferit once again...