A few things are guaranteed with a new Oasis album: 1) Noel will reckon it’s their best record since Definitely Maybe, 2) nobody else will, 3) the NME will laud Liam as a comic genius for making thuggish comments about other musicians, 4) when reviewing the album, many critics will completely miss the point and lambast the Gallaghers for being derivative.
Of course they’re derivative! When did Oasis ever pretend to be anything else? People don’t love Noel and Liam for originality. They love them for making big, brash, catchy songs. So the true measure of an Oasis album is simply: are the songs big, brash and catchy enough? Unfortunately, on this occasion, the answer is “the first few are, and the rest aren’t”.
The claustrophobic ‘Bag It Up’ is a good start, combining Liam’s sneered vocals with an absorbing chord progression, to quite menacing effect. There’s only just time to throw in a lyrical reference to The Rolling Stones before ‘The Turning’ barges in. It’s even more twisted that its predecessor, with keyboards and a minimalist bassline conjuring up The Charlatans at their finest.
But soon the band start sounding laboured: ‘I’m Outta Time’ is an insipid Lennon-on-the-piano imitation; ‘To Be Where There’s Life’ is full of vacuous faux-eastern “wisdom”; and the plodding ‘Soldier On’ is undoubtedly the weakest track to ever end an Oasis record.
Contrary to popular belief, Noel and Liam have recorded two stellar albums since What’s The Story (Morning Glory)? But this isn’t one of them.
Dig Out Your Soul is available through Sony BMG.
Article written by Andy McLean.
First published in The Brag, Sydney, 2008.
** More Oasis reviews and information will be added in the next few weeks. Stay tuned!!
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