The Album Review Club - Week #127 - (page 1545) - Definitely Maybe - Oasis

[Coatigan]

My relationship with Oasis' music, has been, at best, apathetic. Mild dislike perhaps with some of it, but generally not that bothered by it. I get what is catchy about it, I get what people can see in it to relate to, and I get why it is popular. I even get what some might have considered 'fresh' (eventhough in itself there is nothing original there) about it. Eventhough, most of the time, that is down to their own lack of breadth and depth. Like anyone that says they were a breath of fresh air in a dire decade, clearly isn't someone that spent any real time listening to music in that time period, but got hooked on an easy hook. But as music, it doesn't move me in any way. It also, as music, in no way annoys me.

My relationship with Oasis - the culture, has been, not good. I have no time for it and find the hype and overrating irritating. As I do the dogmatic need to convert everyone.

My relationship with Oasis fans and fanbase, has been even worse. Irreparable perhaps. To the point, that it has taken significant effort, and being on here exposed to some level headed fans I respect, just to soften enough be able to swallow an immediate sense of disappointment in someone that says they are an Oasis fan. That is one broad brush do wave, I get that. But that has been my experience, and in the same way that people who have found something in them to resonate with, think I can't understand what it means to them, I think it is hard for others to understand what that means to me. If we accept for example footballing tribalism, and I happen to have the same innate prejudice that takes time and alternative exposure to erode at.

It is then impossible for me, to separate those two things from the experience of listening to their music or to attempt to take it at face value. Hence this was always going to be a struggle. Noel's album I could just about convince myself there was Some difference, but with this, it is impossible. I gave it a good shot, managed two whole listens. Won't be doing a third. Don't feel I need to either, it is simplistic enough to get everything out of it, and it is well known anyway, not like it is my first time hearing it.

The music itself is what I thought and expected. Fine. What it has made me appreciate, is that as their debut, their intentions would have been good. Honest guys trying something they felt like. It is not their fault, the phenomenon they would become, and the fanbase they would attract. And they do know how to write a pop song. And pass it off well as rock and roll. Just like the Beatles, which is why the comparisons are there. It has aged well. Partly, because it was always basic enough, and partly because there aren't that many gimmicks in it.

 

[RobMCFC]

My relationship with Oasis' music, has been, at best, apathetic. Mild dislike perhaps with some of it, but generally not that bothered by it. I get what is catchy about it, I get what people can see in it to relate to, and I get why it is popular. I even get what some might have considered 'fresh' (eventhough in itself there is bothing original there) about it. Eventhough, most of the time, that is down to their own lack of breadth and depth. Like anyone that says they were a breath of fresh air in a dire decade, clearly isn't someone that spent any real time listening to music in that time period, but got hooked on an easy hook. But as music, it doesn't move me in any way. It also, as music, in no way annoys me.

My relationship with Oasis - the culture, has been, not good. I have no time for it and find the hype and overrating irritating. As I do the dogmatic need to convert everyone.

My relationship with Oasis fans and fanbase, has been even worse. Irreparable perhaps. To the point, that it has taken significant effort, and being on here exposed to some level headed fans I respect, just to soften enough be able to swallow an immediate sense of disappointment in someone that says they are an Oasis fan. That is one broad brush do wave, I get that. But that has been my experience, and in the same way that people who have found something in them to resonate with, think I can't understand what it means to them, I think it is hard for others to understand what that means to me. If we accept for example footballing tribalism, and I happen to have the same innate prejudice that takes time and alternative exposure to erode at.

It is then impossible for me, to separate those two things from the experience of listening to their music or to attempt to take it at face value. Hence this was always going to be a struggle. Noel's album I could just about convince myself there was Some difference, but with this, it is impossible. I gave it a good shot, managed two whole listens. Won't be doing a third. Don't feel I need to either, it is simplistic enough to get everything out of it, and it is well known anyway, not like it is my first time hearing it.

The music itself is what I thought and expected. Fine. What it has made me appreciate, is that as their debut, their intentions would have been good. Honest guys trying something they felt like. It is not their fault, the phenomenon they would become, and the fanbase they would attract. And they do know how to write a pop song. And pass it off well as rock and roll. Just like the Beatles, which is why the comparisons are there. It has aged well. Partly, because it was always basic enough, and partly because there aren't that many gimmicks in it.

I agree with what you are saying about the whole Oasis cult and culture. They were a good band rather than a generational talent.

Are you going to put a number on it?

 

[BlueHammer85]

I agree with what you are saying about the whole Oasis cult and culture. They were a good band rather than a generational talent.

Are you going to put a number on it?

don’t push him on a number!

 

[Coatigan]

I agree with what you are saying about the whole Oasis cult and culture. They were a good band rather than a generational talent.

Are you going to put a number on it?

I did, then edited out, given I didn't do the 3 listens. But a 4 it would be from, me that's taking as much of the tainted weight off as I can manage.

 

[BlueHammer85]

Morning Glory is one of the great 90s albums and is full of absolute classics that are still played today.
I just cannot get the 'full pop' statement, Its just a band moving to the next level with their second album, becoming more polished and also becoming huge in the process.

I am a big Oasis fan and i would have DM, MG and even BHN up there. They were the soundtrack to mine and many others youth. Maybe after that it all tailed off, but each of them albums is its own story from wanting it, to having it, to not knowing what to do with it.

As for sipping champagne with Blair....its a bit of a cheap shot and its also wrong as that was in 1997, Morning Glory was released 1995.
And sipping champagne with Blair was more to do with 'growing up poor in a council estate' during the Thatcher years than being unauthentic.

Fair reply! Let’s not forget I am a huge fan. This is my 3rd Gallagher nomination (promise to be the last by the way) I’ve seen Oasis countless times, Noel and Liam solo a few times. I still can’t get enough of there early stuff and B sides.

I was pandering slightly to not be so biased and gave MG a bit of unfair stick, it is indeed one of the great Albums of the 90’s and has some real classic songs from it - personally now hearing it I feel it’s dated a little and also just songs that are so overplayed - which isn’t their fault. I would have liked them to have retained the DM and Masterplan sound rather than the more polished Pop they went for.

 

[FogBlueInSanFran]

I am never able to understand this. People that argue they are not 'essentially a beatles tribute band'. Granted, you did limit it to DM, and it is probably least evident on that. But it is still there.

How the fuck could they be a Beatles tribute band when they don’t have a sense of humo(u)r or any charm whatsoever or write songs that are as good?

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

I would say the biggest rip-off on the album is "Cigarettes & Alchohol" which is basically T-Rex's "Get it On".

However, I do agree with you point in general. There's only 8 notes and all that. In fact, it amazes me that we still have space for original music these days! All the best riffs must have been done already.

Absolutely.
I don’t see them as ripping off any particular songs.
I have always felt that there was nothing new in anything I heard from them, however.
They supposedly ripped the doors off of Brit-pop and crusaded the new Manc-scene. If true that’s good. I never particularly liked Brit Pop. I wouldn’t call this particular album pop. But I don’t differentiate them much in most of their stuff, from other bands around in content and quality.

I get it if you were there, it’s exciting I’m sure. Especially live. But I personally never got the adoration and supposed innovation that we hear about. I never got anything from them that I hadn’t heard before and better in most cases.

 

[mancity2012_eamo]

He may be a good frontman. He is not a good singer though. And better than 99% of britrish 'indie' singers? Aye ok.

He’s one of my main gripes with them.
You don’t need to be a good singer to be a good vocalist, nor a good front man either.
He’s a better singer than many a vocalist that I have time for.
I think he is style over substance. It’s a style that seems to suit Mancunians and much of Britain but I hate his delivery. I find him annoying. And I believe most of it is put on.

 

[dublinblue12]

Never really heard 'Beatles' on this album...however 'Slade' came thru loud and clear. Couple of albums later they were channeling their inner ' Kinks'.

Apart from Harrisons solo 'my sweet lord riff' playing on Supersonic, I don't think there is any. Digsys diners intro sounds more than similar to the Kinks 'Little miss queen of darkness', and Cigs & alcohol is obviously trex - the only beatles references I can recall from their early years is a cover of I am the walrus, and With a little help from my friends and Octopuses garden played briefly on outros. DLBIA has imagine on the intro another solo beatle effort.

 

[mrbelfry]

Definitely Maybe came out in 1994 which was probably the perfect time for to fall in love hard. Growing up in a house that played Dylan, Cohen, Dire Straits & Lennon I naturally gravitated to 2 Unlimited and Technotronic until a friend at school gave me a tape with some Nirvana songs and my sisters boyfriends brother told me about Cypress Hill. These were fine and as my music taste enlarged I felt like this was music I could admire from a distance. Then Oasis came out of nowhere and I fell hard as this was music that spoke to me directly. Until I saw them live.

What should have been a euphoric moment - my favourite band at my favourite place (Maine Road) instead sparked a slide into disinterest and disdain.

the problem wasn’t the music it was the mythology. It’s like I’d gone from playing GTA to suddenly being a part of the Crips. Not wanting to join a cult I distanced myself from Oasis. I just have no swagger. I owned Morning Glory but quickly stopped listening to either album. My only exposure to Oasis songs then came on match days at the Etihad. Despite myself best effort I’d nod my head whilst telling myself I hated Oasis.

But this is a review not a biography. Rock & Roll Star is the perfect opener to the debut Oasis record. It’s a statement of intent and they have delivered regardless of my opinion. Liam has made the most of a limited voice. What surprised me is how soft and thin he sounds on this album - not the sneering bonobo I’d remembered. I know they were young when this came out but I thought it was at least post puberty. I listened to the remastered version in case it was just a bad mix but it sounded the same there.

Shakermaker was the first Oasis track I’d heard. Listening to the radio with my bedroom light off it was noisy, dense and loud but not in the American style. It was British sounding but without the acoustic guitar prattling away in the background like the Smiths or the Cure. Its loud, chaotic and polite. The rest of the album sounds just as loud and dense but almost homemade and authentic. DM is the album your mates made.

I’ve already written a lot so won’t go into a song by song breakdown but honestly there wasn’t a song I didn’t love and wish had been recorded by someone not Oasis. It’s disappointing - like marrying Heidi Klum only to realise she’d harvested Seal’s organs and kept fingers in the fridge. Digsy’s Diner sounds like a band in-joke and the album should end with Slide Away - I can’t remember if Married With Children was an unlisted bonus track that you often got at the end of albums in those days. It’s fine and caustic and is a palette cleanser to the dense production of the rest of the album.

Much has been written about how simplistic and derivative the album is which I think is actually why it is so good. Oasis don’t excel at anything but they are a great covers band. This is like a greatest hits record of several other bands you probably like if you like Oasis.

To see how well this had aged I checked out another album I loved that came out the same year - Parklife by Blur. If I could have been in any band at that time I’d have picked Blur - they were quirky in all the ways I liked. The wrote about London like the Jam did so it’ll never feel local in the way Oasis does despite not have any overt references to Manchester. The difference between those albums demonstrates why DM is the vastly superior album in retrospect. Oasis would never write a song like Lot 105 but on the plus side Lot 105 would never appear on an Oasis album. DM is not interested in demonstrating how smart Oasis are. It's interested in sharing some great tunes with you.

There is a video of Thom Yorke DJing at Boiler Room in London whilst a group of disinterested people stand around watching him be smart and ironic and clever. Oasis would only play the bangers people danced to. No artifice. No irony. Nothing smart. Your mates playing you songs that they love.

Despite everything in me reminding me I hate Oasis this is an 8.5. it feels good like a cheese and onion crisp and beef paste butty. My mates shared their mix tapes with me with music they were passionate about - Oasis do the same