The Album Review Club - Week #116 - (page 1381) - You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic - Ian Hunter

John Cougar Mellencamp
Lonesome
4/10

The Replacements
Let it be
5/10

New Score

Oasis
The Masterplan
Oh no the Gallaghers being reviewed on a City forum!!!!!!!!!!!

Good selection @BlueHammer85 and definitely got people talking, don't think I would have gotten away with picking it ;-)

Needless to say, I am very familiar with this collection of B-Sides - I would have been about 11 when this was released so formed part of my childhood along with others.

There is some really good stuff on this album - straight off the bat I've got
Underneath the Sky, Going Nowhere, Fade Away, (It's good) to be free, Stay Young, Masterplan and I've not even broken sweat (I like their version of I am the Walrus and I am pretty critical of covers in general, this is decent).

These were just some of the songs deemed not album worthy!

I actually think this album (collection of B sides) is a measure of just how good the band were at this point - nothing else touches them in the decade imho.

To be fair to the posters that don't like the Oasis sound, there isn't much to go at on the album. The guitars are generally loud and not particularly well blended or balanced on some of the tracks, Liams voice is great (meaning Gallagher-haters won't like it) and the songs follow Noels well trodden nineties musical path.*

The shear amount of songs that Noel created during those first few years is phenomenal - one might say Lennon / McCartney-esque (yes, there you go I fucking said it. And there were two of them writing them, just saying). ;-)

Why do I find the brothers so likeable / relatable? Probably because of their background, probably because you can learn to play all the relevant instruments and vocals to play along to making them more 'within reach', probably because they also love City, probably because they aren't clean cut, probably because they had attitude etc etc etc.

Their music seems to perfectly capture the overall spirit and mood of the '90's (again potentially heightened by my impressionable age at the time) - some of the music and lyrics can be very very meaningful and yet completely throw away at the same time (don't ask me how, but they can).

There isn't much for @Bill Walker to get excited about from a high end technical perspective, the music is far greater then the musicians playing it (I know we have touched on this previously).

Gone off on a tangent as usual, but it still delights me that they are City and part of our makeup and 'iiiiistory.

The world would have been an ever so slightly more boring and predictable place without the Gallaghers wanting to broaden their horizons away from Burnage and into stardom.

It feels closer to an 8 out of 10 for me but it is a B side album so not an intentional output (if that makes any sense) - we are going with an extremely good 7/10.

Looking forward to what @FogBlueInSanFran and our brothers and sisters from across the Atlantic make of this / them to be honest (for good or bad).

* For what its worth according to Noel, Liam never once asked what any of the songs were about etc and basically picked them an the melody up within about 2 minutes and had them in his head. Whilst this would absolutely infuriate me as the songwriter, it betters the music and adds something to their overall volatile relationship (you can pretty much picture it in the studio can't you?). This is also similar in nature to something that I posted in relation to The Who (I think? can't remember the thread), Pete Townshend has put loads of effort into chiselling the music to how he wants it to sound, and within about 5 minutes Moon, Entwhistle and Daltrey have already ripped it to shreds and made each element their own (basically creating the something better). Can't wait for something substantial of The Who to get drawn out on BH's Top 1000 thread..............
 
I'm not a big Oasis fan but I thought, after reading all the reviews on here, I'd give it a big impartial listen.

The Masterplan is a great little song, especially the beginning, the cover version is dire, I recognise Half the World Away and the rest?

Generic average at best B sides.

I think it's the singing. Nasally and very irritating.

A score? Blimey...one good song, one I recognise and one butchered cover version and the rest bang average?

4/10

It's why they were B sides.
To be fair @BimboBob , this is my favourite review of this album thus far........... :-)
 
John Cougar Mellencamp
Lonesome
4/10

The Replacements
Let it be
5/10

New Score

Oasis
The Masterplan
Oh no the Gallaghers being reviewed on a City forum!!!!!!!!!!!

Good selection @BlueHammer85 and definitely got people talking, don't think I would have gotten away with picking it ;-)

Needless to say, I am very familiar with this collection of B-Sides - I would have been about 11 when this was released so formed part of my childhood along with others.

There is some really good stuff on this album - straight off the bat I've got
Underneath the Sky, Going Nowhere, Fade Away, (It's good) to be free, Stay Young, Masterplan and I've not even broken sweat (I like their version of I am the Walrus and I am pretty critical of covers in general, this is decent).

These were just some of the songs deemed not album worthy!

I actually think this album (collection of B sides) is a measure of just how good the band were at this point - nothing else touches them in the decade imho.

To be fair to the posters that don't like the Oasis sound, there isn't much to go at on the album. The guitars are generally loud and not particularly well blended or balanced on some of the tracks, Liams voice is great (meaning Gallagher-haters won't like it) and the songs follow Noels well trodden nineties musical path.*

The shear amount of songs that Noel created during those first few years is phenomenal - one might say Lennon / McCartney-esque (yes, there you go I fucking said it. And there were two of them writing them, just saying). ;-)

Why do I find the brothers so likeable / relatable? Probably because of their background, probably because you can learn to play all the relevant instruments and vocals to play along to making them more 'within reach', probably because they also love City, probably because they aren't clean cut, probably because they had attitude etc etc etc.

Their music seems to perfectly capture the overall spirit and mood of the '90's (again potentially heightened by my impressionable age at the time) - some of the music and lyrics can be very very meaningful and yet completely throw away at the same time (don't ask me how, but they can).

There isn't much for @Bill Walker to get excited about from a high end technical perspective, the music is far greater then the musicians playing it (I know we have touched on this previously).

Gone off on a tangent as usual, but it still delights me that they are City and part of our makeup and 'iiiiistory.

The world would have been an ever so slightly more boring and predictable place without the Gallaghers wanting to broaden their horizons away from Burnage and into stardom.

It feels closer to an 8 out of 10 for me but it is a B side album so not an intentional output (if that makes any sense) - we are going with an extremely good 7/10.

Looking forward to what @FogBlueInSanFran and our brothers and sisters from across the Atlantic make of this / them to be honest (for good or bad).

* For what its worth according to Noel, Liam never once asked what any of the songs were about etc and basically picked them an the melody up within about 2 minutes and had them in his head. Whilst this would absolutely infuriate me as the songwriter, it betters the music and adds something to their overall volatile relationship (you can pretty much picture it in the studio can't you?). This is also similar in nature to something that I posted in relation to The Who (I think? can't remember the thread), Pete Townshend has put loads of effort into chiselling the music to how he wants it to sound, and within about 5 minutes Moon, Entwhistle and Daltrey have already ripped it to shreds and made each element their own (basically creating the something better). Can't wait for something substantial of The Who to get drawn out on BH's Top 1000 thread..............
If they were Rags you’d all be slating the band. Admit it.
 
John Cougar Mellencamp
Lonesome
4/10

The Replacements
Let it be
5/10

New Score

Oasis
The Masterplan
Oh no the Gallaghers being reviewed on a City forum!!!!!!!!!!!

Good selection @BlueHammer85 and definitely got people talking, don't think I would have gotten away with picking it ;-)

Needless to say, I am very familiar with this collection of B-Sides - I would have been about 11 when this was released so formed part of my childhood along with others.

There is some really good stuff on this album - straight off the bat I've got
Underneath the Sky, Going Nowhere, Fade Away, (It's good) to be free, Stay Young, Masterplan and I've not even broken sweat (I like their version of I am the Walrus and I am pretty critical of covers in general, this is decent).

These were just some of the songs deemed not album worthy!

I actually think this album (collection of B sides) is a measure of just how good the band were at this point - nothing else touches them in the decade imho.

To be fair to the posters that don't like the Oasis sound, there isn't much to go at on the album. The guitars are generally loud and not particularly well blended or balanced on some of the tracks, Liams voice is great (meaning Gallagher-haters won't like it) and the songs follow Noels well trodden nineties musical path.*

The shear amount of songs that Noel created during those first few years is phenomenal - one might say Lennon / McCartney-esque (yes, there you go I fucking said it. And there were two of them writing them, just saying). ;-)

Why do I find the brothers so likeable / relatable? Probably because of their background, probably because you can learn to play all the relevant instruments and vocals to play along to making them more 'within reach', probably because they also love City, probably because they aren't clean cut, probably because they had attitude etc etc etc.

Their music seems to perfectly capture the overall spirit and mood of the '90's (again potentially heightened by my impressionable age at the time) - some of the music and lyrics can be very very meaningful and yet completely throw away at the same time (don't ask me how, but they can).

There isn't much for @Bill Walker to get excited about from a high end technical perspective, the music is far greater then the musicians playing it (I know we have touched on this previously).

Gone off on a tangent as usual, but it still delights me that they are City and part of our makeup and 'iiiiistory.

The world would have been an ever so slightly more boring and predictable place without the Gallaghers wanting to broaden their horizons away from Burnage and into stardom.

It feels closer to an 8 out of 10 for me but it is a B side album so not an intentional output (if that makes any sense) - we are going with an extremely good 7/10.

Looking forward to what @FogBlueInSanFran and our brothers and sisters from across the Atlantic make of this / them to be honest (for good or bad).

* For what its worth according to Noel, Liam never once asked what any of the songs were about etc and basically picked them an the melody up within about 2 minutes and had them in his head. Whilst this would absolutely infuriate me as the songwriter, it betters the music and adds something to their overall volatile relationship (you can pretty much picture it in the studio can't you?). This is also similar in nature to something that I posted in relation to The Who (I think? can't remember the thread), Pete Townshend has put loads of effort into chiselling the music to how he wants it to sound, and within about 5 minutes Moon, Entwhistle and Daltrey have already ripped it to shreds and made each element their own (basically creating the something better). Can't wait for something substantial of The Who to get drawn out on BH's Top 1000 thread..............
Top notch writing there Mr hols.
Your comments on liams ability to grasp a melody and lyric pretty much straight away, had me thinking about noels attitude towards him after the split. He didn't contribute much musically, but liams talent was no minor contribution to the bands success imo.

Ok there has been plenty of snidery from both sides, exaggerated and encouraged by the press, but I really believe Noel is intelligent enough to realise that liam was a bloody good frontman for the band. I've never heard him directly slag him off personally. He's slagged beady eye off, calling them the best oasis tribute band in Milton Keynes (lol) and I'm sure there are examples of liam having a few digs too.
But.
I still think they respect each other, well I hope they do, as oasis couldn't have happened without them both being involved.

They would have been beady eye without Noel. Or nghfb without liam. And we would be worse off musically.
Anyway, enjoyed your well composed write up as always.
 
Top notch writing there Mr hols.
Your comments on liams ability to grasp a melody and lyric pretty much straight away, had me thinking about noels attitude towards him after the split. He didn't contribute much musically, but liams talent was no minor contribution to the bands success imo.

Ok there has been plenty of snidery from both sides, exaggerated and encouraged by the press, but I really believe Noel is intelligent enough to realise that liam was a bloody good frontman for the band. I've never heard him directly slag him off personally. He's slagged beady eye off, calling them the best oasis tribute band in Milton Keynes (lol) and I'm sure there are examples of liam having a few digs too.
But.
I still think they respect each other, well I hope they do, as oasis couldn't have happened without them both being involved.

They would have been beady eye without Noel. Or nghfb without liam. And we would be worse off musically.
Anyway, enjoyed your well composed write up as always.
Yeh - definitely better together. I'm sure that if you got Noel into a sensible setting he would appreciate his brothers input.

Much appreciated - I was winding up for this one, I even wrote it on my laptop instead of piecemealing it on my phone............. ;-)
 

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