Oasis – Talk Tonight (1995)

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Dare I say that ‘Talk Tonight’ is an underrated Oasis song? Well I think it might just be. Originally released as a B-side to ‘Some Might Say’, the song resurfaced on their compilation The Masterplan in 1998.

Oasis – Better Man (2002)

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Good morning. Oasis were well past their prime when they released their fifth studio album, Heathen Chemistry. Nevertheless, they were able to channel their own back catalogue to a lukewarm reception from critics. Crowd pleaser ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’ is clearly a blend of ‘Slide Away‘ and ‘Don’t Look Back in Anger’. However, in an otherwise barren set, front man Liam Gallagher managed to tag one of his songs onto the album as its closing track. ‘Better Man’ is much less painfully derivative squared, but the admiration for John Lennon and The Stone Roses is still there for everyone to hear.

Oasis – Champagne Supernova (1996)

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(What’s the Story) Morning Glory? and the album’s single ‘Champagne Supernova’ was Oasis at the peak of their success. Theirs had become a big sound. Their lyrics had become more self reflective – it felt like their moment was passing. And then there’s the choice of a melodica as an outro… have a great weekend.

9 of the best – sounds of nineties

Good morning. It’s a little bit later than normal but hopefully worth the wait. I participated in Portsmouth’s Great South Run yesterday, which was was celebrating its 30th anniversary with a 1990s party. It was fun, but no semblance of the decade’s best songs involved. I give you my favourite nine sounds in chronological order. I have to say this is by far the toughest best-of list that I’ve published… just look at the quality of sound that I demoted to honourable footnotes.

Massive Attack – Unfinished Sympathy (1991)

R.E.M. – Nightswimming (1992)

Jeff Buckley – Last Goodbye (1994)

The Smashing Pumpkins – 1979 (1995)

Oasis – The Masterplan (1995)

Sparklehorse – Cow (1995)

Radiohead – Let Down (1997)

Mercury Rev – Holes (1998)

Wilco – She’s A Jar (1999)

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Honourable mentions also go to: Cocteau Twins for ‘Cherry Coloured Funk‘ (1990); Pulp for ‘Babies‘ (1992); Pavement for ‘In The Mouth A Desert‘ (1992); Blur for ‘To The End‘ (1994) and ‘The Universal‘ (1995); Beastie Boys for ‘Sabotage‘ (1994); The Flaming Lips for ‘Placebo Headwound‘ (1995) and ‘Race For The Prize‘ (1999); Radiohead for ‘Fake Plastic Trees‘ (1995); Red House Painters for ‘Have You Forgotten‘ (1996); Spiritualized for ‘Ladies and Gentlemen We are Floating in Space‘ (1997); and Röyksopp for ‘So Easy‘ (1999).

Oasis ‎- Slide Away (1994)

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I had a lot of fun watching an Oasis cover band last week. Noel Gallagher once said he’d not written a better track than ‘Slide Away’. The song featured on their genre defining 1994 album Definitely Maybe. It was written on a Les Paul guitar loaned to him by Johnny Marr. It was written about Gallagher’s then-girlfriend Louise Jones. Have a great week.

9 of the best – sounds of 1994

As we approach the end of another year and the greatest hits that follow, I give you a compilation of sounds from 24 years ago. Britop was at its zenith, but the angelic voice of a Californian rose above all ….

Jeff Buckley – Grace

Oasis – Slide Away

Massive Attack – Protection

Blur – To The End

Mazzy Star – Fade Into You

The Dust Brothers – Chemical Beats

Beastie Boys – Sabotage

Grant Lee Buffalo – Mockingbirds

Jeff Buckley – Last Goodbye

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Honourable mentions also go to: Portishead for ‘Roads‘; Mazzy Star for ‘Fade Into You‘; Plush for ‘Found A Little Baby‘, Johnny Cash for ‘Drive On’, Jeff Buckley for ‘Grace‘; Blur for ‘End Of A Century‘; Pavement for ‘Cut Your Hair‘; Nas for ‘N.Y. State Of Mind’; Green Day for ‘Basket Case’; The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion for ‘Bellbottoms‘

Oasis – Cigarettes & Alcohol (1994)

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I chatted a lot about Oasis this week. A definite case of nostalgia. ‘Cigarettes & Alcohol’ featured on their classic album Definitely Maybe. A Noel Gallagher said, “It mentions drugs and shagging birds, social comment, boozing and drinking and listening to tunes. You know, what more do you want?!”

9 of the best – sounds of 1995

A compilation to get the ears humming this weekend. My favourite 9 sounds of 1995, the swansong year for Britpop. Needless to say, Oasis and Blur feature.

The Smashing Pumpkins – 1979

The Flaming Lips – Placebo Headwound

Oasis – The Masterplan

Underworld – Born Slippy

Radiohead – Fake Plastic Trees

Sparklehorse – Cow

Teenage Fanclub – Versimilitude

Blur – The Universal

Moby – When It’s Cold I’d Like To Die

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Honourable mentions also go to: Pavement for ‘We Dance‘; Yo La Tengo for ‘Blue Line Swinger‘; Ol’ Dirty Bastard for ‘Shimmy Shimmy Ya‘; Rob Dougan for ‘Clubbed To Death‘; Sparklehorse for ‘Saturday‘; and Radiohead for ‘Planet Telex’ and ‘Street Spirit’.

DMA’s – Feels Like 37 (2014)

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Last night, I watched these guys in a sleepy corner of Surrey. They made a stadium sound within a pub. My ears are still ringing to the shrill of ‘Feels Like 37’. The Oasis-like melodies may be familiar, but the musicianship is hard to overlook. Vocalist Tommy O’Dell was comfortably centre stage with guitarist/producer Johnny Took to hand and Matt Mason on fireworks guitar and backing vocals.

DMA’s – Delete (2014)

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It’s 50 years since The Beatles’ first Number One and over 20 years since Oasis shaped Madchester into Britpop, and there’s something still alluring about that honest street sound of Lennon, Brown and Gallagher. Well Sydney-based band DMA think so and lead singer Tommy O’Dell delivers his vocal tribute in spades. As I leave 1993 behind, DMA’s lyrics give Britpop a makeover for the 2010s. Have a great weekend and “Don’t delete my baby/Don’t defeat her still”. Have a great weekend.

Oasis – Columbia (1993)

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And while all that was going on, Oasis were releasing their first pressing ‘Columbia’ – a single that would eventually feature on their acclaimed debut LP Definitely Maybe. It clearly reveals how they started out as a continuation of the Madchester scene; The Stone Roses groove is evident. Menacing and self confident, Oasis had their label Creation Records betting big on their success. You can understand why.

Embrace – All You Good Good People (1997)

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I have already blogged excitement about how 1997 was a vintage year in UK rock music. The Good Will Out was the debut album by Embrace and its start is marked by the sound of an orchestra tuning. What follows is a symphony of a single – ‘All You Good Good People’ just oozes the confidence that Britpop had brought to these shores. Oasis certainly thought so – you can hear the song’s echo in Noel Gallagher’s ‘D’You Know What I Mean?’ off Be Here Now – an album that essentially posted the end of Britpop.

Oasis – The Masterplan (1995)

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‘The Masterplan’ was a song released by a band at the height of its powers. As good as ‘Wonderwall’ is, to release this song as its B-side seems beyond belief now. Noel Gallagher has since acknowledged it as one of the best he’s written. I think Noel may have smiled when he said as much; not only is it sung by Noel, but also it doesn’t feature frontman Liam. Noel can be heard singing The Beatles’ ‘Octopus’s Garden’ towards the end of the song. A sense of brotherly love, indeed.