Oasis are an institution in Britain. They were in the '90s what Nirvana was to America--a driving force that helped reshaped the sound of rock. Back then they were leaders of the Britpop movement, Britain's answer to grunge that hearkened back to the guitar and melody based rock of the late '60s. They were like the new Beatles, and their first two albums, Definitely Maybe and What's the Story Morning Glory were met with almost universal acclaim.Then things took a bit of a bad turn. Be Here Now, their third album, saw the band go too over the top, and although it sold very well, was not as well regarded. Their fourth and fifth albums fell into a similar vein (but with fewer sales)--fine, but not their best. Still, they managed to continue scoring #1 hits, so they were never far from the limelight, and the hope was always that the next one would return them to form. Their last, 2005's Don't Believe the Truth, was largely heralded as a step in that direction, giving us stomping hits like "Lyla" and the gorgeous winter ballad "Let There Be Love."
Dig Out Your Soul finds the band continuing to reclaim their lost ground, putting forth a great set of rocking tunes. There are a few ballads here, but most of the songs are charging rock numbers that retain a mostly standard simple formula. "Bag It Up" is a great opening track--simple, driving and melodic, with a proper emphasis on the guitar, the occasional harmonized vocal and the big orchestra-backed finish. "The Turning" starts a bit quieter, but ends up just as satisfying, tinged with hints of psychedelia and big choruses.
Stomping "Waiting for the Rapture" turns the electric and bass guitars way up, especially after the first chorus. Noel Gallagher sings on this one, and really, it's shame he doesn't do it more, although then I guess the band would have to be called Noel Gallagher's Oasis, given that he is the band's principal songwriter. His voice has more heft but less personality than brother Liam's. It's a nice contrast. Liam returns then on "The Shock of the Lightning," the pulsing first single that sadly missed #1 a couple of weeks ago. The lyrics don't make much sense ("love is a time machine up on the silver screen") but who cares, this is great toe-tapping head-nodding rock.
"I'm Outta Time" is the first and best of three tracks penned by Liam, and it's one of the best slow songs Oasis have ever done--up there with "Don't Look Back in Anger" and "Let There Be Love" from their last album. The always-present Beatles influence is particularly strong here. Piano, guitar, bass, and Liam's voice blend together like the smoothest dessert cocktail--dark and delicious. It's the last of the brilliant five-track opening to Dig Out Your Soul.
And the good news is that the rest of album is good too, although it loses a little steam toward the end. "(Get Off Your) High Horse Lady" plods forth with a strutting bass line borrowed from the Old West. Noel shows up for vocal duty again on "Falling Down," the dark and charging track that was offered on iTunes as an early download for buying the album. Ominous piano chords underpin the strong bass and guitar and the downer lyrics ("We live a dying dream...it's all that I've ever known"). Don't let it get you down too much though, as it's really good.
Like the Beatles, whose songwriting was dominated by Lennon and McCartney, the Gallagher brothers continue to outshine their bandmates' efforts. Guitarist Gem Archer offers up "To Be Where There's Life." That it has a bit of Middle Eastern flavor is interesting, but this is not as good as anything to preceded it. I like bassist Andy Bell's "The Nature of Reality" better. No surprise, the bass is really prominent here, giving it a swaggering stomp not unlike "High Horse Lady." Liam's other two songs are buried here near the end, although that's really fine. "Ain't Got Nothin'" is loud, but unremarkable. Better is closing track "Soldier On," which finds Liam's vocals so reverbed as to constitute a self duet.
Until now I've been a pretty casual Oasis fan (this is only my third album from them, after Definitely Maybe and Morning Glory), but this has really piqued my interest in exploring the band further. I'm happy to report that I like Dig Out Your Soul quite a bit.
Best: I'm Outta Time, The Shock of the Lightning, Falling Down, Bag It Up, The Turning, Waiting for the Rapture, The Nature of Reality
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