Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul

G-Money

Hello,

So I was all set to buy this online and had even went as far as ordering it with Amazon. Then I remembered Ian Dempsey saying that often albums that are "released" on a Monday are often available to buy in shops in Ireland from the Friday before. With that in mind, I zoomed over to the music shop hoping I wouldn't have a wasted journey and sure enough, there it was sitting right in front of the door.

If I had to sum up the new album in two words I'd say "The Beatles". By that I mean listening to it, it reminded me so much of how the Beatles sound. Bear in mind that I'm not the biggest fan of the Beatles and wouldn't have heard all of their stuff.

It's definitely the least Oasis sounding album they have ever done but I like it so far. A lot of their songs are about guitars and I have to admit, I love guitars. However having listened to Dig Out Your Soul, it seems to focus more on beats (not dance) and grooves with a lot of piano-sounding instruments thrown in for good measure.

It's kind of like listening to Liam sing songs from a completely different band to be honest. To me, none of the songs sound like a carry over from any of their six previous albums, it's like a completely clean break. And I like it.

Noel has written most of the songs but I have to admit, on first listening, the one I like the best so far is one of Liam's called "I'm Outta Time". Get Off Your High Horse lady is pretty good and get's better about half way into it.

Let me just say that I bought this album about 3 hours ago and I'm just listening to it now so I reserve the right to change my mind about any and all opinions I have given so far

I'd give it 4 out of 5, mostly for how fresh it sounds.

Larry Longloaf

Indeed, it's a quality album. I've had it since it's release and I must say, the more and more I listen to it, the better it gets. My favourite sonh is 'Bag It Up'. Cracking tune and to be fair, how many other songs do you know of that have the word heebeejeebies in it. I certainly can't think of too many.
Just on the point that you heard Ian Dempsey mention before, albums are released here on a Friday. The reason for this is that a few years back IRMA decided to change the charts here to run from Friday to Thursday. So for future reference when your looking on the web for albums, if they're release date is for a Monday, it usually means the Friday before that here. Handy that!

caoimh36

Outstanding stuff from the lads again. One of the few good things to come out of Manchester!

manfist

caoimh36 wrote: »

Outstanding stuff from the lads again. One of the few good things to come out of Manchester!

few?????????
you serious?
Obviously never heard of the Madchester scene.

DavidPatrick

just got the album yesterday.... still gotta listen to it properly, just listened to the first couple of songs.... liked what I heard of it so far though..... It does sound very like the beatles, music wise.. One of the songs sounds very like the doors - 'five to one' aswell...

eviltimeban

I like it. I am a fan since 94 so have enjoyed every Oasis album release up to now (with the exception of "Standing On The Shoulder...", but even it contains my favourite Oasis song ever, "Go Let It Out"). Anyway, onto Dig Out Your Soul (of "DOYS", as it is being referred to on Oasis forums).

At least they recorded most of it in one studio this time, Abbey Road. Their first attempt to record at Abbey Road, in late 96, was a disaster as there were too many drugs, too much volume, too much press outside, and too many complaints from other studio users about the noise. This time, however, things are certainly quieter on the tabloid front, allowing Oasis get to work.

This is probably the most focused album since Be Here Now. The last few were a bit all over the place, "Don't Believe The Truth" going through a disasterous birth (starting with sessions in 2004 with Death In Vegas, and ending with producer Dave Sardy stripping everything back to its core elements). Although it did give them some hits and a modicum of critical praise (and more importantly, re-established their position) it still was lacking, whether in production or songs. Not the case with DOYS.

On first listen, its Oasis alright, nothing shocking. "Bag It Up", the opener, owes more than a nod to "Baron Saturday" by the Pretty Things, but is an effective opener and showcases Liam's snarl to good effect. This is in evident throughout the whole album, and though he may no longer be able to cut it live (just look up any live track from recent times on YouTube - may I suggest "Stop Crying Your Heart Out Glastonbury 2004") he's still got what it takes in the studio. Much fuss has been made of his main contribution to this album, "I'm Outta Time", which is a pretty piano based ballad but leans too heavily on its Lennon-isms to be anything interesting (however those less-familiar with the Lennon ouvre may not notice this).

The album seems to be split down the middle by the Noel-sung track "Falling Down" - Tomorrow Never Knows meets the Chemical Brothers - the first half containing most of the 'songs', the second half a little more experimental and daring. If you turn to "To Be Where There's Life" we get a looping bassline, droning sitars, John Bonham beats, and a good echoey Liam vocal. There's no guitars AT ALL. OK, to some that might mean "so what" but for Oasis this is the apex of radicalism.

Also along these lines are "The Nature Of Reality", former Ride Andy Bell's song. Its a stop / start kind of affair, again something new for Oasis and better than another verse / chorus / verse song. Liam chips in with the closing "Soldier On", which has a slight dub-reggae feel with the closing melodica solo, and with its twisting chord progression is probably Liam's best song on the album.

On the way, however, we are treated to some Noel pastiches. I am beginning to prefer Liam as a songwriter, as he seems to just write whatever comes out (a very Lennon-esque trait), whereas Noel self-consciously decides he is going to write in a particular style (which is very McCartney, perversely). So we seem to have lost the Noel of the early days, when his passion and creativity flowed through his songs and albums. Now we have him saying "this is my Pretty Things song", and "this is my Velvet Underground song" (see the last album's Mucky Fingers). So "Falling Down" is a pastiche of the Chemical Brothers, "Waiting For The Rapture" is the Doors' Five To One with a different melody, "(Get Off Your) High Horse Lady" is nothing more than the old song Hi Heel Sneakers, and "The Turning" steals the chords to Devil Woman and ends up sounding like the Charlatans circa Up To Our Hips. Granted, Noel has written so many songs that perhaps this is the only way he can be inspired. The results are often impressive, I would just like to see a return to less self-indulgent songwriting.

On the way, however, Oasis do rock out. "The Shock Of The Lightning" is a good benchmark for the whole album, although interestingly it is the first lead single from an Oasis album not to hit number 1 since "Supersonic". "Ain't Got Nothing" is a Liam rocker which is rather similar to The Meaning Of Soul in spirit, if not in sound. And a shout out to the "bonus" tracks from the box set version of the album - "The Boy With The Blues" is easily Liam's best song to date and should have been included on the parent album.

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