Album of the Week #83: Oasis - Definitely Maybe

Dudess

Release date: August 1994

I quite like a lot of numbers on this album. It's nothing more adventurous than no-frills laddish rock - pub rock at times - but still makes for enjoyable listening, and these songs have a timeless quality to them. I'd be in the "Oasis sound like Quo rather than The Beatles" camp though. Apart from Liam's look, I've never noticed any resemblance.
Disclaimer: None of the above is intended to be "cool", that's simply my opinion. I understand how Oasis tapped into something special in the mid 90s, but I've always found them unremarkable musically (with the odd exception) from the very first time I saw them (The Word, 1993).
One of the aforementioned exceptions though, in my opinion, is Live Forever - a remarkable song. Great tune, impassioned vocals and an anthemic quality which has been used to very moving effect as backing music... and it always gives me a bit of a nostalgic lump in the throat for those days when I was in school and Ireland wasn't quite at Boom time yet.

Heisenberg.

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Dudess

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=61318407&postcount=18

Believe me, I've no preference either way. Not an Oasis fan and don't know Sigur Ros (I really must investigate them though as I've heard nothing but gushing praise for them - and I have heard two songs by them, both of which are great).

The Everlasting

Shoe gazing suicide music, 3 chord grunge suicide music, Madchester dying a slow death, but then out of nowhere came this album. A kick up the arse for music, a wake up call and tunes that grabbed you by the b*llocks moreso than anything else in recent history.

Nothing pretentious about it - they were doing what we all wanted to do, and were capable of doing, but didn't have the bottle.

For that I salute this album

Heisenberg.

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cinnamon girl

I was absolutely blown away by "Live Forever" first time I heard it and still think it's their best song. A bit iffy on the rest of the album though.

Dudess

The Everlasting wrote: »

Shoe gazing suicide music, 3 chord grunge suicide music, Madchester dying a slow death, but then out of nowhere came this album. A kick up the arse for music, a wake up call and tunes that grabbed you by the b*llocks moreso than anything else in recent history.

Nothing pretentious about it - they were doing what we all wanted to do, and were capable of doing, but didn't have the bottle.

For that I salute this album

That was the thing all right. I adored shoegazing, loved Madchester, loved angsty rock from the US - all that stuff. The early 90s was amazing... but it was a bit specialised and not always very inclusive. Oasis's approach was simply "What about just some ****ing rock n roll?" and the time had definitely come for that.

Dudess

Dudess wrote: »

That was the thing all right. I adored shoegazing, loved Madchester, loved angsty rock from the US - all that stuff. The early 90s was amazing... but it was a bit specialised and not always very inclusive. Oasis's approach was simply "What about just some ****ing rock n roll?" and the time had definitely come for that.

Spot on. It was definitely a case of 'right time, right place'. This album has a lean, no-nonsense, sound to it, compared to its rather bloated successors. Still sounds relatively fresh today as well.

Spiritoftheseventies

Yes as an album that absolutely screams at you to be listened to, this is up there with Funeral, Never Mind the B***ks, Surfer Rosa etc. From opening bars of Rock N Roll Star to closing track, there is no let up really. Stand out tracks for me are Live Forever and Slide Away. Regrettfully follow up album while more popier was a sign of things to come. First album the best thing they have done and ever will do IMO.

Xavi6

An absolutely stunning album. It's all about the attitude for me. Right from the first track it's just Liam and the boys giving two fingers and not caring. Just totally cool in the mid 90s.

'Slide Away' and 'Supersonic' stand out for me as two timeless tracks (honourable mentions to 'Live Forever' and 'Rock n Roll Star').

Oasis were my childhood and this album is one of the soundtracks to it.

10/10 for me. Simply flawless.

Eire-Dearg

Absolutely love this album, definately what really got me into Oasis first day.

Live Forever is one of my favourite songs, ever.

Mr E

This is such a great album. The only blip on it for me is Shakermaker - I've always hated that song. Live Forever has always been my favourite Oasis song (and its probably one of my favourite all time songs). Sad Song (from the Japanese Release of Definitely Maybe) is my second favourite Oasis song, and gives me goosebumps every time I hear it.

orourkeda

To me its one of those albums that was good at the start but became very boring very quickly. The obvious result of being played to death for a very long period after its release by practically every radio station in the british isles. Theres a hell of a lot worse out there. However, I wouldnt necessarily put it up there with the very best.

Personally, I find that there is only one song from it that i'd be bothered about (Slide away). Supersonic maybe

Spiritoftheseventies

orourkeda wrote: »

To me its one of those albums that was good at the start but became very boring very quickly. The obvious result of being played to death for a very long period after its release by practically every radio station in the british isles. Theres a hell of a lot worse out there. However, I wouldnt necessarily put it up there with the very best.

Personally, I find that there is only one song from it that i'd be bothered about (Slide away). Supersonic maybe

Think most oasis fans would acknowledge its their best even if follow up is the more poppier. Definitely Maybe just has attitude and loads of it. Turn volume up to Ten, annoy the neighbors and feel young again.