via//chicago

np: "mucky fingers" - oasis

somehow, more than a full decade after storming the UK charts this band remains one of the most divisive groups in rock. six albums into their career and they are still a love 'em or hate 'em kind of thing, very few people seem to think Oasis is "sorta decent". how else could a band without a major U.S. hit in over 6 years manage to sell out Madison Square Garden within an hour? people seem to either worship at the Gallagher Temple or try to knock the damn thing down, and the reviews for Don't Believe the Truth seem to back that up. while fanatics are busy hailing it as a "return to form" of the mid-90s heights, the more *ahem* "hip" guardians of taste are dismissing it as a career nadir for a band that has been on a consistent decline since the release of Be Here Now in 1997. so which one comes closer to the truth?
before i answer that question, however, i have to engage in a little full disclosure. i am one of those people who falls squarely into the "love 'em" category - always have, most likely always will. discovered them after hearing "Live Forever" back in the summer of 1994 just before i headed off to college. since then i have awaited every new album and tabloid appearance by the band, hungrily snatching each import single that trickled into shops for those ever so pleasant b-sides.
now, i will be the first to admit that the band has underwent a noticeable decline in quality of the last three albums, but there have always been moments of glory that have kept me listening all of these years. with this frame of reference, let me tell you that DBTT is neither a career nadir or a return to form - just a damn solid rock album. opener "Turn Up the Sun" kicks things off nicely before taking us into the surprising stomp of "Mucky Fingers". but as a listen to the album closer "Let There Be Love" will show, Oasis is at their strongest when creating epic pop tunes with a bloated sense of grandeur. this song will fit in well with songs like "Champagne Supernova" and "Don't Look Back in Anger" when the inevitable best-of comes around. this album also shows off a more collaborative Oasis than we are used to, as songwriting credits are divided amongst all the members. this is no longer just the Noel and Liam show, Andy Bell and Gem Archer are proving their worth by contributing strong tracks. no, this isn't going to hold up as well as (What's the Story) Morning Glory or Definitely Maybe, but i'm certainly finding it a hell of a lot more enjoyable than Standing On The Shoulders of Giants. yes the band is still extremely derivative, ripping off prominently from the Stones on first single "Lyla", but that is just one of the things we've come to accept with this band.
if you're an Oasis fan you probably won't need me to tell you to pick this one up, and if you are one of the many haters my opinion isn't going to change your mind. but if you are one of those rare people still on the fence when it comes to this band, go ahead and pick it up. you might be surprised by what you've been dismissing. or if you are one of those fairweather fans that quit paying attention during the string of sub-par releases, you should pick this up as well. there may just be a few moments that remind you just why you used to love this band.