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New Oasis album October 1, 2008

I’ve just been listening to the new Oasis album, Dig Out Your Soul and one thing is clear. Oasis should split up. Now.

That’s not because I don’t like them. Probably like most people I own nearly all Oasis albums (apart from that blip in the mid 90s when they lost it completely with Standing on the Shoulder of Giants) but I don’t really listen to them that often.

Liam and Noel write and sing completely different songs to each other and I’d genuinely welcome a solo album from each of them (Noel, if either, will be the first to do that, for sure).

I’ve always loved Noel’s own stuff and found Liam’s voice just a bit too whiney for my liking. On this album, that changes.

Probably one of the most beautiful Oasis songs I’ve ever heard is on this album – and it’s written and sung by Liam.

On ‘I’m Outta Time’, gone is the swagger, the strain, the nasally whine. It’s just an amazing song, sung incredibly well, with really mature lyrics that I can relate to. I think I’m going to be listening to this rather a lot.

Elsewhere on the album, the usual Beatles influences can be heard in abundance. Noel sings some stonkers and Oxford’s own one-time Mr. Ride, Andy Bell, finally gets a writing credit on the ‘The Nature of Reality’ – a stomping rocker with a decidedly 1970s feel, sung by Liam. Personally I rated his Ride stuff much higher.

A good album. Better than their last couple at least.

I’m going back to put ‘I’m Outta Time’ on repeat. Liam – you’ve come of age. Who would have thought that snarling Mancunian could deliver such a delight?