Oasis

Be Here Now

Over-produced yet under-rated

Review Score:

(8/10)
Oasis had come a short distance but crossed boundaries and were the kings of britrock that had crossed over and ruled America over the course of the summer of '96. The band packed their bags, trashed the tour and returned home and went straight into the recording studios to make the album they were dreaming about. Their very own White Album.
Be Here Now is an example of a band that had pushed the envelope. A band that sits on top of the world and taking itself way to seriously. But why wouldn't they? Oasis have released two major number one hit albums back to back one year apart with 'Definitely Maybe' in 94, and 'What's The Story Morning Glory' in 95. Now it's 97, and Oasis had all the right to take advantage of their name, the equipment they had, and come out with one loud rocking bang!

Be Here Now opens up with Do You Know What I Mean which is the strangest sounding rock song ever released since The Beatles released Revolver. A cool song that marks Oasis' first experiment with the avant garde-ish sound that the other fab group before them ventured into. My Big Mouth is a loud hair raising rock tune. Liam's best vocals in years. One of the best tracks on Be Here Now. Magic Pie is Noel's first vocal duty on the album. A solid accoustic song that elevates into a hard rocker with Noel singing his heart out. Stand By Me is Oasis at their best. A low key rocking ballad that will make you want to fall in love. It's songs like these that really give Oasis their unique voice. I Hope I Think I Know is a punk rock song where the music is much better than ythe lyrics. Girl In A Dirty Shirt is Noel's bluesy ode to his then girlfriend Meg Mathews. Fade In/Out is the loudest song on the album. That scream in the middle comes as a surprise. Johnny Depp plays slide guitar on this song that sounds like a theme from a western movie at the very beginning. One of the album's highlights. Don't Go Away is what Oasis can do best. A Wonderwall-ish rock ballad. The most beautiful tune on the entire album. This song can easily fit on Morning Glory. A rock classic. The Title track Be Here Now, which doesn't make sense at all, moves on by at flight speed but not hurting the album. Intended to be the Morning Glory of the album, and even though it fails it's still a not too bad song. All Around The World is where Oasis really push it. At 9 minutes, this has got to be the longest song I have ever went through. One of the album's highlights. A grand epic about peace on earth. More like a cry for help on the band's part. It's Getting Better Man sounds like it was recorded live. And that only makes it sound better man! The reprise at the end sounds unnecessary but for a White Album that had to be put in there.

On a Oasis level, this is their most overproduced, and over hyped album they ever released.
But it grows on you like a fungus. The only reason that Oasis are still rocking big in the UK today is because they really know how to make good music and know how to cheer people up. Be Here Now will cheer you up. If it doesn't then you can do what Liam tells you to do in the title track ' flash your pan at the song that I'm singing' Whatever way you choose, thsi is a great album, not the greatest, but compared with the rest of the albums in the market, the greatest.

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