Oasis

Be Here Now

Only Mediocre By Oasis Standards

Review Score:

(6/10)
Oasis 3rd album, "Be Here Now", was the rather unsuccessful follow-up to 1995's multi-platinum "(What's The Story) Morning Glory?". "Morning Glory" was such a brilliantly crafted masterpiece that seemed impossible to top, and "Be Here Now" pales in comparison. That's not to say that this is a bad album, it just lacks that certain sound that made "Morning Glory" so special. Here's a track by track review:

"D'You Know What I Mean?" was the first single, and while it's lyrically thought provoking it lacks the great melodies that were so abundant on the "Morning Glory" tracks. It has more of an edge than anything on "Morning Glory", and sounds like something written for "Definitely Maybe". Still, it's a good song that gets better the more times you listen to it.

"My Big Mouth" is probably the most hard rock Oasis song to date. The lyrics aren't bad but the tune itself is very bland. It's just an uninspiring attempt at hard rock. Noel Gallagher has written far better songs than this.

"Magic Pie" is the only song on the album sung by Noel, and I think that's the only reason he put it on the album. It's too slow, too long, grossly overproduced, and incredibly bland. Some of the lyrics are okay, but the rest of the song is just plain boring. Noel should've listened to Liam this time and put "Stay Young" on the album instead of this track.

"Stand By Me" is one of the better tracks on the album. It's kind of a power ballad / anthem with honest and sometimes humorous lyrics. While I must admit that I like this song, the chorus is very repetitive, and I find that the more times I listen to it the more bland the song becomes. Still, it's a pleasant song to listen to with a good melody.

"I Hope, I Think, I Know" is just your average Oasis pop tune. It's nothing special, but it does contain better than average lyrics that provide some insight into the Gallagher brothers' disputes with the media. The tune itself is catchy, so it certainly makes for a pleasant listen.

"The Girl In The Dirty Shirt" is one of my favorite tracks on the album. I can't explain it, but I absolutely love the chorus to this song. It has one of those melodies that sticks in your head for hours after you've listened to it. The lyrics are amusing, which only adds to my enjoyment of this song.

"Fade In-Out" is second only to "Magic Pie" in the battle for worst song on the album. It's WAY too slow and incredibly bland. It's also too long, and the fact that it moves along at such a slow pace makes you feel like the song will never end. The lyrics make no sense at all, so this song really has nothing going for it. It's a song I usually skip when I play this album. Hmmm...maybe it is worse than "Magic Pie"?

"Don't Go Away" is by far the best song on the album. It was the second single in the US yet, surprisingly, it was never released as a proper UK single. This song is a classic Noel Gallagher ballad with beautiful lyrics and a top notch melody. If you've ever heard Noel sing this song in it's acoustic version, you can truly appreciate what a beautiful song it is.

"Be Here Now" is another standout track on the album. It's definitely one of the more hard rock tracks on the album, but this time Noel did it right by surrounding a great melody with layers of electric guitars. The lyrics may not make any sense, but the catchy melody will have you singing along in no time. The keyboard intro adds a nice touch as well.

"All Around The World" was the track that Noel claimed the world wasn't ready for when he wrote it years before releasing this album. For the life of me I can't figure out why. Granted, it's a catchy tune that was thoroughly (if not overly) produced, but it pales in comparison to other so-called "epics" like "Champagne Supernova". I do enjoy the fact that the instrumentation gradually increases throughout the song, adding layer upon layer of guitars, horns, etc. until there's nothing left to add. It's the longest track on the album, but it seems to fly by because of the incredible instrumentation. It's a standout track, but it's nothing the world wasn't ready for.

"It's Gettin' Better (Man!!)" is another hard rock tune that's well written but entirely too long. I mean, how many times can Liam keep repeating the song title...it just seems like this song will never end. The melody is good and the lyrics aren't bad either, but this song, like much of this album, is way too long and has been over-produced.

"All Around The World (Reprise)" is just an instrumental end to this album. Nothing special here, just the "All Around The World" music being played without Liam's vocals.

I realize this album has been slammed by critics for many of the things I've pointed out (i.e. it's too long and over-produced to the max), and it pains me to have to agree with these critics. I love Oasis, and I think Noel Gallagher is an absolutely brilliant songwriter, but this album is just bland and uninspiring by Oasis standards. Noel Gallagher raised the bar for songwriting and production when he created "Morning Glory", so "Be Here Now" just doesn't measure up. This isn't a bad album, but I must admit it's my least favorite. If you're a die hard Oasis fan, you're sure to find something on this album you really like. If you're a relatively new fan, start with the "Morning Glory" CD if you want to hear Oasis at their very best.

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