Oasis

Be Here Now

The end of an era

Review Score:

(6/10)
In Britain prior to this album Oasis were, rightly, the biggest band in the world. The hype up until its release was enourmous with TV and radio specials adding to the excitement.

I remember finding out when the first single 'D'you Know What I Mean'was going to be played on radio so i could here it straight away. It was on BBC Radio One and i tuned in and thought yes! Oasis had moved on even further using backward guitar and strong harmonies - i eagerly anticipated the albums release.

It started with the aforementioned single which sounded great. Then came the first disappointment 'My Big Mouth' a song that is very loud, layered with guitars but it lacks a descent tune and just relied on Liam's vocals. It should reaaly have been a B-Side.

However i thought that would be a one-off and i was pleased when hearing the masterful 'Magic Pie' with a chorus to die for. It is songs like this that makes you realise why Oasis are the best band around today. My faith in Oasis was restored. Then the radio friendly 'Stand By Me' came on and was yet another epic but really was too predictable a tune to be anything special its ok though.

'I Hope, I Think, I Know', like 'My Big Mouth' was more concerned with the volume of the song rather than the tune. It didn't do anything interesting, but it has a rousing chorus you can't help but like. 'The Girl In The Dirty Shirt' could only have been written by Oasis - a bluesy number with a great tune and witty, typically north England lyrics.

So far the album was extremely good in parts and average in others. The next track is the most experimental song on the album 'Fade In-Out'. It is a wonderfully athemic song with elements of west-coast America, rock,country with great harmonies and sensational vocals by Liam. 'Don't go Away' can be put in the same bracket as 'Stand By Me' in that it is a pretty predictable ballad, though this time the song was allowed to breathe and the emotion comes out a little better.

'Its Getting Better Man' is another songs that should have been left as a B-Side as it isn't particularly interesting and you feel Noel wrote it in a few minutes. However, a rocker that does work on the album is the title track 'Be Here Now' with an early 60's tune and an early glam feel it allows Oasis to do what they do best and still keep it interesting.

Now we come to 'All Around The World'. Plain and simply this song isn't good enough. It was one of the first songs Noel ever wrote and it shows. It is made up of obvious chord changes that begin to bore after the first few listens and adding to this is the fact that it is 5 minutes too long (something Noel really regrets).

The disappointing reception to this album led to the downfall of Brit-Pop and our charts were again plagued with boy and girl bands who mean nothing to real music fans. It didn't help that Noel criticised the album himself, when perhaps he should have kept quiet.

If the album was made up of the eight best songs on it (tracks 1,3,5,6,7,8,9,)then it would be a great album. As it is, 'Be Here Now' (by Oasis' high standards) is just ok.

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