Back in the 90s, Manchester rockers Oasis were the biggest band on the planet, wowing us with Britpop albums such as "Roll With It", "Wonderwall", and "Don't Look Back in Anger."
They have had eight UK number-one singles and eight UK number-one albums, and won fifteen NME Awards, nine Q Awards, four MTV Europe Music Awards and six BRIT Awards, including one in 2007 for outstanding contribution to music and one for the best album of the last 30 years as voted by the BBC Radio 2 listeners; they have been nominated for three Grammy Awards. As of 2009, the band have sold an estimated 70 million records worldwide.
In 1995, they released their second album (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, which charted at number one in the UK, staying there for 10 weeks, and number four in the U.S. The album sold 346,000 copies in its first week in the UK and has sold in excess of 20 million copies worldwide.
In 1995, the band also developed a serious rivalry with fellow Britpop rockers Oasis.
But, in 2009, fans were left dismayed when the Oasis guitarist and songwriter Noel Gallagher left the group after an altercation with his younger brother and lead singer Liam before a gig.
But they needn't fear. Oasis are still with us and have released a new album, albeit without Noel and under a different name - Beady Eye.
The name may sound daft, but the band apparently chose it because it puts them next to The Beatles in record stores - many observers have said over the years that Oasis sound very similar to The Beatles.
Beady Eye's album - Same Speed, Different Gear - was released 28th February.
Beady Eye: Same Speed, Different Gear
Hardly full of surprises, a compelling start
28th Feb, 2011
Beady Eye are:
Liam Gallagher: Vocals
Gem Archer: Guitars
Andy Bell: Bass
Chris Sharrocks: Drums
And so we have the first full work to follow since the split of Oasis - probably the most anticipated Gallagher action this decade. Who’d have thought it’d be Liam - the truculent brother whose song writing, eclipsed by big bro’s, evolved publicly over four albums from lyrical clunkers (“plasticine/trampoline” in ‘Little James’) to valiant Lennon dreaminess (‘I’m Outta Time’) - that would bounce back first, and so eagerly?
Welcome Beady Eye - Oasis without Noel Gallagher - and 2011’s first album of real intrigue.
The rump Oasis: Beady Eye
The album is a result of diplomatic and collaborative sessions between the members of Beady Eye, who’ve each brought songs - or sketches - to the table to be worked on.
Gem Archer and Andy Bell, free from the restraints of Noel, have flourished on ‘DG,SS’ - Archer especially is credited for commandeering studio time and is thus mainly responsible for the group’s sonic direction. Liam, meanwhile, sounds like an uncaged beast; he sounds recharged, excited and grateful for this new lease of life; “I just wanna rock and roll”, he sings in ‘Beatles And Stones’, and you believe him.
‘Four Letter Word’ declares Beady Eye’s intent: they are loud, insistent, balls-to-the-wall, and unremitting in their attack. It’s an exhilarating statement: “nothing ever lasts forever”, Liam sneers, kicking his past firmly behind him. It continues through the aforementioned heart-on-sleeve ‘Beatles And Stones’, first single ‘Bring The Light’, and the brazen thrust of ‘Standing On The Edge Of The Noise’. So it’s when they take their feet off the accelerator that things get a bit less thrilling.
‘Wind Up Dream’ is rather aimless, and while ‘Kill For A Dream’ is pretty, its “na na na na na” ending is somewhat trite. ‘
The Beat Goes On’ bucks the mid-tempo trend though - its immaculate melody and chorus is only let down by being about a minute too long.
The album’s accompanying press release urges for it to be judged as a debut from a new band - despite that familiar voice and distinct retro overtones, there is a freshness here that’s to be admired, but it lacks a spark of modern relevance or lyrical dynamism. Beady Eye are at the beginning of their own musical adventure - ‘DG,SS’, though hardly full of surprises, is a compelling way to start.
'Different Gear, Still Speeding' Tracklisting:
Four Letter Word
Millionaire
The Roller
Beatles And Stones
Wind Up Dream
Bring The Light
For Anyone
Kill For A Dream
Standing On The Edge Of The Noise
Wigwam
Three Ring Circus
The Beat Goes On
The Morning Son
7/10
clashmusic.com
They have had eight UK number-one singles and eight UK number-one albums, and won fifteen NME Awards, nine Q Awards, four MTV Europe Music Awards and six BRIT Awards, including one in 2007 for outstanding contribution to music and one for the best album of the last 30 years as voted by the BBC Radio 2 listeners; they have been nominated for three Grammy Awards. As of 2009, the band have sold an estimated 70 million records worldwide.
In 1995, they released their second album (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, which charted at number one in the UK, staying there for 10 weeks, and number four in the U.S. The album sold 346,000 copies in its first week in the UK and has sold in excess of 20 million copies worldwide.
In 1995, the band also developed a serious rivalry with fellow Britpop rockers Oasis.
But, in 2009, fans were left dismayed when the Oasis guitarist and songwriter Noel Gallagher left the group after an altercation with his younger brother and lead singer Liam before a gig.
But they needn't fear. Oasis are still with us and have released a new album, albeit without Noel and under a different name - Beady Eye.
The name may sound daft, but the band apparently chose it because it puts them next to The Beatles in record stores - many observers have said over the years that Oasis sound very similar to The Beatles.
Beady Eye's album - Same Speed, Different Gear - was released 28th February.
Beady Eye: Same Speed, Different Gear
Hardly full of surprises, a compelling start
28th Feb, 2011
Beady Eye are:
Liam Gallagher: Vocals
Gem Archer: Guitars
Andy Bell: Bass
Chris Sharrocks: Drums
And so we have the first full work to follow since the split of Oasis - probably the most anticipated Gallagher action this decade. Who’d have thought it’d be Liam - the truculent brother whose song writing, eclipsed by big bro’s, evolved publicly over four albums from lyrical clunkers (“plasticine/trampoline” in ‘Little James’) to valiant Lennon dreaminess (‘I’m Outta Time’) - that would bounce back first, and so eagerly?
Welcome Beady Eye - Oasis without Noel Gallagher - and 2011’s first album of real intrigue.
The rump Oasis: Beady Eye
The album is a result of diplomatic and collaborative sessions between the members of Beady Eye, who’ve each brought songs - or sketches - to the table to be worked on.
Gem Archer and Andy Bell, free from the restraints of Noel, have flourished on ‘DG,SS’ - Archer especially is credited for commandeering studio time and is thus mainly responsible for the group’s sonic direction. Liam, meanwhile, sounds like an uncaged beast; he sounds recharged, excited and grateful for this new lease of life; “I just wanna rock and roll”, he sings in ‘Beatles And Stones’, and you believe him.
‘Four Letter Word’ declares Beady Eye’s intent: they are loud, insistent, balls-to-the-wall, and unremitting in their attack. It’s an exhilarating statement: “nothing ever lasts forever”, Liam sneers, kicking his past firmly behind him. It continues through the aforementioned heart-on-sleeve ‘Beatles And Stones’, first single ‘Bring The Light’, and the brazen thrust of ‘Standing On The Edge Of The Noise’. So it’s when they take their feet off the accelerator that things get a bit less thrilling.
‘Wind Up Dream’ is rather aimless, and while ‘Kill For A Dream’ is pretty, its “na na na na na” ending is somewhat trite. ‘
The Beat Goes On’ bucks the mid-tempo trend though - its immaculate melody and chorus is only let down by being about a minute too long.
The album’s accompanying press release urges for it to be judged as a debut from a new band - despite that familiar voice and distinct retro overtones, there is a freshness here that’s to be admired, but it lacks a spark of modern relevance or lyrical dynamism. Beady Eye are at the beginning of their own musical adventure - ‘DG,SS’, though hardly full of surprises, is a compelling way to start.
'Different Gear, Still Speeding' Tracklisting:
Four Letter Word
Millionaire
The Roller
Beatles And Stones
Wind Up Dream
Bring The Light
For Anyone
Kill For A Dream
Standing On The Edge Of The Noise
Wigwam
Three Ring Circus
The Beat Goes On
The Morning Son
7/10
clashmusic.com
