Definitely Maybe - Oasis

When I first joined Ciao/Dooyoo I promised myself that I would avoid doing ops on albums by bands that I love until I honestly felt I could do them even a slight justice. One of those bands, Nirvana, still wont be even touched upon yet. The other well here I am writing about Oasis and their debut album “Definitely Maybe”. This is probably my joint favourite album by the band and if it hadn’t been for the follow up album being in my opinion slightly ...
.../> So you tell me you haven’t heard of Oasis, well in all honesty I’d probably turn round and be 95% certain that if I called you a liar I wouldn’t be wrong. However for that 5% that may not have heard of Noel, Liam et all they are from Manchester where during the mid 90’s they emerged to become one of the biggest bands of recent times. Having grown up on the council estates of Manchester Noel had taught himself to play guitar and mixed with an ... more

When I first joined Ciao/Dooyoo I promised myself that I would avoid doing ops on albums by bands that I love until I honestly felt I could do them even a slight justice. One of those bands, Nirvana, still wont be even touched upon yet. The other well here I am writing about Oasis and their debut album “Definitely Maybe”. This is probably my joint favourite album by the band and if it hadn’t been for the follow up album being in my opinion slightly better this would be considered my favourite album.

So you tell me you haven’t heard of Oasis, well in all honesty I’d probably turn round and be 95% certain that if I called you a liar I wouldn’t be wrong. However for that 5% that may not have heard of Noel, Liam et all they are from Manchester where during the mid 90’s they emerged to become one of the biggest bands of recent times. Having grown up on the council estates of Manchester Noel had taught himself to play guitar and mixed with an extraordinary talent for writing lyrics he got his brother and a few mates together and formed a band.

This album was Oasis at their finest though and the opening track really summed up the way the band sounded at the time. “Rock And Roll Star” is probably one of the tracks that actually got me into Oasis in the first place. From the first bars of the guitar intro you can tell it’s going to be a brilliant track. After only a matter of seconds the drums come in to provide the backing beat really keeping the pace going. The first taste of Liam’s lyrics really sums up the sound of this album. The lyrics as well are rather apt and at the time they weren’t expecting the success they got it. Really with a simple mixture of drums and guitars it may not be technically superb but the result is fantastic and a track that I always enjoy hearing.

“I live my life for the stars that shine
People say it's just a waste of time
When they said I should feed my head
That to me was just a day in bed”

Next up comes “Shakermaker” a quality track that really calms the album down after the opener. It opens slowly with the guitars and a small quiet drum beat in the background before it really starts to get going. The drums get a bit louder and the guitars take a bit of a back seat only really using a couple of notes after the introduction of Liam’s vocals. Although he’s not an amazing singer Liam does a great job on this album and although I do generally prefer the tracks Noel sings I think Liam’s distinct style really makes Oasis. When the vocals stop and the guitars really get there chance to shine. Although maybe not lyrically the best track on the album and quite possibly the weakest it is still good.

One of my favourite tracks on the album has to be “Live Forever”. Again it opens with a drumbeat but this time its much louder and more prominent. The guitar this time is there but quiet and as the vocals come in the drum carries on this simple beat to the chorus where the bass joins in and everything really starts to sound fantastic. Again technically it’s not the most technical track you will ever hear but the way Noel has written the tracks and the way they are put together makes them sound fantastic. Again there is a chance or an instrumental section where the guitars again sound amazing and really make a difference on the song. Lyrically the track is superb and a real testament to Noel’s writing ability.

The pace really picks back up again with “Up In The Sky”. This is another of those tracks that really make this album what it is both lyrically and musically. The guitars open it up straight away, no long winding up intro but instead in with the main songs tune straight away. The drums join in shortly after adding a good beat to the track before the vocals come in. Again musically it is rather simple but the way the drums and guitars really compliment each other make the tracks easy to listen to and enjoy. The lyrics are a little mad but I’m sure it’s almost a certainty that Noel was on some sort of Drug at the time of writing.

An odd start for the beginning of “Columbia”. A distorted guitar mixed with a solid but simple drum beat while the guitars really start to build up along with a slight variation to the drums. When the vocals come in its quite possibly one of the best tracks with Liam’s vocals on it. The lyrics again are superb and there’s time when you can actually feel them getting inside your head and making you think about what exactly it is that Noel has written about here. The drums stay the same pretty much all the way through the track, varying slightly but staying simple while complimenting the guitars perfectly. Overall it’s a superb track that’s easy to listen to and very enjoyable.

“What I heard is not what I hear
I can see the signs but they're not very clear”

Another favourite of mine is “Supersonic”, but to be honest apart from “Shakermaker” I do like every track on the album. From the opening bars of the track you can tell its going to be a good one. A solid drum start that carries on throughout the track. The introduction of the guitars and vocals really mould themselves around this beat, which quickly becomes the real backbone of the track. Liam’s voice sounds great on this track and the lyrics fit nicely into not just the sound of the track but also the style of vocals that Liam more commonly adopts. Some brilliant lines used during the track and the overall outcome is a track that’s a joy to listen to.

Another quicker track on the album is “Bring It On Down”. It starts again with a distortion of the guitars before the drums really kick in and then the Bass and guitars really start to make the song come alive. However it’s when Liam comes in with the vocals that the song really starts to sound like something brilliant. Although again not technically the best track there is a rawness to this album that really makes it appeal, no over production just pure music, which is ultimately something bands lose over time. The speed of the track carries on all the way through without much variation in the musical aspect at all but it’s this simplicity that makes it stand out.

Another classic Oasis track has to be “Cigarettes and Alcohol”. It’s instantly recognizable from the opening bars of the track before you even get to the lyrics. The drums count it in before the guitar takes over and then finally the drums join back in to really get it under way. When I was talking about the rawer sound to the tracks this one is a perfect example. There’s no smooth touched up recording and what you get is the sound of the track as it would be played. The lyrics again are fantastic and Liam’s vocals as I’ve said once before really aren’t amazing but they really suit the type of tracks the band produce.

Although I am a fan of the album on the whole there is one track above all the others that has always stood out for me. I think it’s more to do with the easy going appeal of “Digsy’s Dinner” more than anything else but its another of those tracks I could listen to over and over again. An easy going guitar intro kicks us off on this one, pretty fast paced whilst accompanied perfectly by the drums before the vocals finally come in. Liam’s vocals do actually sound superb on this track complimenting the lyrics well and in turn the drums and guitars really sound fantastic.

“I'll pick you up at half past three
We'll have lasagne
I'll treat you like a Queen
I'll give you strawberries and cream”

With only 2 tracks to go we come to the sublime “Slide Away”, one of those songs that when your having a rough day is ideal listening. The slow introduction lead on the whole by the guitars picks up a little when the drums come in to provide it with a good backing. Then the vocals come in once the rhythm is established and the relationship between the music and the vocals is almost seamless. Liam brings the vocals to life in what can only be described as one of the most thought provoking tracks Oasis have done. By that I don’t mean about the lyrics but about things in general. This really is Oasis at their finest although thankfully they kept hold of the magic from this album to make the second.

The final track on the album “Married With Children” is a good way to finish up. The slow acoustic start really mellows out the album and finishes it on a lower but very relaxed note. Liam’s vocals accompanying the guitar sounds great and its ideal to play when you just want to relax and generally chill out. The lyrics are fairly simple but with Liam semi singing/talking it really does work very well. Although probably not to everyone’s taste but I just really like chill out tracks like this. The only problem with the track is that after it the album does end and really you just want to hear some more.

Although Oasis are one of those bands that people love or hate this is a superb album and as I mentioned I certainly feel it only misses out on being their best due to the sheer quality of “What’s The Story….”. A lot of people don’t bother with the band due to a dislike for the brothers Gallagher but I do feel that even if you don’t like their behaviour that sees them on the front of the paper you will enjoy this album. If you don’t already have a copy you can pick one up from amazon.co.uk for just £6.66. 

...less