Definitely Maybe - Oasis

From the impatient and exciting first few chords of "Rock n Roll Star" to the almost irreverant "Married with Children" this is a real rollercoaster (or dare i say helter skelter) ride of an album. It seems to scream of belief that they knew that this would define a generation, and define it, it certainly did.
Easily the best Oasis album to have been released to date and understanably so as this was the produce of years ...
...out his teenage years in the not-so respectable areas of Manchester.

Personally this album changed my entire outlook on music, in an era just after the death of grunge where one hit wonders and monotonous dance tracks topped the charts this album was released and blew everything else away!!
It is so hard for me to pick my favourite tracks on this album as they all conjour up such emotions in me it's hard to explain.
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From the impatient and exciting first few chords of "Rock n Roll Star" to the almost irreverant "Married with Children" this is a real rollercoaster (or dare i say helter skelter) ride of an album. It seems to scream of belief that they knew that this would define a generation, and define it, it certainly did.
Easily the best Oasis album to have been released to date and understanably so as this was the produce of years of writing by main song-writer Noel Gallacher whilst he lived out his teenage years in the not-so respectable areas of Manchester.

Personally this album changed my entire outlook on music, in an era just after the death of grunge where one hit wonders and monotonous dance tracks topped the charts this album was released and blew everything else away!!
It is so hard for me to pick my favourite tracks on this album as they all conjour up such emotions in me it's hard to explain.
One song however, does shine through... "Live Forever" which contains one of the most melodic and perfect solos you're ever likely to hear, is a truly beautiful song. To me, it seems to be a song of hope and belief... lines such as " Maybe I just want to fly
I want to live I don't want to die" inspire and uplift me everytime i listen to it.
Another classic is the first single ever released by the band; "Cigarettes & Alcohol". This is a real energetic song which never fails to get me up and dancing around like an idiot! The starting riff is very similar to the rif from "Get it on" by T-Rex and this sets it up for a fantastically agressive and blindingly arrogant rant about those who just sit around waiting for a something to come along... as the song says "You've gotta make it happen!"
My other highlights include the super uplifting "Up in the sky" and the mellow love song "Slide Away"

Now for a blow by blow account of each song:

Track 1 - Rock 'n' Roll Star
This song starts with a simple guitar riff then kicks in with a great drum roll, quite a pacey track too. Liam (Gallacher)'s voice sounds fresh and exciting, with just a little hint of arrogance which would shine through in later albums. Some great harmonies can be heard with his brother taking backing vocals during the chorus. Listen out for the line "I live my days in the sunshine" as this is where the Liam Gallacher style of extending out certain words was born... i.e.: "Sunsheeeeeine".
The ending is very interesting too as it breaks into a completely different time signature almost like a rock n roll waltz, which really gets your interested about what is to come next.

Track 2 - Shakermaker
I believe this would later feature as the B-Side to the Live forever single. It starts with a very chorusy and reverb filled riff backed by a small fill on a slide guitar once again kicking in with a strong drum beat. Liams voice is fed through some sort of reverb setting to which gives it a totally different vibe to the rest of the album. It has a swagger to it, and is in a sense full of nonsense lyrics... but somehow it works and helps to carry on the listeners interest in this album. The high point for me personally is about 2min 30secs in when you get a bridge part which completely changes the pace.

Track 3 - Live Forever
Starts with a great drum beat on the low tom and ride cymbal then the vocals, piano and guitar start after a couple of bars finally the bass and drums start properly at the first rendition of the chorus. The lyrics are really meaningful and expressive and the bittersweet harmony of Noels voice at the end of the chorus' make it work so well. Then ever so quickly you arrive at what has to be one of the easiest but most perfect solos i've ever come across... simply sublime. A great song and you can't help but air guitar to the solo!!

Track 4 - Up in the Sky
Another great riff to start this song and then the lyrics kick in: "Hey you up in the sky learning to fly, tell me how high do you think you'd go before you start falling?" with a ridiculously high but on the falling line... but it works so well!
A great song with even better lyrics!! Look out for the brilliant bridge too.

Track 5 - Columbia
A definate nod to the baggy era of the stone roses et al. Loads of feedback and loads of energy start this one off, great chugging drum beat and fill from noel helps to carry this one along. Not the best song on the album, but that isn't too bad considering the majority of tracks are superb.

Track 6 - Supersonic
This track was released as a single but never got to number one, infact none of the tracks off this album did... even though many of them deserved too. The trouble being not enough people knew about them. This song has an iconic riff to start it off, basically a picked through B chord but with a lot of distortion on and with a simple but effective drum beat then comes a distinctly more arrogant sounding voice from Liam. A song for a generation X who tell it like it is!
As a point of interest the guitar fill coming out of the back of the chorus sounds suspiciously like the riff from my sweet lord - a George Harrison song.

Track 7 - Bring it on Down
Not a track that is particularly well recognisable compared to other tracks off the album... but never the less, still a great one!
Pretty cool lyrics like: "I'll be scraping your life from the sole of my shoe tonight" make this an agressive and worthy album track... more of a fans favourite than an all out classic.

Track 8 - Cigarettes & Alcohol
As i mentioned before, the first single to be released and a truly energetic one... loads of a distortion, a real wall of sound. A song about breaking free of lifes chains and making a real difference. This song slipped through the censors hands as it references drug taking in the line "You might as well do the white line" but was still allowed major air play and the video did quite well too as it showed the real characters of Oasis.
Also another great Liam-ism about half way through with the line: "It's a crazy situatiiiiiiiiiion" he he he

Track 9 - Digsy's Dinner
Going off on a side note here, but i personally met Digsy after a La's gig in Manchester just this month and he was a thoroughly nice guy!... and of course the inspiration behind this almost childish song. A simple pop melody with some easy flowing lyrics but with a great chorus... "these could be the best days of our lives, but i don't think we'd be living very wise."
Features a great piano solo too, i think it was played by the rythmn guitarist Bonehead... who has since left the band.

Track 10 - Slide Away
I look at this as one of Oasis' better love songs as it is very passionate but doesn't lack the energy and power as some of their later love songs do. Great harmonies again between both brothers before the chorus. A really beautiful song often overlooked by listeners because of its meloncholly start. But trust me... keep listening it's a really pretty song to get lost in.

Track 11 - Married with Children
For a very long time i thought this song was not the best way to end this album but now i couldn't imagine it any other way. It's a really simple low-fi recording that sounds so fragile and unassuming. The guitar is really great on this track, lots of acoustic fills and simple rythmn guitaring, no bass or drums at all. When this song draws to an end you come to the finnish of what is likely to have been a great experience, i know it was for me, and it is apt that the last lyrics to be heard on the album are: "Goodbye i'm going home".

In closing, If you want to experience what it is to be young, proud and hopeful... or if you just want an album packed full of brilliant brit pop classics then buy this album, I guarentee you won't be dissapointed.  

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