Definitely Maybe - Oasis > Reviews > Definitely Good,Maybe Not The Best

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Good
Value for Money

Advantages:	Some Great tracks, Grows on you .
Disadvantages:	Some naff tracks .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

In the summer of 1995, the Northern town of Huddersfield was set alight by the fact a band was playing the McAlpine stadium not just any old band but REM! Yup REM was gonna slum it and play Huddersfield! How the stadium owners pulled that one off I’m not to sure! Tickets sold out within days being one of the lucky one’s I got a ticket and noticed that some band by the name of Oasis was supporting them - Oasis who? Was my thoughts! I was mightily miffed when a second date was announced and the Beautiful South were the support act! As it happened Oasis got famous and pulled out of being REM’s support act and I got to see Beautiful South!

I digress some what! Being the kind of person who likes to hear something by a band prior to seeing them I jumped out of my 80’s time warp and enlisted the help of a friends 14 year old niece who in between swooning about some rather ugly looking geezer by the name of Liam, informed me that Oasis were the bees knees, not taking her word for it I listened to a tape she did me of “Definitely Maybe” and wasn’t impressed. It took nearly 8 years for Oasis to grow on me. A catch little ditty of theirs by the name of “Wonder Wall” made me buy their second album “What’s the Story…. Morning Glory” when I spotted it in the bargain bin in Sainsbury’s. When it was suggested that their first album “Definitely Maybe” was far superior, it was to Ebay I went and picked it up for a couple of quid.

Given the fact that first time around this album left me feeling audio assaulted I waited a few days before actually playing the CD. First impressions weren’t good, it lacked the sophistication, the ease that “What’s the Story” has. Like many first albums “Definitely Maybe“, is a raw album, that’s not to say it’s not good, it is but in a differing way to subsequent releases. The album is easily recognisable as being Oasis, it has a certain endearing brashness to it and a sound that grows on you. But lacks a certain something for me when compared with other Oasis album‘s. “What’s the Story” was a showcase which allowed Oasis to be their usual brash arrogant selves but also to develop a more mellow sound with tracks like “ Cast No Shadow” and “Champagne Supernova” for me this is what’s missing on “Definitely Maybe”. The album has many superb tracks but I suppose what I wanted was a rawer version of “Wonder Wall” tucked in amongst the brashness in a way “Slide Away“ does fill that void but only just. I wanted a track that just makes me sing along at the top of my voice whilst in the fast lane! To some extent “Live Forever” could for me be classed as one of the sing along anthems.

Opening with the instantly recognisable “Rock n Roll Star“, it’s brash and it’s sticking two fingers up at the people who thought the Gallagher brothers would never make it. “Rock n Roll Star” with it’s guitar riffs and Liam Gallagher sounding at his best is perhaps the bands statement track, it’s full of energy and it’s basically telling the world WE’RE HERE AND WE ARE STAYING! It’s not a track to bung on at 6am in the morning unless you want to be dragged kicking and screaming into the morning! “Rock n Roll Star” grows on you, I’ll admit for the first few plays of the album I hit the skip button. Now I’m humming along to it!

The album steps down a pace with the next track, the opening sound to “Shakermaker” sounds for a brief few seconds like a 60’s/70’s psychedelic track, that could have easily fitted into a Beatles album of the time, then it returns to a slightly less brash Oasis signature tune. Lyrically it’s not a strong song and lacks a certain something to get you singing along a best it could be thought as an album filler.

With the next track “Live Forever” you forgive Oasis for the lack lustre “Shakermaker” “Live Forever“, could be summed up in one word - superb! If there is one track on the album you should buy it for then “Live Forever” certainly in my mind gets this accolade From the opening beats to the slightly abrupt ending this track grabs you and makes you just want to sing along. I can imagine live it would have all the crowd singing along to it.

The Gallagher’s have never denied the influences that the Beatles have on them and with “ Up in the Sky” you catch glimpses of this not in the backing track but in the vocal style, vocally it sounds like you’ve heard it some place else but not too sure exactly where! “Up in the Sky” is another one of those tracks that grows on you, with it’s superb guitar intro that for a few seconds has you wondering exactly are you going to be listening to, add some drum beats and you have one rather good sound. Lyrically this song could be thought of another of those tracks Noel wrote whilst under the influence of non prescription medication! Not a bad track but definitely not the best on the album.

Columbia with it’s psychedelic opener, that has you straining at first to hear it builds up into one of those tracks that is definitely Oasis and no mistaking it. Given it’s title and lyrics you wouldn’t be wrong in surmising that this was another track Mr Gallagher senior wrote whilst partaking in a few recreational drugs. I’ll hold my hand up and say that Columbia was the first track on the album I actually liked on first hearing. From the opener to the closing bars this is one hellva good track.

Supersonic was another of those tracks that grew on me, with it’s brash and some what arrogant vocal sound Supersonic perhaps sums up Oasis best way back in 1993 when this album was first released, it’s another of those statement songs that basically entwines lyrics with a twist, with a nasal vocal sound and guitar playing to die for - not a track you’ll find many early morning DJ’s playing!

Raw would be the best way to sum up “Bring it on down” from the opening bars, to the vocal sound this track is pure untampered with music. Unfortunately it’s one of the few tracks on the album that has never grown on me, leaving me as it first did back in ‘95 feeling audio assaulted. Others have given it the acclaim it probably does deserve but for me it does nothing and I’ll hold my hand up and say often as not I hit the skip button when this comes on!

Oasis do glam rock with the next track, “Cigarettes and Alcohol” has that certain 70’s glam rock feel to it mixed up with a bit of 90’s attitude thrown in for good measure. Not only musically with an opener that would at first have you thinking you were about to listen to some lesser known 70’s Glam rock band but with Liam elongating certain words this track leaves you feeling as if you’ve step into a time warp. I can’t help but smile at the thought of The Gallagher’s prancing about on stage in some fetching gold costume. As you’ve probably gathered I’m not particularly keen on this track but it does raise a good snigger out of me!

You can’t help but like “Digsy’s Dinner“, it’s one of those catchy songs that you can’t help but sing along to when you hear it. With a jangly sound it ambles along quite nicely and it’s perhaps one of those tracks that is over looked being near to the end of the album. Sat beside the rather awesome “Slide Away” you can imagine some people hit the skip button in order to hear “Slide Away”, all I can suggest is you refrain from this as you really are missing out on one of those catchy little ditties so often tucked away on an album.

As you might have gathered I like “Slide Away” in an album that at times is at least brash and at worse down right arrogant sounding "Slide Away" changes all of this. Sound wise it’s not some soft fluffy love song -heaven forbid but it is a love song. Liam vocally on this actually sounds concerned not something you’d normally associate with him as he laments about a love affair. With lyrics that actually have you thinking this really is perhaps the best track on the whole album, I’m sure others will disagree.

The album closes with “Married With Children” is perfect to finish this album with it’s mellow acoustic sound. On first listening you do wonder if perhaps they meant to add more to it but never got round to it. The very first opening bars at first did make me wonder if I was about to hear a Nirvana track from their Unplugged CD. Lyrically it’s very clever as Noel Gallagher plays with the topic of being in a long term relationship and some of the sentiments do ring true. He points out with a sardonic vocal sound that you might get on my nerves and irritate the crap out of me but I’ll always come home to you. Perhaps not the perfect marriage guidance thoughts but it sums up some long term relationships perfectly!

At the time of it’s release many reviewers saw Definitely Maybe as a statement, pointing out to the world Oasis were a band to be reckoned with and weren’t going to go off into the sunset on the backs of the royalty to live in obscurity. Definitely Maybe is an excellent debut album with only a couple of weak tracks in my mind, whether it would have stood the course of time if they had not followed it up with perhaps their best album to date “What’s the Story…” a year later is open to debate. Buy it for “Live Forever”, “Slide Away” and “Rock n Roll Star” if for no other reason!