Masterplan, The - Oasis

If it were any other band, a compilation album comprising of a bunch of lesser-known tracks originally bolted onto the back of early single releases would be nothing to get particularly excited about. But, of course, Oasis aren't just any band. They're the best band in the world.
Noel Gallagher has always maintained that a B-side is no excuse for an inferior song, it's not a place to shove the fillers when you can't be bothered to write a ...
...the fans and the industry is as much about the B-sides as it is the A-side, and with good reason. Oasis don't believe in remixes, 'radio edits' or 'dance' versions of existing songs. I've bought all of the CD singles over the years, at the time this album was released that numbered 12 altogether and, barring the occasional cover version or the odd live recording, every one of those 12 discs had four different, original songs on it. And I'll tell ... more

If it were any other band, a compilation album comprising of a bunch of lesser-known tracks originally bolted onto the back of early single releases would be nothing to get particularly excited about. But, of course, Oasis aren't just any band. They're the best band in the world.
Noel Gallagher has always maintained that a B-side is no excuse for an inferior song, it's not a place to shove the fillers when you can't be bothered to write a decent track. Whenever Oasis release a single the discussion among the fans and the industry is as much about the B-sides as it is the A-side, and with good reason. Oasis don't believe in remixes, 'radio edits' or 'dance' versions of existing songs. I've bought all of the CD singles over the years, at the time this album was released that numbered 12 altogether and, barring the occasional cover version or the odd live recording, every one of those 12 discs had four different, original songs on it. And I'll tell you something, the vast majority of them are very high quality tunes that are equally as good (some are better!) than anything you'll find on the 5 official albums.
Of those 30+ B-sides , 14 of the best have been compiled together here for the benefit of those who like the band and want to hear more of them but who can't be arsed (or can't afford) to root out all of the CD singles, some of which are relatively hard to find nowadays.

First up is Acquiesce, and what a way to kick things off. This isn't just the best song on the album, it's not just the best song that Oasis have ever done, it's the best song anyone has ever done in the history of the world. Ever. I mean it, this is my all-time favourite record. It's an awesome, pumping powerhouse of a tune so single-mindedly brilliant, everyone in the world should listen to it at least once a day. Some songs can be described as 'growers' but Acquiesce is nothing of the sort, it's instant, it's unforgettable and it will have you pounding the air drums on your very first hearing. That they released this as a B-side - the third track on the Some Might Say CD single - almost beggars belief. It's mean, aggressive and exciting and yet at the same time, joyous, uplifting and triumphant.. It's a fast-paced, hard-edged rocker with the lyrics of a love song. It's just utterly glorious.
Absolutely, unquestionably 10 out of 10.

Track 2 is Underneath The Sky, taken from Don't Look Back in Anger. Now this has never been one of my favourites, I don't tend to listen to it very often but after giving it an airing for the purpose of this review I found it very difficult to find fault. It's a nice, simple little pop song with thoughtful lyrics and a gentle but upbeat rhythm. Not a classic, far from it, but I still found myself singing cheerfully along (and could remember the words) even though I hadn't heard it in a long while.
6 out of 10, maybe 7 on a good day.

Talk Tonight is one of those Noel-sung acoustic pretties from the same mould as Sad Song and Take Me Away. Like its stable-mates, Talk Tonight is a gently affecting ballad that can be a startling revelation to those who are only familiar with the heavy-rock chart stuff. Its simplicity is the key, all you have is Noel's vocals over an acoustic guitar but it still carries with it considerable power without being overly sentimental. Like Acquiesce, this is also taken from the Some Might Say EP.
8/10

Noel takes the mic' again for Going Nowhere, another ballad but with full production and the rest of the band backing him up, along with a quartet of violins and some pleasant sounding French horns too. I'm very fond of this track, it's a very nicely composed song with a particularly catchy chorus.

"Here am I, going nowhere on a train
Here am I, growing older in the rain…"

Coming as it does from 1997's Stand By Me EP, this is the most recent song on the album and it shows. It's one of Noel's more polished arrangements and it's performed without the raw, rough-around-the-edges sound that was a trademark of Oasis' early albums. It may be a 'grower', but it's a strong one and gets a 9 out of 10 from me.

Fade Away on the other hand is one of the very early songs and was first released on Cigarettes & Alcohol way back in '94. They used to play this one a lot at the live gigs but had to take it off the playlist because it tended to cause riots among the audience! It's an angry slice of punk-rock mayhem in the best Sex Pistols tradition and I like it very much. Liam's voice is not as developed here as it is on later tracks, he doesn't have that distinctive snarl that he does today, but Fade Away is still a great song and deserves a 7 or an 8 out of 10, depending on your mood.

If there's a weak link on this album it's this one, The Swamp Song. It's a sludgy instrumental that was first heard briefly on (What's The Story) Morning Glory in those two short, untitled tracks and was later given the full 3-minute treatment for the single release of Wonderwall. The band often use this track as a kind of warm-up session when they do a concert and it sounds fab when played live but this version is just too long, is over-produced and ultimately ends up being a bit of a noisy racket. Why it's been included here is something of a mystery, Oasis have a wealth of superior songs to choose from that would have been a much more logical addition to this album. There was even a far better song on the very same CD single (Round Are Way - one of my favourites) which would have made much more sense to include.
4/10 for The Swamp Song.

Over the years Oasis have done a number of cover versions, some are good (Street Fighting Man, My Generation), some are not so good (Helter Skelter, Heroes) but the first one was a Beatles track that Oasis have since made entirely their own - I Am The Walrus. Back in the early days this was always played as the finale to the live gigs, sometimes for a full 10 minutes. This version, which first appeared on Cigarettes & Alcohol lasts for around 7 minutes and was recorded live at the Glasgow Cathouse. It's a good song, I used to listen to it loads but it's been somewhat overshadowed in recent years by other Oasis anthems. 7/10.

The third and final track to come from Cigarettes & Alcohol is Listen Up and this, my friends, is a belter. It's a grungy, slightly rough rock and roller that in many ways reminds me of Supersonic, one of the highlights from Definitely Maybe. Listen Up though is longer, lazier and with its melancholy chorus, a great song to listen to when you've been dumped (quite frequently in my case!)

"Sailing down the river alone
I've been trying to find my way back home
But I don't believe in magic
Life is automatic
But I… don't mind… being on my own."

A solid 9/10 for this one.

Track 9, Rockin' Chair, is a very popular song among the critics and the fans, many have even listed it as one of their finest achievements but it doesn't really float my boat this one. The lyrics are quite thoughtful I suppose and it can be quite charming if you're in the mood but for my taste it's just a bit light, a bit jingle-jangle and a bit whiny. Only a 5/10 from this reviewer but then again, what do I know? You might think it's the best song they've ever done.

Next up we have two songs from the 'Whatever' CD single, which itself was something of an oddity because the A-side didn't appear on any of the albums, let alone the B-sides. You'll have heard the first one already, it's the theme tune to TV's The Royle Family and is an absolute gem. It's another one of Noel's acoustic solos and for my money is the best of the bunch. 9/10

It's Good To Be Free is another great track, even though it does sound very similar to Whatever, the song it was released alongside. Just like Whatever and Listen Up this a great song for the recently dumped. It has a fairly beefy sound to it but the pace is steady, relaxed, you could even say lazy and there's some lovely meandering guitar work over the final few bars. 8/10

Stay Young was the subject of yet another one of those 'should-have-been-the-A-side' arguments that always seems to follow the release of a single. This was track 2 on the D'you Know What I Mean? CD, the first single from Be Here Now. Personally I don't think it's that good, D'you Know What I Mean is a monster of a tune and Stay Young isn't quite as epic but still, it's a perfectly streamlined and catchy pop song that is livelier and more entertaining than many of the other tracks from Be Here Now. A solid 9/10.

Ahh now then, Headshrinker. What a tune! If, like I said earlier, Acquiesce is mean, fast paced and aggressive then Headshrinker is positively ballistic! Honestly, this track is nuts, listening to it is exhilarating and exhausting, the closest thing Oasis have ever come to full-on heavy metal. Structurally and performance wise this is very similar to Bring It On Down but, if it's possible, Headshrinker is even harder, faster and more exciting. The guitar playing is explosive, the drumming is ferocious and Liam gives his filthiest, most snarling vocals to date. Like Fade Away this song is seldom performed live because it nearly always sends the crowd dangerously loopy but this can be classed as one of Oasis' true long lost gems.
It's worth noting too that this was the fourth track on the Some Might Say CD, which by my reckoning means that all three of the B-sides on this single are better than the already strong A-side. Their first number 1, in fact. How many bands can you say that about? Hmm? Fantastic. 10/10.

Finally we have The Master Plan. Remember earlier when I said Acquiesce was my favourite record of all time? Well I lied, because this one is. Actually, I can't decide which of the two I like best but either way, this is undoubtedly one of Noel's finest compositions so far. It's a sweeping, orchestral ballad with beautiful melodies and thought-provoking lyrics and has what sounds like the entire London Philharmonic playing back-up to the stirring guitars and elegant percussion. This too came off the Wonderwall CD and like so many others had many people wondering why on earth it wasn't included on (What's The Story?) Morning Glory. After the boisterous rock n roll antics of Definitely Maybe, this was one of the first tracks that really silenced the critics and made the nay-sayers take note. I personally can give you the names of several people I know, formerly sceptical of the Oasis phenomenon, who have been instantly converted to fully-fledged fans on the strength of this one song alone. It is just gorgeous. Once again, an undeniable 10 out of 10.

So there you have it. One album, 70 minutes, 14 tracks (only one of which could conceivably be described as 'weak'), and one of the biggest kept secrets in British music. Not only does it come with at least 8 or 9 really great tracks and 3 or 4 more solid ones, it's bookended by two of the very finest songs of the 1990's, two songs that are likely to appeal to almost everyone, no matter what kind of music you're into.
If you've only heard the studio albums… you know, the songs that get played on the radio all the time, then you've only heard half the story. The Masterplan provides a great way of getting you up to speed on the other half, the more interesting half. And I don't just mean for the casual Oasis fan (the real fanatics will, of course, have bought all the singles anyway) but for anyone who appreciates good pop/rock/indie music and especially for those of us who are sitting out the (seemingly endless) wait for Oasis 6th album (due out in May, further delays notwithstanding).

Very highly recommended, 9/10 overall.  

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