Just noticed the review formatting has returned, thank god for that
Just noticed the review formatting has returned, thank god for that
Member since:29.08.2002
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As the reputation of Oasis grew and the expectation increased, they did something that not many bands choose to do. They released an album of B-sides recorded during the process of making the first 3 albums. The result was viewed by many sections of the media as a way for the bad to make a bit of extra money and rip the fans off. That maybe but the end result was far from disappointing and it turned out to be an excellent idea. Of course a few of the tracks had been heard before, but it was a chance for people who don't normally buy singles.
There are a couple of tracks on here that were quite common place before the albums release. With The Royle Families theme tune, "Half The World Away" and the excellent "Acquiesce" and album title track "The Masterplan". The rest of the album was a bit of an unknown, but they were starting to develop a reputation for writing excellent B sides. I'd only ever bought one Oasis single,
as I don't ordinarily buy singles, but the B side on that had actually been better than the single. So I didn't mind taking a gamble on the boys from Manchester, knowing it wouldn't disappoint.
The album was recorded over the previous 6 years, with each track featured taken directly from the B side it was recorded for. Again it sounds like another way for Oasis to cash in on their success and to be honest that's what it was, but it was done in a very clever way. Each track has its own identity and it means the quality throughout this album sounds a little different depending on the original recording date. That doesn't take anything away from the feel of the album and in fact if anything it turns it into a showcase for the first 3 releases.
Of course the difference in recording dates means that The Masterplan pulls together all the best parts of all three albums to create one. This also means that there is a nice blend of up tempo tracks and more relaxed numbers. Throw in a cover of I am The Walrus live and you really get an idea of what this album is really all about. A few of the tracks could easily have made it onto one of the official album releases and with tracks like "Fade Away", I'm actually surprised it didn't.
From a musical point of view it is pure Oasis, there is no way you could mistake it for anything else. The production that has steadily improved from one album to the next is evident in just about every track. You can pretty much tell which album each B side was intended for. It is from a musical point of view an excellent album. Like most of Oasis's material the guitars play the major part in everything, backed nicely by a solid drumbeat and strong bass line. It is unmistakably an Oasis album and there is no way any of the tracks could be mistaken for anything else.
The vocals for the most part are pretty good. The live version of "I Am The Walrus" works well with Liam's style of vocals. It doesn't really sound like The Beatles version and I think that's what makes it so good. In fact Liam's vocals throughout the album are pretty good, improving again with the time period the B side would have been recorded. It's plain to see that his vocals have gradually been getting better the longer the band go on. The one thing this album again reinforces is my believe that Noel is the better singer out of the two.
From a personal point of view this album again shows just how talented Noel Gallagher really is. He is certainly one of the best song writers of recent times. Both lyrically and musically this is an excellent album and that's an emphasis Noel seems to portray in every B side as well as the A-sides. My favourite track on the album has to be "Stay Young", the B-side to "D'You Know What I Mean". It has a fast pace that really makes it feel quite lively. It's a joy to listen to over and over again and a track I've loved since 1997. The energy produced from the guitars and vocals make it a real feel good track.
Overall this is an excellent collection for Oasis fans. It is all the B sides in one place, something I'd much rather buy than all the singles that go with them. I'm not a fan of singles or more the price of them, so the chance to get the B sides was a must. It's a good example that Noel doesn't believe in just filing the singles with any old crap. This is more an album for the Oasis fans but if you did enjoy any of the first three albums then it's pretty much a certainty you'll like this.
Amazon: £7.99 Amazon Market Place: £5.19
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I have now entered the review for the June competition. Best of luck. Fionaxx
MilkyMalky 07.06.2005 07:53
Lol at you Cons comment "Not for anyone who doesnt like Oasis" lol! I haven't got this actually but it does sound very good. As always, excellent writing ability and very good anr rationale opinions. Milky :)
It's often the way of rock&roll--the accidental stuff you don't sweat over often turns out ... more
to be better than the supposedly generation-defining monolith you rupture your life to expel. So it was with Oasis and their third album,Be Here Now--soaked with...
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