Oasis can only be themselves, which is a good thing all-round

As if you didn’t know, ‘Heathen Chemistry’ is Oasis’ new album. It is Oasis’ fifth studio album. And that’s the best you can say about it; it is also the worst you can say about it because the question is not whether this is a good or a bad record, it simply is – the Gallagher bro’s album. This is the sound of familiar Oasis and Noel Gallagher knows it: “We do Oasis music, and that’s it.”

To the fans delight and some disappointment in the corner of those who like little of an adventure in music. But then, what else could Oasis do? Start producing some kind of U2 post-modernist albums, go truly experimental or do garage-rock? No, that would be fake, totally dishonest while Oasis have always been frank with us.

Having agreed, them and us, that is the best for Oasis to be Oasis, the question surfaces – how many Oasis albums do we need? Noel was first off the mark, in the earliest days, by predicting they would make three albums and split; Liam’s recent estimation is that the next album, expecting it to be their best, will be their last… Many would argue that the band has already done its best work but expect no quick split, anyhow.

‘The Hindu Times’ has entertained us to the top of the charts, ‘Little By
Little’ is one of those epic songs they know to write so well, there is Liam’s sentimental side on ‘Songbird’ and Noel’s on ‘She Is Love’… The whole spectrum still echoes with the ghost of the Liverpool’s favourite sons: ‘(Probably) In My Mind’ sounds pretty much like John Lennon’s ‘Rain’, intro to ‘Stop Crying Your Heart Out’ is a tribute to ‘Imagine’, on ‘’Born On A Different Cloud’ and ‘Better Man’ Liam’s vocal is replica of his hero’s rather than his own and distinctive delivery.

One thing has never been clear and it is – how come Oasis weren’t, being of the street-fighting variety and suss, inspired by The Rolling Stones, the ultimate rock rebels of the 1960s, but The Beatles? Did Oasis, subconsciously, aspire to bridge the class divide from the get-go? But they know the ‘Shoulders On Giants’ they stand on, otherwise there wouldn’t be a Rolls-in-the-pool (The Who’s drummer Keith Moon did it for real, baby) depicted on the ‘Be Here Now’ cover or their ‘mod-ish’ hairstyles (after The Small Faces via early Paul Weller) or tribute-sounds to the great Brit-rocking days of decades ago…

Oasis are comfortable and happy to be themselves. You can be too… Happy, dunno about Oasis-like comfortable. Unless you play a guitar or Lotto…

7.5/10