Maturity always seemed an alien concept to Oasis. The brothers Gallagher may have worshiped music made before their birth but there was no respect to their love: they stormed the rock & roll kingdom with no regard for anyone outside themselves, a narcissism that made perfect sense when they were young punks, as youth wears rebellion well, but the group's trump card was how their snottiness was leveled by their foundation in classic pop. This delicate balance was thrown out of whack after the phenomenal success of 1995's (What's the Story) Morning Glory?, when the group sunk into a pit of excess that they couldn't completely escape for almost a full decade. When Oasis did begin to re-emerge on 2005's Don't Believe the Truth they sounded like journeymen, purveyors of no-frills rock & roll.
All this makes the wallop of 2008's Dig Out Your Soul all the more bracing. Colorful and dense where Don't Believe the Truth was straightforward, Dig Out Your Soul finds Oasis reconnecting to the churning psychedelic undercurrents in their music, sounds that derive equally from mid-period Beatles and early Verve. This is heavy, murky music, as dense, brutal, and loud as Oasis has ever been, building upon the swagger of Don't Believe and containing not a hint of the hazy drift of their late-'90s records: it's what Be Here Now would have sounded like without the blizzard of cocaine and electronica paranoia. Dig Out Your Soul doesn't have much arrogance, either, as Oasis' strut has mellowed into an off-hand confidence, just like how Noel Gallagher's hero worship has turned into a distinct signature of his own, as his Beatlesque songs sound like nobody else's, not even the Beatles. His only real rival at this thick, surging pop is his brother Liam, who has proven a sturdy, if not especially flashy songwriter with a knack for candied Lennonesque ballads like "I'm Outta Time." To appreciate what Liam does, turn to Gem Archer's "To Be Where There's Life" and Andy Bell's "The Nature of Reality," which are enjoyable enough Oasis-by-numbers, but Liam's numbers resonate, getting stronger with repeated plays, as the best Oasis songs always do.
But, as it always does, Oasis belongs to Noel Gallagher, who pens six of the 11 songs on Dig Out Your Soul, almost every one of them possessing the same sense of inevitability that marked his best early work. Best among these are the titanic stomp of "Waiting for the Rapture" and the quicksilver kaleidoscope of "The Shock of the Lightning," a pair of songs that rank among his best, but the grinding blues-psych of "Bag It Up" and gently cascading "The Turning" aren't far behind, either. These have the large, enveloping melodies so characteristic of this work and what impresses is that he can still make music that sounds not written, but unearthed. These six tunes are Noel's strongest since Morning Glory -- so strong it's hard not to wish he wrote the whole LP himself -- but what's striking about Dig Out Your Soul is how its relentless onslaught of sound proves as enduring as the tunes. This is the sound of a mature yet restless rock band: all the brawn comes from the guitars, all the snarl comes from Liam Gallagher's vocals, who no longer sounds like a young punk but an aged, battered brawler who wears his scars proudly, which is a sentiment that can apply to the band itself. They're now survivors, filling out the vintage threads they've always worn with muscle and unapologetic style.
Tomorrow (Dec 1st) sees the release of Oasis' latest single from current album, 'Dig Out Your Soul'. Considering it took Liam Gallagher 9 years to complete, one would hope that 'I'm Outta Time' is a track worth waiting for. Judging by the fact that many critics have labelled it the best tune to appear on [...]
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Do yourself a giant favor and save your money for your gas tank. Apparently the Gallagher brothers are suffering from amnesia because they have forgotten how to write memorable songs.
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Oasis have debut on the US Billboard chart at Number Five , making it their highest debut since 1997's 'Be Here Now '. The band's new album, 'Dig Out Your Soul ', has sold more than 53,000 copies and over 20,000 downloads leading to a Number Two debut on the Billboard Digital Sales chart.
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(FYI I posted something after this entry, but it's timestamped for before this one, so there are actually two new entries you should read. ~TJ) An Album A Day: Oasis, Dig Out Your Soul (2008) They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But when you're Oasis and you've made a career out of shameless mimicking of your idols' music, that imitation starts to look more like a severe lack...
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Hello there, Moggies!On this week's Home Taping, I review the latest effort from the Brothers Gallagher and their hired help with The Girlfriend The Missus.Be warned, however, that this review is even more unprofessional than the last one. It starts with a mealy-mouthed apology on behalf of the Irish nation for the recent attack on Noel by a mad Paddy, features more swearing and shouting than n...
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It has Sergeant Pepper-esque cover art, Marc Bolan-like swagger on opening cut "Bag It Up", and a flood of press and curiosity rolling with it all the way to the record shops. It can only be Oasis , then, back for another round of (working at) being the best band in the world. Yes, Dig Out Your Soul is in the shops today. The Gallagher boys are older, (somewhat) wiser, and definitely set...
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A review of Manchester big mouths' new album—for fans only. The rest of you can carry on listening to !!! or The Cool Kids.
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There are so many albums being released this week, I can't possibly do a full review for all of them. I've already reviewed Of Montreal's Skeletal Lamping , but here are a few others I've been listening to: Oasis - Dig Out Your Soul (* * * 1/2) I've le arned a f ew things from the new Oasis album. First, Oasis hasn't lost all of that fire that they ex plo d ed onto the scene with way ba...
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Pushing Noel off a stage in Toronto might bruise the erstwhile Oasis mouthpiece's ribs (maybe even his spirits) and causes the band to cancel a show or two, but nothing can stop the slow processions toward a new Oasis album. These things will arrive here/there for the rest of our lives, right? The big question: Do the songs sound at all like the teach NYC busker versions? The other question: Is...
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I don’t have a lot of time this morning to give it a proper overview, but I can honestly say this: if for many year it has seemed like Liam and Noel have been on about nothing when calling themselves “geniuses” or “brilliant”, their luck has turned (and thankfully, so has ours). Dig Out [...]
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Audio Only;..Oasis change directionNew Oasis songs channel The Stooges, The Doors, The Pretty Things and (surprisingly) John Lennon18 August 2008 - After slating his musical contemporaries last week (15 August), Noel Gallagher has been talking to 6 Music about the new direction his band have taken on their upcoming release Dig Out Your Soul. Describing some of the new tracks on the Music Week...
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As an old and long-term Oasis fan (that sounds like I have a disease of some sort, but I don't! ;P ), I have used many positive adjectives to characterize their music down the years. "Sexy" was never one of them. Their music just didn't work for me that way.TILL NOW.Push the fiery red button, and tell me I'm wrong. I dare you, I double dare you!I shudder in the mere thought of how this song wil...
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Audio Only;..Oasis change directionNew Oasis songs channel The Stooges, The Doors, The Pretty Things and (surprisingly) John Lennon18 August 2008 - After slating his musical contemporaries last week (15 August), Noel Gallagher has been talking to 6 Music about the new direction his band have taken on their upcoming release Dig Out Your Soul. Describing some of the new tracks on the Music Week...
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Noel Gallagher is still mending from being shoved into his monitor by a crazed 47-year old fan. (Do we still call him a fan?) His bruising to the rib and hip, and now what Gallagher is calling a tickle in his hands has postponed following gigs in London, Ontario and tonight's gig at New York's Terminal 5."Spent all day in bed suffering from my severe tickling at the hands of that drunken Canadi...
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Hello there, Moggies!On this week's Home Taping, I review the latest effort from the Brothers Gallagher and their hired help with The Girlfriend The Missus.Be warned, however, that this review is even more unprofessional than the last one. It starts with a mealy-mouthed apology on behalf of the Irish nation for the recent attack on Noel by a mad Paddy, features more swearing and shouting than n...
More >
Oasis have revealed details regarding their upcoming album Dig Out Your Soul. The 11 track album- the group's seventh studio album was recorded at Abbey Road Studios, reports the BBCIt'll be their first new material since last year's Lord Don't Slow Me Down, which appeared in a documentary about the group filmed on their last tour. Dig Out Your Soul's Cover-Art As previously reported, the firs...
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Noel Gallagher inspired by Barack Obama to become Britain's Prime MinisterOasis Noel GallagherOasis leader would tackle credit crunch and London Underground if he replaced Gordon BrownNoel Gallagher believes he could eventually become Britain's Prime Minister, when there is a "groundswell of public opinion" in favour of the move. The Oasis leader told Absolute Radio that his time at 10 Downing...
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I don't see that anyone has posted a Red Button stream of the new track, so here you go.
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This one hasn't been posted yet and I think it deserves a listen. I like the guitar in this one- and the tune is kind of trippie.
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Love to hate them? I still like 'em. Here's the opening song off the new album out today! The tour with Ryan Adams should be an old time rock star show -- I'm going at their DC appearance December 20th at George Mason U.
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My wife and I have this frequent argument wherein I suggest she has no good reason for disliking the Beatles, other than being a contrarian and naturally contradictory sort. This usually follows hearing something such as "Wonderwall" or other Beatle-esque rocker from the lads. She suggests that they are more in keeping with mid 60s mods, which she is quite fine with. (Our first date was seei...
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To my surprise, I am still listening to "Dig Out Your Soul" several months after its release. This bad boy really is their best album in years -- and a big reason is the song "Falling Down" which has be remixed and remodeled for release as an extended single this week. This is the straight album version.
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As far as strategies for sustained relevance go, Noel Gallagher's chronic case of verbal diarrhea is cheap and obvious. But occasionally the shit talking stench is so bad, we try but we can't help but talk about it. This other strategy, the one that involves releasing new music or whatever, feels practically novel in their hands. And you know what it's actually going pretty OK for them right no...
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Pushing Noel off a stage in Toronto might bruise the erstwhile Oasis mouthpiece's ribs (maybe even his spirits) and causes the band to cancel a show or two, but nothing can stop the slow processions toward a new Oasis album. These things will arrive here/there for the rest of our lives, right? The big question: Do the songs sound at all like the teach NYC busker versions? The other question: Is...
More >
--- - |- A trailer for Oasis' forthcoming Dig Out Your Soul album, due for release October 8, has been uploaded to YouTube ~~- Oasis
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I don’t have a lot of time this morning to give it a proper overview, but I can honestly say this: if for many year it has seemed like Liam and Noel have been on about nothing when calling themselves “geniuses” or “brilliant”, their luck has turned (and thankfully, so has ours). Dig Out [...]
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Bag It Up |
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| 2 The Turning |
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| 3 Waiting for the Rapture |
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| 4 The Shock of the Lightning |
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| 5 I'm Outta Time |
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| 6 (Get off Your) High Horse Lady |
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| 7 Falling Down |
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| 8 To Be Where There's Life |
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| 9 Ain't Got Nothin' |
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| 10 The Nature of Reality |
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| 11 Soldier On |
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Click to purchase…
© 2006-2009 Mog Inc. All Rights Reserved
 "Dig Out Your Soul")
