•
Rating: Two years have passed since the tragic night in Paris, which, amidst supposedly smashed guitars and thrown plums, led to the final separation of the Gallagher brothers and the dissolution of Oasis. And now, orphaned of Noel’s mind and guitar, Liam, Gem Archer, Andy Bell (returned to the original role of guitarist he played at the start of his career in Ride and Hurricane#1), and drummer Chris Sharrock, assisted by bassist Jeff Wootton (previously involved in collaborations with Gorillaz from former Blur member Damon Albarn), keyboardist Matt Jones, and especially veteran producer Steve Lillywhite (the man who, to be clear, launched U2) are trying again.
They’re trying to be a rock band again, a great rock band. They want to prove that, even without the elder brother, who is simultaneously tremendously genius and tremendously arrogant, they too have something to say. And the result, skepticism of the vast majority of fans and beyond aside, isn't bad at all. Without essentially inventing anything new, but also without the pretense of doing so, "DGSS" is an album that works, that invites listening and re-listening, a pleasant album that's almost never tiring.
It’s a departure from the baroque and heavy productions of the latest Oasis work (which weren't bad at all, "Dig Out Your Soul" above all), in favor of a recovery not only of the Manchester band's origins but of that typically British '60s sound, towards which the Gallaghers have a large debt over the years, mixed with a whole new spirit and approach from a group of forty-year-olds, used to filling stadiums worldwide, who suddenly find themselves having to start over from scratch (or almost), and they do it with the genuine enthusiasm of just any 20-year-olds.
The album opens with the energy of "Four Letter Word", which seems almost like a liberating insult towards those who since that fateful night in late August 2009 have turned up their noses the moment Liam and the others were even mentioned, seen first as parasites and then as antagonists of the divine Noel, and which would later be used to open the band's first tour concerts. Then it moves to "Millionaire", with its oriental-sounding guitar reminiscent of George Harrison, to whom Oasis owe much, and whose head Liam once declared he wanted to "play golf" with years ago. The Fab4 influences, especially of one of them, come out strongly in the next track: "The Roller", practically a remake of the famous "Instant Karma" by John Lennon, which, according to Liam, would have been much appreciated by him, and which turned out at the end of the year to be the best-selling vinyl single in Britain.
Next up is "Beatles And Stones", a track that is in fact, starting from the title, the true manifesto of the new band's intentions but is mostly notable for being one of the less successful on the album, despite the energetic Pete Townshend-like riff. A similar point applies to "Wind Up Dream", a rock that is overly compact, to the point of reaching repetitiveness with just 3'27'' duration. The subsequent "Bring The Light" is the track which, released as a promotional single on November 10, 2010, contributed to increasing the skepticism around Liam and co's new imminent work, possibly due to its rather sloppy keyboard and dragging final choir, a track which, however, finds its perfect placement within the album and which explodes in maximum power and beauty during live performances.
Next comes "For Anyone", a pleasant ballad just over two minutes long that appears as little more than a filler, a prelude to the following "Kill For A Dream", one of the album's peaks. It's a piece with a typically vintage style, with a guitar and sound that recall the Kinks of the "Lola" era, complete with a compelling chorus and anthem-like refrain like in the old days, with Liam's voice in perfect condition. Solid and compact is the rock of the next track, "Standing On The Edge Of The Noise", which recalls a studio live recorded by Oasis during the "Dig Out Your Soul" era. Then comes "Wigwam", the most controversial piece of the album: six minutes of instrumental outburst with compelling "Sha-la-la-laaa...I'm coming up/I'm coming up", initially condemned by critics and thus by fans and the band itself, only to be reevaluated and almost elevated to masterpiece status by critics, fans, and musicians alike.
The next track is "Three Ring Circus", which is neither noted for being the new "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" nor the new "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go": a typical gap filler with little ambition. The closure, however, is thrilling: spectacular "The Beat Goes On", probably one of the year's anthems and most beautiful pieces, which fades into "The Morning Son", the most Oasis-like track of the album (Noel will later say he played the drums on it during "Dig Out Your Soul"), whose structure, starting with the waves and gulls, closely resembles "Champagne Supernova" and the closing of the legendary "(What's The Story) Morning Glory?", the pinnacle of Oasis and britpop in general. Different times, indeed.
16 years (now 17) later, here we are commenting on the return to the scene of the two brothers, divided and rival. Two different returns in style and philosophy: as much composed that of Beady Eye, who are trying to start a new cycle with great humility and very few links to the glorious past (to hear live Oasis covers, as Liam announced, we'll talk again in 2013), as grand and pumped (clearly with affection) that of Noel, who launched into the new adventure as a solo songwriter, admittedly still with much ground to cover. Noel Gallagher might once again win the umpteenth battle, come hell or high water, if the British press would ever not take his side, but certainly, Beady Eye will not lose it.
Loading comments slowly
