Oasis
The Masterplan

THE REVIEW

[Well yes, I have returned to dabble in the role of a reviewer after my first, to say the least, terrible appearances]

Released in '98, "The Masterplan" is a collection of b-sides by the Gallagher brothers, all the best that emerged from the first three albums but was not included in them.
It starts off great with "Acquiesce" where the intro alternates notes and words from "Morning Glory" (if you notice: it's an acoustic version sung by Noel) with completely distorted chords, a mix that lasts for a good twenty seconds before bursting into the pure energy of the song, even more characteristic because it’s the only track by the group sung by both brothers.

The guiding theme of the album doesn’t deviate for a second from what is presented to us at the beginning; thus, it moves from "Underneath The Sky" to two ballads by Noel such as "Talk Tonight" and "Going Nowhere"; shortly after, there's another track full, indeed overloaded with energy like "Fade Away", followed by "The Swamp Song", "I Am The Walrus" (as everyone knows, a Beatles cover) and "Listen Up". In this section, we find the essence of the Oasis of that period, few albums can boast presenting such a lineup of quality rock 'n' roll songs!!!

As the style demands, after the real rock, we return to two ballads: these are "Rockin' Chair" and "Half The World Away" (another track sung by Noel), which are followed by "(It's Good) To Be Free" and "Stay Young"; and these very four songs further testify to the perfect alternation of rock and ballads that the Oasis managed to put together in this album.
Before the conclusion, there’s still time for a good dose of adrenaline with "Headshrinker". It’s the final notes of this song that introduce us in the best way to the last track: "The Masterplan", the masterpiece song by the Manchester band. Difficult to define the emotions it can provoke, Noel's voice goes in unison with the music, what you feel and what lingers in the air are just chills...