|
Post by lionsden® on Mar 23, 2008 8:56:04 GMT -5
Took me a little while to find it, but here it is... He gave it 4/5 stars BTW
08/28/1997 CD review, Oasis - 'Be Here Now' Fargo Forum
Last of '90's Super Rock Bands delivers OK album
By Chuck Klosterman
There is nothing more insufferable than a rock star who wants to be a normal person. The world does not need any more indie punkers, struggling folk singers or idealistic pop artists. There is nothing glamorous about watching a musician intent on proving he's exactly like you and me. What the world really needs are more Super Rock Bands. I want rockers who fly into inexplicable rages and punch photographers. I want vocalists who date supermodels and guitarists who crash their Deloreans with two strippers in the back seat. All drummers should get arrested for possession of animal tranquilizers, and every band worth its salt should be rumored to be on the verge of collapse every six months. That is rock and roll. Sadly, the 1990s have only witnessed four Super Rock Bands. The first -- Guns N' Roses -- is figuratively dead. The second -- Nirvana -- is literally dead. Pearl Jam was a Super Rock Band for a while, but a desire for cultural mediocrity consumed Eddie Vedder. That leaves us with Oasis, the only band that matters in 1997. There was a time when Oasis was constantly accused of ripping off the Beatles. That accusation became irony when the group started telling everyone that was their absolute, unabashed intention. With "Be Here Now," Oasis has found a clever way to avoid the tired insinuation that they're copying the Fab Four: They have elected to copy themselves. Rarely has a group so liberally pilfered their own ideas. Almost every track on "Be Here Now" sounds like a longer, more complicated version of material from their first two albums. With just about any other band, this would be pure disaster. With Oasis, it's merely disappointing. "Be Here Now" is a ridiculously ambitious project; four of the songs are more than seven minutes long. "All Around the World" lasts nine minutes and has a two-minute reprise at the record's conclusion. "D'You Know What I Mean?" is seven minutes in length and includes a helicopter solo. There is so much orchestration tacked onto this LP that I was almost tempted to play it alongside "The Wizard of Oz." What makes that orchestral ambition so remarkable is the apparent lack of motivation. Philosophically, Oasis has nothing to say. Lyrics like, "Questions are the answers you might need" are sadly amateur, and songwriter/guitarist Noel Gallagher almost seems proud of his triviality. No one will ever accuse Noel of being a wordsmith. However, the guy has a stunning musical gift. He creates some of the best hooks in the universe; at the moment, he has no rivals. "The Girl In the Dirty Shirt" is a perfect example of what has become the Oasis template: An infectious lead riff that holds your attention just enough to sweep into a superlative chorus. "Stand By Me" is a synthesis of two old Oasis songs ("Don't Look Back In Anger" and "Married With Children"), but the lack of creativity is dwarfed by a wall of sonic perfection. Oasis' creative black hole is most certainly due to the group's rigid leadership. Noel does everything for the band; sibling vocalist Liam Gallagher provides necessary panache and charisma, but he offers nothing musically (Liam s the kind of guy who deserves to get punched in the face and, luckily, his brother does that every few months). The rest of the band is nondescript and only of interest to serious fans. Since Noel controls the group, his self-indulgent nature sometimes creates stylistic problems. "Magic Pie" is grueling and silly, and the 11-minute "All Around the World" is probably the worst song Oasis has ever recorded. "Be Here Now" is not as strong as 1994's "Definitely Maybe" or '95's "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?" and that will vex some audiences (as will the tedious 71-minute length). Nonetheless, this record still slays the contemporary competition. Perhaps a more intriguing question is whether or not Oasis will survive over the long term. Noel has sarcastically referred to his brother as "dead weight" and insists the only reason Liam is still in the band is because their record label demands his presence. "Be Here Now" has only been out for two days, but some of us wonder if Oasis will be here later.
|
|
|
Post by caro on Mar 23, 2008 9:00:33 GMT -5
Fun review ;D Yeah I wonder if Oasis will survive over the long term after BHN
|
|
|
Post by Way Cool Jr. on Mar 23, 2008 10:19:15 GMT -5
An entertaining reveiw to say the least.
|
|
|
Post by 32shutout on Mar 23, 2008 11:46:43 GMT -5
I thought it was okay, up until point he said that all around the world is the worst oasis song ever recorded
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 24, 2008 23:19:23 GMT -5
Helicopter solo? Ha!
|
|
|
Post by SisterPsychosis on Mar 25, 2008 9:31:04 GMT -5
TheImportance fell out of the family tree when he was a kid.
|
|
|
Post by calioasis on Mar 25, 2008 15:43:25 GMT -5
Yeah, that review is pretty funny, and spot on in parts. Noel still cracks me up after all these years, calling Liam 'dead weight'. haha
|
|
|
Post by jasonbourne on Mar 26, 2008 12:06:59 GMT -5
That review is spot-on in my opinion, but the headline is a bit misleading. 4/5 is better than OK, isn't it?
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Mar 26, 2008 15:47:09 GMT -5
TheImportance fell out of the family tree when he was a kid. Fuck off, can't I have a small laugh?
|
|
|
Post by lionsden® on Mar 26, 2008 19:58:50 GMT -5
That review is spot-on in my opinion, but the headline is a bit misleading. 4/5 is better than OK, isn't it? Yeah I agree, but most reviews of BHN tended to be the same way. I remember he had a picture of Oasis that pretty much took up the whole front page of the entertainment section. Was pretty cool being a big Oasis fan. Klosterman has come far since his work at a little paper in Fargo. On first listen of BHN you can't disagree with the strength of many of the songs. Alot of them just drag on as we all know now.
|
|
|
Post by eva on Mar 28, 2008 15:42:52 GMT -5
who is this guy? is he supposed to be famous?
|
|
|
Post by rkid005uk on Apr 7, 2008 7:56:15 GMT -5
BHN is a quality album, sums up Oasis brilliantly at that time, drug fueled larger than life rock n roll.
Couldnt disagree more with people who slate that album, its brilliant, id love the album to be of that magnitude.
|
|