Immediate even from the front cover with the group's new logo, the Oasis that you hear on Standing on the Shoulder of Giants isn't the same as the hit-makers from the 90s. The entire album has a very different production style from any of Oasis' more loud, punchy records, as what we have here is a more wide, psyche-leaning sound throughout. This change isn't just because of the different writing direction or changing times, but also because Oasis picked up a new producer; Spike Stent, who had previously racked up mixing credits from working with the likes of U2, Massive Attack, and Björk, is credited with production along with Noel Gallagher, and his style is decisively more polished than anything Owen Morris ever did with Oasis - you can hear it in the vocals, even, with some slightly noticeable auto-tune throughout the album (you can really hear it on the Noel-sung track "Where Did It All Go Wrong?"). The album sounds pretty good, in all fairness, even if it doesn't really sound like 90s Oasis, and one could argue that this is a natural progression away from their sound for the 2000s; I can't think of another album in their catalog that sounds like this one, for better or worse. Sometimes, even the songs feel out of left-field, such as "Who Feels Love?" with its reversed guitars and raga rock leanings, even if the end results play sort of like a George Harrison song left out in the sun to thaw - the ice, I'm sorry to say, does not slowly melt on this track. There's also the instrumental opening track "Fuckin' in the Bushes", with a heavy guitar riff, almost hip-hop sounding drum pattern, and vocal samples from the Isle of Wight film Message to Love. It's a weird way to open, but frankly I love it; the only way it could've been better is if the Beastie Boys were rapping on it. From there we get ballads on "Sunday Morning Call" to the blues rock of "Put Yer Money Where Yer Mouth Is" to the closest thing to 90s Oasis in "I Can See a Liar", which is just okay at best.
Luckily, most of the album holds up pretty well on its own. Of the three singles this album yielded, two of them in "Go Let It Out" and "Sunday Morning Call" are both pretty great encapsulations of what 2000s Oasis was capable of; they're both moodier moments, but "Go Let It Out" is a solid rock number with some crunchy drums and a great driving bass line and a solid hook. Now is also a good time to mention Liam's vocals, which while still good, have definitely begun to change a bit, and its particularly noticeable on a few tracks, such as how sounds a bit more nasal than typical on "Go Let It Out". Liam's vocal troubles will get much, much worse later, but you can hear the start of it here, even when he brings out some fantastic vocals on a track like "Gas Panic!" or the closing "Roll It Over". Speaking of Liam, he also writes his first Oasis song on this album (well, first to end up on an album, but anyways) with "Little James" - unfortunately, this song is absolutely fucking terrible with a weak melodies and even worse lyrics, even by the sometimes nonsensical standards of Oasis. That's not even mentioning the embarrassing "na na na" part at the end, which somehow makes it even more embarrassing. Here's a tip Liam: you're not Paul McCartney, and this isn't "Hey Jude". It's a good thing that the album puts "Gas Panic!" immediately after to cleanse your palette, given that it's one of the album's best songs with its dark lyrical topic and punching instrumental - it's a very atmospheric moment, and it doubles with having one of Liam's best performances on the album. The album follows it up with the one-two Noel combo of "Where Did It All Go Wrong?" and "Sunday Morning Call", and both are great tracks, although I'd give the edge to the more fast-paced "Where Did It All Go Wrong?", which also sounds about as close to 90s Oasis as they could get. Last but not least, the album ends on the epic "Roll It Over", easily the best song on the album, from Liam's vocals to the melancholic lyricism to the wall of guitar and backing vocalists. I'd even go as far to say that this is an underrated gem from Oasis, and the ideal way to end what really does feel like such a big change for the group.
Unfortunately, the world didn't see it that way - all three of the album's singles hit the UK Top 5, with "Go Let It Out" taking it all the way to Number 1, but that didn't stop the mixed reception. In 2011, Noel himself said the album should never have been made, saying that he had no inspiration or drive to make an album, and frankly I think that's a shame. Standing on the Shoulder isn't as good as their 90s output, but after everything that happened to the group going into the next decade, I feel like nothing could've matched their unbelievable run in that decade. I can really appreciate this album for its differences from their earlier work - it's a very drab affair, painted in wide production, melancholic lyrics, and occasionally too much reverb. It's a bit of a product of its time, but a darn good one, and I think Noel has little to be ashamed of with this record. The hangover after the high of the 90s, Oasis' first foray of the new millennium is much better than people give it credit, and certainly not a disappointment; I'll put my money where my mouth is.
RATING: ✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯✯
Listen to Standing on the Shoulder of Giants.
Comments
Post a Comment