Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Stuff I Love-Third Edition

BE HERE NOW-SOMETHING I LOVE



Most of my friends don't really like Oasis's third record that much. In fact, most people I talk to don't like Oasis' third record much. "The songs are too long," "they don't seem to be about anything," and "none of the sound like Wonderwall" are some of the more frequent complaints. But to me, this album is the pinnacle of Oasis's brilliance, the height of their musical mastery.

Take, for instance, my personal favorite song on the record, "I Hope, I Think, I Know."



I just love this song. It starts like a shot to the face, and it just doesn't quit. It's vintage Oasis-Liam being loud, obnoxious, and non-conformist, and Noel and the boys backing him up with a sound so full it's hard to even pick out individual instruments at times. It's just the classic Oasis record-it doesn't get any better than this.

Yes, the songs are long, but it just works. No matter how many times the beat vanishes and comes back on "D'ya Know What I Mean," it it hits just as hard every time. And so what if "Around the World" is ten minutes long, it's a killer song, and you get to hear Liam Gallagher say the word "sheeeyyyinnne" a bunch of times. I think that's a pretty strong argument right there.

I guess part of it is also the time period in my life that the record makes me think of, being a kid in the ninth grade and religiously following Oasis's every move. The record showed Oasis heading in a new direction, experimenting with their sound and, at the same time, moving it forward in a way they, in my opinion, have never been able to repeat. This record is why I'm still a fan.

3 comments:

Daniel said...

good. i'm glad everyone agrees.

Stephen said...

I liked What's the Story Morning Glory more.

But Be Here Now is good too. As is Definitley Maybe.

Did you see Oasis with Cornershop back in '97? That show was simply amazing.

Max Nova said...

#1 non-Bowie coke album of all time?

Suffice to say, I will have a rebutal.