Artist bio

A late ‘90s critic remarked that “one day we might look back, possibly in anger,” and wonder why Oasis were once among the most popular rock bands in the world. Indeed, it’s easy to forget that the Beatles-loving U.K. combo, led by warring brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher, sneered its way to superstardom with its 1994 debut, Definitely Maybe, led by the glorious single “Live Forever.” Oasis was a full-scale phenomenon of ego and excess by the following year’s (What’s The Story) Morning Glory, which backed up the boasting with such classics as “Wonderwall” and “Champagne Supernova.” And while 1997’s Be Here Now was a mixed bag of big ideas, baffling guest appearances (Johnny Depp on guitar?), and bad lyrics, Oasis seemed suddenly devoid of inspiration on its lackluster successors, 2000’s Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants and 2002’s Heathen Chemistry. Its antics no longer funny and its music consistent but rarely exciting, Oasis has become the very thing it mercilessly mocked in the first place: just an ordinary band.

Albums by this artist

Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants (2000)

The Masterplan (1998)

Be Here Now (1997)

(What's The Story) Morning Glory (1996)

Definitely Maybe (1994)

Concerts

June 7, 2001
Radio City Music Hall, New York

Oasis

The Masterplan

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» JONATHAN COHEN | SENIOR EDITOR

Oasis The Masterplan Epic, 1998 RiYL: The Smiths, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Stone Roses, The Jam

It's no surprise that there's a wealth of quality material to be heard on this Oasis B-sides compilation -- after all, we're talking about one of the most successful bands of the decade. The band's B-sides, the subject of much hype in its native England, stack up pretty well compared with their studio counterparts. But that doesn't necessarily mean The Masterplan is an album that will convert listeners indifferent to the band's anthemic rock.

The content on this album was partially dictated by the input of fans on the band's Web site, and it's expected that nearly every "notable" Oasis B-side is present here: "Fade Away," a staple of the band's early live set, the orchestrated pop ballad "The Masterplan," and a juiced-up rendition of the Beatles' "I Am the Walrus" have long been fan favorites.

But the standouts are the songs where songwriter/guitarist Noel Gallagher indulges in influences that rarely shine through Oasis' recorded output. Two of the best are drawn from the 1995 "Some Might Say" single: "Underneath The Sky" is a strident, minor-key lovely that updates the best of the Smiths, while "Acquiesce" recalls classic stadium rock with the Gallagher brothers' perfectly executed vocal harmonies and more guitar hooks than Clapton's meat locker. On the softer side, the acoustic, Noel-sung "Talk Tonight" and the ultra-pretty "Rockin' Chair" (ignore crap vocal performance from bro Liam) prove elder Gallagher's status as one very talented tunesmith.

Oasis is nothing if not derivative, but is so in the best possible way. As such, the bulk of these B-sides sound alike (or a lot like certain album tracks), particularly the far too long "Listen Up," which is basically "Supersonic" with more major chords, and "Stay Young," a hand-clapping sing-along that subtly swipes numerous bits from other songs.

That doesn't mean those songs are boring, but some definitely are. "Headshrinker" would have gotten Noel booted right out of Britpop 101, and "Going Nowhere" is a gaudy exercise in unoriginal songwriting and the blaring horns that come standard issue. These two could easily have been replaced with the marvelous Definitely Maybe-era outtake "Alive" or the Stevie Wonder-nicked "Step Out" (he sued, prompting the song's ouster from 1995's (What's The Story) Morning Glory).

Under normal circumstances, it would be hard to justify a band with only three studio albums under its belt releasing a 14-track B-sides album. But Oasis is not a normal band. Indeed, at its best, The Masterplan is better than most bands' regular efforts. At worst, it was a fine way to pass the time until Oasis released its next opus.

JONATHAN COHEN | Jonathan Cohen co-created Nude As The News with his Indiana University mates Troy Carpenter and Ben French. When not traversing the globe for business and pleasure, he holds down the fort as a senior editor for Billboard in New York. Stop him and he just may ask, "what for lunch?"