Audio CD review:
Oasis - Heathen Chemistry

Oasis - Heathen Chemistry

Band: Oasis Title: Heathen Chemistry Rating: Release Date: 02 July, 2002 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: The Hindu Times 2: Force Of Nature 3: Hung In A Bad Place 4: Stop Crying Your Heart Out 5: Songbird 6: Little By Little 7: A Quick Peep 8: (Probably) All In The Mind 9: She Is Love 10: Born On A Different Cloud 11: Better Man

Editoral Review They were actually never the greatest rock & roll band at any time, but for a few years they were the biggest. At their career zenith, Oasis were lauded as the best band in the world. While they offered the '90s two of its most defining albums, and a resurgence of '60s-influenced Manchester rock, Oasis tumbled off the top of the mountain in the last half of the decade. Heathen Chemistry is their first step back up the ascent, albeit a small step. The album opens with "The Hindu Times," which will certainly be listed among Oasis's best anthems, and it closes with "Better Man," a distorted-guitar-driven thrill that revs up to 60 mph in second gear. But between the strongest songs on the disc, Noel "Walrus" and Liam "Eggman" Gallagher exploit the Beatles references almost to the breaking point. It's no secret that the Gallaghers worship the Beatles (who doesn't?), but here they've gone beyond obvious influences and stepped right into infringement territory. On "Born on a Different Cloud," Noel's guitar weeps a little too gently, and Liam's signature rasp now sounds like a deliberate imitation of Lennon with a cold. Further, Liam shares the mic with Noel, who sings lead on several tracks, the best being "Force of Nature. " Unlike on Beatles albums, however, the switch back and forth is jarring (Liam might be the biggest troublemaker, but he is also the better singer). Nonetheless, if a band is going to unapologetically rip off what was unquestionably the best band in the world, no one does it better than Oasis. --Beth Massa .. You can see a complete list of all Oasis discography, or go back to the Oasis tabs