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21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
What's The Masterplan?,
By wellwellwell (bog) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Masterplan (Audio CD)
Everybody's wondering why songs like "Underneath The Sky" and (especially) "Acquiesce" weren't on an actual Oasis album. Everybody's thinking it's a coincidence of some sort that so many great songs can be disregarded and doomed to merely be: b-sides. Stop and think about the title of this collection though... it's called 'The Masterplan', which could mean a predetermined 'plan' that is meant to be 'masterful'. Is it not conceivable to think that Noel and the gang had this deviant scheme to hide away a bunch of choice tracks on singles (nobody buys singles in the USA) in order to later release the greatest b-side collection ever? Even now, over six years since The Masterplan came out, it still has to be one of, if not thee most talked-about b-side compilation on the planet. So, yeah, I think The Masterplan was a set-up. But that's enough of that; take what you will from my speculations and opinions. What's really important here is the music.
Yes, "Acquiesce" is an astonishing song--my personal favorite Oasis track, as I'm sure it is many other's. The other track here I was equally taken aback by was "Headshrinker", which boasts smidgens of a punk-rock feeling and an almost irritated sound in Noel's voice that can't be ignored when he's shouting 'I hope you don't regret today/for the rest of your lives'. But the sleeper track here has to be "Half The World Away", which is as relaxed as I recall Oasis ever being in a song. It's beautiful, it's smart ('my body feels young but my mind is very old') and possesses the single greatest handclapping performance in the history of music. I clap along every time I hear it; and I get the chills every time I hear it. "Underneath The Sky" seems to be another favorite. That makes sense considering it's short, sweet and has that infamous part about the suitcase. That makes me chuckle every time. "Rockin' Chair" takes a lot of the same ideas and tones as "Half The World Away", which is why it's not as impressive (though still great). It's said in the booklet that The Beatles never performed "Walrus" live; so it makes perfect sense that Oasis would cover it--and they do a superb job. Goo goo g'joob, indeed. "Talk Tonight" draws more comparisons to "Half The World Away". It's very, very good but again falls just short of the top slow track. "Stay Young" and "Listen Up" sound most like they came from actual albums, and the fact they didn't make the cut seems unapparent. "(It's Good) To Be Free", sadly, is one I tend to skip. We all know it's good to be free, anyway. I'm never a huge fan of instrumental tracks unless they blow me away. And "The Swamp Song" didn't blow me anywhere. "Going Nowhere" is genius, pure genius. The way Noel rolls the word 'Jaguar' off his tongue is most notable. "Fade Away" is my least favorite track on The Masterplan. It comes off as a second-rate "Headshrinker" with comparable lyrics but poor sound quality. Finally, "The Masterplan"... seems to be in a league of its own. Either you love it or you don't. It's dazzling--the perfect closer for such an album. Oh, I mean... for such a 'compilation'. Whatever. If this were an album, it would easily be Oasis' best album. But I guess we instead have to call it, simply, their best CD.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Fantastic collection of Oasis B-sides.,
By Marek (Chicago) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Masterplan (Audio CD)
First, let me point out that Oasis is my favorite band. There isn't an Oasis song I don't like. So I'm going to guide you throughout the entire album and give you my overall opinion of the album.
The Masterplan is a collection of Oasis B-sides from singles covering their first three albums (Definitely Maybe, (What's The Story) Morning Glory, and Be Here Now). The featured tracks and the track listing were decided from an online poll of Oasis fans in 1998. First up: "Acquiesce" This is probably the most famous Oasis b-side out there and often played live. This song is fantastic, the combined vocal solos of both Liam and Noel Gallagher make this song magnificent. Noel's solo seems to sound better than Liam's, but nevertheless a beautiful song. Track Two: "Underneath The Sky" Liam Gallagher sings. It sounds good, not as strong as "Acquiesce" but an upbeat and nice tune. Track Three: "Talk Tonight" Noel with a beautiful guitar based song. This is something you would hear a street performer sing, the lyrics are sad, but the tune is relaxing. Great song. Track Four: "Going Nowhere" Noel sings once again, and the song is another sad one, but there is a mix of brass and string to lighten it up. A nice soft listen. Track Five: "Fade Away" After the first few chords you know this is from the Definitely Maybe era. Hard, pure rock from Oasis with a good amount of "Shoegazer" influence. Never fails to slam a good dose of energy into me. Track Six: "The Swamp Song" If you liked the untitled filler tracks on Morning Glory and wanted the whole song, that's exactly what "The Swamp Song" is. It was originally a warm up song for recording sessions, and you can tell why. Nice hard guitar with even a mix of harmonica in it all. Fantastic little tune. Track Seven: "Listen Up" My personal favorite song of the album. It plays hard but feels soft. Bittersweet and beautiful. Noel's voice shines and the lyrics flow magnificently. This song should have been a single instead of a b-side. A hidden gem. Track Eight: "I Am The Walrus (Live)" First of all, this song was not played live. It was recorded during a soundcheck with the audience noises later added in. Nevertheless an entertaining song, and a faster paced and harder rocking song than the original. Seems to get repetitive at the end though, but that might have been why Oasis sometimes played this song last at concerts in their early days. Track Nine: "Rockin' Chair" Supposedly written by Noel Gallagher back in 1990, this song makes an interesting b-side. Nice acoustic guitar solos and the organ mixes in well. A very well written song for it being one of Noel's firsts. Track Ten: "Half The World Away" A great song and another bittersweet one. Noel sings very well, while the electic guitar and organ mix in softly and nicely. Track Eleven: "(It's Good) To Be Free" Another hard rocker that sounds like "Shoegazer" rock as opposed to Britpop. The lyrics could use a bit of support, but I nevertheless enjoy it. There is a bit of nice organ that sounds like an electric guitar. Track Twelve: "Stay Young" Another famous b-side, featured in the film "The Faculty". The lyrics sound like a teen revolution, "Stay young and invincible", but the melody is upbeat and happy. Nice song. Track Thirteen: "Headshrinker" My second favorite song of the album. Sounds like rock overcooked to a crisp. This is as hard and pure as Oasis gets. Fantastic song. Track Fourteen: "The Masterplan" The track that the album was named after makes a nice finish for the album. Strings and brass mixed in well in a bittersweet and smooth song. Don't miss the guitar solo (a reversed recording of a solo). Leaves you with a great aftertaste for the entire album. Now, the songs that should have been here but didn't make the cut. Sadly, my favorite Oasis b-side (and quite a popular one as well), "Sad Song", is missing. In fact, they should have added all of the Definitely Maybe-era b-sides, because they were by far the best. "Alive", "Take Me Away", "D'yer Wanna Be a Spaceman", and "Cloudburst" are some of the best Oasis b-sides but sadly arent on The Masterplan. Instead there was more focus on Morning Glory-era b-sides. "Angel Child" was another b-side from the Be Here Now-era that I very much enjoy but just wasn't there. Overall, this is a great album. I highly reccomend it to anybody who just loves music. The album is one of my favorites because it encompasses the sound of Oasis through three different albums and most songs are beautifully bittersweet. I also enjoyed hearing Noel's voice often, which is nice considering Liam sings most of the singles. At time of writing there are supposedly plans for a sequel to "The Masterplan" covering Oasis b-sides from their next three albums, and it will be interesting to see what makes that grade. This is indeed a fantastic collection of Oasis b-sides.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great but missing a few noteworthy songs,
By kevinicus (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Masterplan (Audio CD)
I figureed it was finally time to write a review for this album, as I picked it up from the shelf the other day and played it a few times. I think it's amazing that these songs were only ever "b-sides" - most of them are better than what many bands put out as singles!!!
To me, at least, the highlights are: Acquiesce (a b-side to Some Might Say, check out the "Morning Glory" allusions), Headshrinker (sheer early-style Oasis rock), Fade Away, Listen Up, Rockin' Chair, Going Nowhere and of course Talk Tonight. I remember reading once that Oasis fans got to vote on which b-sides would be on this album, but there are really great Oasis tracks missing on this compliation. First and foremost, one of the greatest songs Oasis ever recorded was only ever released as a single: "WHATEVER" since this CD was released in the US, and Whatever was only ever available as an import, it would have been nice to put it on this CD - I think it would have gotten quite a bit of airplay and helped Oasis in the US even more. The version of Listen Up on here is a shorter version that the one that appears as a b-side on the Ciggarettes and Alcohol single. IT's too bad, because a nice guitar solo is missing. How on earth did these other b-side tracks not make it??? They are some of their best!!! ... Cloudburst (Live Forever b-side) Step Out (Don't Look Back in Anger b-side) (I Got) The Fever (Stand By Me b-side) It's Better People (Roll With It b-side) Alive 8 track demo (Shakermaker b-side) Sad Song (Don't Go Away b-side and also on Definitely Maybe vinyl or Japenese Import) Cum on Feel The Noize (Don't Look Back in Anger b-side) Fame (All Around The World b-side) Heroes (D'ya Know What I Mean? b-side) - the BEST cover of this song! Other Oasis b-sides (some released later) definitely worth checking out: My Sister Lover (Stand By Me b-side) - very anti-religious, nice Carry Us All (Sunday Morning Call b-side) - more anti-religion Full On (Sunday Morning Call b-side) - absolute rocker!!
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
An Example of Extraordinary Talent,
By NOEL GALLAGHER "topofthepops" (Clermont, FL, United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Masterplan (Audio CD)
"The Masterplan" is a collection of b-sides to thesingles released in the UK from 1994-1997. It really says something about a band's talent when an album full of b-sides is as good as or better than some oftheir studio albums. "Acquiesce" is a full throttle hard rock anthem in which Liam sings the verses and Noel sings the chorus. It's a good enough track to have been released as a single itself. This song is probably the best hard rock song Oasis have ever recorded. "Underneath The Sky" is a heavily Beatles influenced tune with rather absurd lyrics but a very catchy melody. Not one of my favorite b-sides, but a pleasant listen nonetheless. Liam's vocals are quite good on this one. "Talk Tonight" is a brilliant Noel acoustic number. Although Noel claims he isn't a romantic person, you can tell he's pouring his heart out into the lyrics. Some people find this song a bit slow, but the lyrics are so deeply moving and the melody is quite catchy after you listen to it a few times. Overall, this is one of Noel's best acoustic songs. "Going Nowhere" is a brilliantly orchestrated song sung by Noel. This was written 4 years before Oasis released their first album, hence the lyrics, "I'm gonna be a millionaire", not "I AM a millionaire". The bridge and chorus are very catchy, and the brass section adds a nice touch to this song. "Fade Away" is not one of Oasis' best b-sides. The chords to the verses were stolen from Wham!'s "Freedom", and the chorus is bland and repetitive. I'm surprised so many people seem to like this song. It lacks both originality and a catchy tune. "The Swamp Song" is an instrumental that simply doesn't belong on this album. Noel Gallagher is a genius songwriter, but he just can't write instrumentals. The tune is boring and repetitive, with the same chords being played over and over and over again. It's one of those tunes that seems like it will never end. "I Am The Walrus" is a cover of the famous Beatles tune. The band has done a great job of bringing this song into the 90's, as they've electrified it quite a bit and given it a more uptempo twist. "Listen Up" is a great b-side. It has a very catchy melody and I love the lyrics to the bridge and chorus. However, this song is a blatant rip-off of another great Oasis song, "Supersonic". If you don't believe me, try singing the chorus to "Supersonic" using the lyrics to "Listen Up", and vice versa. Noel has ripped off so many other artists, I guess it was about time he ripped himslef off. Regardless, this is a top notch tune. "Rockin' Chair" is a classic. This song has very introspectve lyrics about what it's like to be lonely, one of the greatest melodies Noel has ever created, and a blistering vocal performance from Liam. This should have been the a-side and "Roll With It" should have been the b-side. "Half The World Away" is another Noel acoustic number. While I love the song's lyrics, I find the music and bit slow and bland. "Talk Tonight" is a far better acoustic number. "(It's Good) To Be Free" is another more hard rock track with a definite edge. Still, it has some great lyrics and a melody that really grows on you over time. Liam's vocal performance adds to the overall great "sound" of this song. "Stay Young" is one of the best Oasis b-sides. It should've been on the "Be Here Now" album, but Noel did a foolish thing and removed it for the bland and uninspiring "Magic Pie". This song has an incredibly catchy melody, an anthemic chorus, and uplifting lyrics about staying young and invincible. Noel doesn't like this song for some reason, but most fans disagree with him. "Headshrinker" is a another hard rock tune that is hardly a favorite of mine. It's lyrics are unintelligible, and the melody never really goes anywhere. It's just an uninspiring hard rock song. Oasis have far better b-sides that could've taken the place of this song on the album. "The Masterplan" is an absolute masterpiece. Noel himself believes he's never written a better song, and I agree. This was a b-side to the "Wonderwall" single, and after I heard it performed on MTV Unplugged I was so impressed I searched everywhere until I found the single in the "Morning Glory" gold singles box set. From then on I've spent a small fortune collecting every UK single Oasis have ever released. "The Masterplan" is brilliantly orchestrated with string and brass sections, and Noel delivers perhaps his best vocal performance to date. The lyrics are unquestionably the best Noel's ever written, and the chorus is so catchy you just can't get it out of your head. It's a crime that this song was never released as a single and put on a studio album where it belongs. It's one of the best Oasis songs of all-time. In fact, although I do like "Wonderwall" and "Champagne Supernova" a little better from a personal standpoint, if I were completely impartial and rated every Oasis song for lyrical content, melody, instrumentation, originality, and vocal performance, this song would beat all other Oasis songs. I'll never understand why this song ended up as a b-side. Overall, Oasis give you a lot of bang for the buck on this album. Sure, it could've been better if tracks like "The Swamp Song", "Fade Away", and "Headshrinker" were replaced with far superior b-sides like "Step Out", "Round Are Way", "Flashbax", or "Cum On Feel The Noize". However, this album has so much going for it that it won't disappoint anyone with an appreciation for great music. How many other bands out there could've put together an album of b-sides this good after having been around for only 3 years? If nothing else, you have to admire this band's talent and appreciate them giving their fans their money's worth with original b-sides, not boring remixes of previously released material. The bottom line: "The Materplan" is a masterpiece.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not your typical b-sides album,
By
This review is from: Masterplan (Audio CD)
Oasis released The Masterplan in 1998. At the time, the band was facing somewhat of a backlash in the U.S. due to their arrogant attitudes and their previous album Be Here Now not meeting expectations or having any hit singles. In Britain, they were still huge and their fans always stated that the b-sides to their singles were just as strong as the hits thus the release of this collection. Their fans weren't wrong. The Masterplan should have brought Oasis back to stardom. The only problem was that it was packaged as a b-sides album rather than what it truly was, a great album on the level of Definitely Maybe and (What's The Story) Morning Glory.
Every track here is great showing songwriter/guitarist Noel Gallagher's gift of constructing songs that pay tribute to their influences while still sounding fresh and new. Several songs such as the acoustic ballad "Talk Tonight", the string-laden "Going Nowhere", and especially "Rockin' Chair", a song about the fear of growing old alone, should have been huge hit singles. The tracks "Fade Away", "Headshrinker", and the live track "The Swamp Song" are the rawest tracks here and are all just killer rock n' roll. "Listen Up", which is practically a rewrite of "Supersonic", "Stay Young", and "Acquiesce" are all upbeat tracks reminiscent of their work on Definitely Maybe. Other great tracks include the retro-psychedelia of "Underneath The Sky", the slower paced rocker "(It's Good) To Be Free", the acoustic "Half The World Away", and the majestic closing title track. Also featured is a killer live version of the Beatles' "I Am The Walrus." Yes, it's a collection of b-sides. But most bands would love to have their best songs be this good. Highly recommended.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
And out of the ashes, perfection again.,
By Gaz (Here, There.) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Masterplan (Audio CD)
Finally, we're saved. After the over-the-top drug-fuelled mess that was Be Here Now, comes this heroic CD of redemption from that Manchester band, faith in whom we all seem to have lost. Here we have B-sides. No, don't ignore it on the strength of that - Oasis are well known for putting care into B-sides. I guarantee, if you heard Acquiese or the title track, you'd never in a million years guess they played second fiddle to their respective singles. Acquiese is fantastic. In about 4 minutes of soaring, harmonious rock, we've forgotten that Be Here Now ever happened. Suddenly we're listening to Definitely Maybe again... they're proving that they can and will really do it. And we believe them. Underneath the Sky is a little odd, but I like it. Then Talk Tonight, which isn't bad, but I would have prefered to have Sad Song or D'Yer Wanna Be A Spaceman take it's place. Going Nowhere is the second classic here after Acquiese - sophisticated and Bacharac-like, with Noel singing worried words from before the band were signed. It's fantastic stuff. Fade Away is amazing. Ditched in favour of Slide Away on Definitely Maybe, it would have proved the spark of life for a lesser album... there again, boasting Columbia, Supersonic and Cigarettes & Alcohol, DM needed anything but more livening. So here it is, finally achieving album status. "While we're living, the dreams we have as children fade away." A harsh truth, belted out with such energy we don't care. Then the Swamp Song. The strange little instrumental that probably mystified folks in it's respective slots on ...Morning Glory, it's a riotous party-starter. Guitars and harmonica's link to perfection. For those few minutes, you feel like you're in the front row listening to Oasis wow-ing the crowd. This is them at their most raw and un-diluted. The I Am The Walrus cover is the only one I don't think much of, purely because it sounds a little out of place - probably because it's not an Oasis song anyway. Still, it's entertaining enough, and sufficient padding until Listen Up, which begins with a Supersonic-sounding intro, but developing into it's own song. Then Rockin' Chair, "I'm older than I wish to be, this town holds no more for me." Odd how most of Noel's more reflective lyrics ended up in B-Sides... and a pity, too. Half The World Away is the next classic after Going Nowhere. Cruelly never released, it got it's fame by becoming the Royle Family theme. Still, I'd rather have seen this calm little acoustic achieve single status. Next, depressing (It's Good) To Be Free... written in turbulent times for the band, performed well. Still, can't hold a candle to Stay Young. There's one the band hate, yet the fans love. It's upbeat, if somewhat irrelevant (well they're not young are they). Headshrinker is raw live material, and the show stops with the Masterplan. Easily one of the finest Oasis songs, it is sophisticated in Whatever style. Truly beautiful, perfect sounding... and the mind boggles as to why it's a B-Side. I'd easily prefer it to Wonderwall. All in all, Oasis are redeemed. This is what they're all about, how they started and why they're here, all in 14 tracks. These songs have as much right to be here as any, despite their status. The album stands second only to Definitely Maybe. It's not a careless mistake, like Be Here Now. And it's not good but not quite perfect, like ...Morning Glory. Frankly anyone who doesn't consider it an official album probably hasn't listened properly enough. If it weren't for this one, I doubt anyone would care about Oasis anymore. 5 Stars? Damned right.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Their best album?,
By drew m (maryland United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Masterplan (Audio CD)
The list of performers whose b-sides equal or excel their biggest hits can probably be counted on one hand. The list of performers whose album of secondary work equals or even BEATS the rest of their catalogue is essentially non-existent. Or is it? The Masterplan is Oasis' collection of b-sides, but the collection as a whole is more cohesive than most of their albums excepting Morning Glory, and a handful of individual songs here are undoubtedly the best Oasis has ever recorded.Maybe it's because Oasis sets out to make Revolver every time they record an album, and the resulting work is always good but calculated. The Masterplan feels more spontaneous, more organic than anything else they've put out. From the call-and-response of "Acquiesce," maybe the only Oasis song where Liam Gallagher and Noel Gallagher trade vocals (and how they agreed on that setup is a miracle), to the gentle lullabying of "Talk Tonight," The Masterplan has moments that are utterly inspiring. And rocking. "Fade Away" is a lean, muscular piece that easily surpasses most any neo-punk artist. Put "Headshrinker" into that category too. Liam's vocals are blissfully arrogant, and the unusual number of Noel-sung songs have a grace and tenderness that's instantly affecting. Oasis has been the biggest thing in Britain for the better part of a decade now. But here, in the US, they've been forgotten post-Morning Glory, for the most part. That's too bad, because the Masterplan confirms what many have feared for a long time: that Noel Gallagher really is one of our most gifted songwriters, that his band may well be the best in the world, and that he and Liam have every right to be the haughty, naughty boys they've always been. It feels good to know that real rock stars still roam the earth.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A classic in every sense.,
This review is from: Masterplan (Audio CD)
Okay, how many bands can release a compilation of B-sides (yes, B-sides, in other words the stuff Oasis deemed wasn't `good enough' to make it as singles!) that's so crammed with blisteringly good rock, it blows away most bands' A-side back catalogue?
This is an incredible album. Top honors go to The Masterplan, It's Good to be Free, Acquiesce, Fade Away... the list goes on... Yes, with their newer work they've failed to live up to the standards they set over a decade ago, but I defy any rock fan to listen to this and not love it. Liam's trademark sneering vocal, Noel's thumping riffs, a sprinkling of lead guitar feedback... classic Oasis. What more could you ask for? If you like Oasis, particularly their early work, you have to have this album.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Get. All. This.,
By JLR "Joseph" (Staten Island, NY USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Masterplan (Audio CD)
Oasis were untouchable in the mid 1990's. At a time when Britpop was at its creative peak, bands like Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Suede, Radiohead and the Verve dominated the UK charts while achieving some moderate success in the USA. Yet Oasis stood head and shoulders above the rest at the time because of their ability to craft gorgeous pop melodies that recalled the Beatles and ferocious rockers that were just as thrilling as the Sex Pistols and T.Rex. No doubt Oasis' legacy is cemented with DEFINITELY MAYBE and (WHAT'S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY?. With those two albums, the band merged the best of British rock into two stellar, comprehensive packages, wielding out brutal rockers ("Rock N Roll Star", "Cigarettes and Alcohol", "Some Might Say", "Morning Glory"), lovely ballads ("Slide Away", "Wonderwall", "Cast No Shadow"), life-affirming anthems ("Live Forever", "Supersonic", "Don't Look Back at Anger") and masterful epics with virtuoso guitar solos ("Columbia", "Champagne Supernova").
Yet many fans fail to notice that they had an even greater selection of brilliant songs that went unheard of, most which were relegated to B-sides to a single. Like their idols the Smiths and the Stone Roses, Oasis released songs on B-sides that wound up surpassing the material from their two albums. Fewer songs rocked as viciously "Fade Away", "Headshrinker", "(It's Good) to be Free" and the Noel/Liam duet "Acquiesce"; fewer songs were as melodic as "Stay Young" and "Rockin' Chair"; and fewer ballads were as gentle, sweet and beautiful as "Talk Tonight" and "Half the World Away" (both sang by Noel). All these songs can be found in THE MASTERPLAN, which collects most of the B-sides that were released during the band's early years, plus a whopping live cover version of The Beatles' "I Am the Walrus". All these songs are so intoxicating to listen to that it is frustrating that Noel did not consider releasing them on the actual studio albums. With the exception of "Swamp Song", which is a muddle instrumental, there is not a weak track on the album and any of them could have been used for an upcoming third album. Unfortunately, Oasis opted to release a single-disc compilation of the B-sides, thus negating some of their more essential tracks off the list. Many of these songs including "I Will Believe", "Cloudburst", "Do You Wanna Be a Spaceman?", "Take Me Away", "It's Better People", "Step Out", "Round Are Way", "(I've) Got a Fever", "My Sister Lover", "Flashbax" and the cover of Slade's "Cum On Feel the Noize" and the Stones' "Street Fighting Man" are greatly missed. Indeed, a two-disc compilation would have truly some these problems. Still, for all its flaws, THE MASTERPLAN is a great purchase and a must-have, not only for Oasis fans but for music fans who crave for the best that 90's rock had to offer. Indeed, 90's hard rock does not get any better or more thrilling than this.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Still mad for it,
By
This review is from: Masterplan (Audio CD)
Few would argue that the most essential Oasis albums are the first two, Definitely Maybe from August 1994 and (What's The Story) Morning Glory from October 1995, when they were young and mad for it, and Noel Gallagher had a pocket book seemingly stuffed to capacity with classic songs. So prolific was he that the singles from that brief period contained a further 20 new songs on the B-sides most of which were the equal of those on the albums, some arguably superior.
With the exception of their debut single, Supersonic, none of these had been released in America, hence the idea of compiling the best of the B-sides onto an album for their benefit. The track listing was apparently chosen by fans on the Internet with some influence from Noel Gallagher, and two of his justly favourite compositions, Underneath The Sky and The Masterplan, make it onto the album alongside obvious musts like Acquiesce and Fade Away. All date from 1994 and 1995 apart from two 1997 recordings that appear on singles extracted from Be Here Now. The biggest omission is the non-album single Whatever, perhaps excluded on the grounds that it was not a B-side. Step Out (the B-side of Don't Look Back In Anger), removed from Morning Glory for legal reasons due to its similarity to Stevie Wonder's Uptight, misses out again, as does the anthemic Round Are Way, and the Slade cover Cum On Feel The Noize. However, rockers like Headshrinker and the Bacharach-inspired Going Nowhere easily earn their places in the company of the likes of the acoustic ballad Talk Tonight and the more recent (though written in 1990) Going Nowhere. Completists should note that the live I Am The Walrus, recorded at a soundcheck in Gleneagles, fades at 6.24, whereas on the Cigarettes And Alcohol EP it is complete at 8.14. Listen Up has been shorn of 18 seconds from its guitar solo, and Half A World Away, now known to the nation as the theme of The Royle Family, inexplicably fades out just a couple of seconds short of its natural end as heard on the Whatever EP. However, on the strength of these supposedly second division songs, perhaps there are actually three essential Oasis albums |
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Masterplan by Oasis (Audio CD - 1998)
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