The Masterplan

Oasis

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 3, 1998)
• Original Release Date: November 3, 1998
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00000DHR1
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (166 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #25,085 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Acquiesce

2. Underneath the Sky

3. Talk Tonight

4. Going Nowhere

5. Fade Away

6. Swamp Song

7. I Am the Walrus [Live]

8. Listen Up

9. Rockin' Chair

10. Half the World Away

11. (It's Good) To Be Free

12. Stay Young

13. Headshrinker

14. Masterplan

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Following a British rock tradition initiated by the Beatles and lovingly inherited by the Jam and the Clash, Oasis is the only band of the CD era to offer fans extra tracks on their singles that are often as good as, if not better than, the hits. Rather than saving his new songs for the next full album, Noel Gallagher prefers immediacy. Thus, this compilation of those various "B-Sides"--many available as nonimports for the first time--works just great as a listening experience, offering metallic rushes ("Acquiesce," "The Swamp Song") and absolute melodic beauty ("Talk Tonight," the marvelous "Rockin' Chair"), while conjuring up the ghosts of Mott the Hoople, T. Rex, the Fab Four, and Slade, although Oasis's "Cum On Feel the Noize" is sadly absent. --Bill Holdship

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What's The Masterplan?, March 1, 2005

By	M. Heidenreich "Well, Well, Well" (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

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.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great but missing a few noteworthy songs, January 12, 2005

By	kevinicus (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews

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!!

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Example of Extraordinary Talent, November 25, 2000

By	NOEL GALLAGHER "topofthepops" (Clermont, FL, United States) - See all my reviews

"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.