Oasis DIG OUT YOUR SOUL

Those headstrong Manchester lads have roared up a feedback-heavy, rollickingly drunk set of pure, unabashed rock n' roll tunes in the form of their latest LP, the cheekily titled "Dig Out your soul". While the blustery, swaggering cock-rock of Oasis's earliest, most vital work translates best in the form of their raucous live shows, a great deal of this energy has been lost on the band's last few (admittedly tepid) releases. That being said, "Dig out your soul", while far from being a fully realized rock n' roll record, is by far their most enjoyable release in quite some time. "The Shock of Lightning" sounds as though the boys are playing from a higher, more refined elevation level then anything they've ever done as they shamelessly recycle the same "Supersonic"-era rock britrock raunch, while the groovy "Nothing on me" boasts a slinky, sexy bass line and a rousing, fuzz-heavy vitriol that hears Liam Gallagher wail "All I want is the truth!" And yet, for every halfway-enjoyable rocker to be found on this admittedly grandiose record there are just as many snoozers like the god-awful John-Lennon-aping drowse-rawk of "I'm outta time"- a turkey which makes "Champagne Supernova" look downright modest by comparison. Fans of these foul-mouthed UK bad boys will surely be sated by this latest offering but fans of rock teetering on the precipice of something new and innovative should be encouraged to seek out new releases by groups like the Fleet Foxes and TV on the radio. Sadly, and though they play it well, Oasis are still playing the same old tune.
-By Nicholas Laskin