Album Essentials: Oasis - "Definitely Maybe"
By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor
Oasis Hit The Ground Running 30 Years Ago With ‘Definitely Maybe’
This is not news, but just to make clear, years do indeed evaporate before our very eyes and ears. How is it possible that this summer will signal the 30th (yeah, count 'em!) anniversary of the debut album from Oasis. It all seems so quaint now, a tad charming in fact, the whole ‘Britpop Battle of the Bands’ between Blur and Oasis, then followed by all the stragglers chasing that car. There were a lot of good songs and good records that came out of the whole movement and though Blur, Suede, and a couple others were first to the party, the arrival of Oasis seemed to be the defined starting line for the era.
They were nothing new, of course, a mini gang of ego driven wise ass guys, out to prove themselves to the world. Armed with a couple guitars, rhythm section and a singer overflowing with attitude, how could they lose?! Especially, when they had such a fine songwriter in band leader Noel Gallagher, the kind who knew just how much to steal to seal the deal and make it his own.
'Definitely Maybe' was released in the aftermath of the 'alternative' rock wave that had crashed following the suicide of Nirvana's Kurt Cobain, and the deluge of mediocre faceless bands that marched in amongst the wreckage. The press, the fans, and the radio were still full throttle on 'alt rock' which, by that point, meant basically anything that wasn't REO Speedwagon. So here comes this brigade of bands from the UK that don't look 'grungy', in fact, they look pretty cool and stylish, from the glam residue of Suede and new wave nod from Elastica, to the Mod aesthetics of Blur and Oasis, this all felt fresh and exciting, despite a feeling that we'd been here before.
The album kicks off with the celebratory and defiant 'Rock And Roll Star,' a total celebration of rock and roll and everything surrounding it. This was miles away from the sour and dour sludge the flannel brigade was so enamored with. Lead singer Liam Gallagher had enough Johnny Rotten in his being to sell it, and sell it well as the brash wall of guitars embraced the listener. This was the sound of a post-‘Madchester’ England, guitars at full volume, attitude even higher.
'Shakermaker,' 'Up In The Sky,' 'Supersonic,' and the anthemic 'Live Forever' (which made the British top 10) all rang out in braggadocios glory while even the most blatant theft of 'Cigarettes & Alcohol' (No. 7 in the UK) with its tried and true Marc Bolan guitar riff, as if played by Neil Young, at its core somehow avoided any generic retread. These boys from Manchester seemingly had found the keys to the kingdom, in their homeland anyway. 'Definitely Maybe' was an emphatic chart topper in England and sold very well around the world, and in the process, set the stage for the global takeover with their next album, 'What's The Story Morning Glory?' 30 years on, people are still talking about the Gallagher brothers in singular as well as in the context of Oasis. The mark they've left has yet to be fully defined in some ways. I think time has been kind to most of their musical output and yes, please file under Essential!