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Well I suppose it had to happen sooner or later, and to be fair it has taken twelve years for arguably the biggest band to come out of Britain since The Beatles to finally put out a best-of compilation. While Stop The Clocks can't be described as being anywhere near definitive, its tracks still knock giant spots off most of the album chart competition out there at the minute.
While it has been a popular pastime for indie elitists to regularly knock the Gallaghers - particularly since the admittedly dynamic-less duo of Be Here Now and Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants - it would be difficult to imagine any music lover of a certain age, whatever genre path they eventually followed, not owning at least one Oasis record. Indeed, the chances are that the average DiS reader has probably got most - if not all - of the eighteen songs that make up this album in one format or another. If, like me, you're one of those saddo completists, you may have already taken the trouble to compile your own personal best-of, too.
Forget the fact that this is basically a get-out clause, enabling Oasis to depart from Sony with their heads held high (although that probably explains the lack of new material on here - rumour has it Noel Gallagher didn't want to give anything away to his past employers). What makes Stop The Clocks fascinating is that its tracklisting was selected by the band: bearing in mind that only two of the current line-up played on fifteen of the songs here, that makes the Gallaghers' own admission that they've never really matched the euphoric standards of Definitely Maybe and (What's The Story) Morning Glory quite admirable, and even a little poignant.
Aside from the obvious inclusion of flagship anthems such as 'Supersonic', 'Cigarettes And Alcohol' and 'Live Forever', this compilation also includes some of the band's b-sides, most of which could (and in some cases should) have been singles in their own right. Even now, many of them sound head and shoulders above most of what came afterwards, i.e. post Morning Glory, whether that feeling is because of Oasis themselves or any of the lad-rock pretenders embarrassingly following suit in their wake.
The only gripes here are that only eighteen tracks doesn't really do one of the most influential bands of our generation justice, and also that the lack of material from the band's last two albums (go on, admit it if you dare: Heathen Chemistry and Don't Believe The Truth are actually pretty decent records), which blatantly suggests that Stop The Clocks may just be the start of Oasis's journey aboard the compilation gravy train.
Despite a good decade or more having passed since the majority of these songs were recorded, Oasis's heyday really does feel like yesterday. Like it's been 24 hours since the last time you burst into song about being a rock and roll star, or that you were sniffing Alka Seltzer through a cane. No doubt in another ten years it will still feel the same. I wonder if you'll be able to say that about Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly in 2016? Who...?
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Oasis
fair review.
I really haven't got much of them at all, this sounds exactly like my bag.
mad for it
"which blatantly suggests that Stop The Clocks may just be the start of Oasis's journey aboard the compilation gravy train."
Write first three album, fall back on b sides, muddle through next few albums, release compilations, get old in mansion.
i like...
the cover. Good review as well.
Got to admit
I gave this a spin the other day and now that the songs don't get played to death every ehere you go, i rather enjoyed it.
Apart from Lalya
That's still shit.
i always though they wee shit - no balls, no soul.
normally i don't like to be so negative. but my taste has been laid claim to (i'm definitely of that 'certain age') and i'd like it back.
*were shit
obviously - see how angry you made me, i can't even spell!
Slide away
is such an amazing song. The first time I saw oasis they played it for the first time in years. I was only 16. I got far too excited.
Be Here Now Apologists Society
every university and county council should have one. I'd be a member. Be Here Now was FAR FAR FAR better than the tossfests that followed. Scientific fact. There's no evidence but its fact.
7 that's It ?
come on man, lets be serious even if you don't like the song selections these songs defined a generation both in the uk and around the world. mind you i would have included songs like listen up, rockin chair, gas panic, and do you know what mean. but that is besides the point. since,i own everything on stop the clocks.
also, people need to revaluate standing on the shoulder of giants. fucking in the bushes, gas panic, roll it over, go let it out, where did it all go wrong, and sunday morning call are all quality songs. that are leaps and bounds ahead of anything on heathen chemistry. which is just an awful awful record.
Oh I dunno
Personally I'd take 'The Hindu Times' and 'Hung In A Bad Place' (not to mention 'Better Man') over anything off Be Here Now or SOTSOG, with the possible exception of 'Its Getting Better Man'.
Gash!
Double Gash!
nah man...
didn't all the songs like go on forever or something on that album?
On a seperate note I think this band are amazing live !
Seconded
.
.
"these songs defined a generation both in the uk and around the world"
Yep. I remember when Definitely Maybe soundtracked mass genocide in Rwanda in 94. Good times.
Now now
Thom!
Thing is
...you could probably buy the first two albums now, for less (combined) than the cost of buying Stop The Clocks.
And you could DEFINITELY just buy the first one for less.
Innit.
BHN
sucked ass. "Stand by me" is one of the worst songs ever. However "D'yer know what I mean?" was the bands best...
could have been better this record if they'd veered more away from the early stuff, but hey-ho...
be here now
is the most boring album ever made
2 words
MAGIC
and
PIE
arguably rhe biggest british band since the beatles
I'll take that arguement:
led zep
genesis
duran duran
culture club!
depeche mode
the cure
..right off the top of my head
"most Beatlish British band since the Beatles" : you can have that, if you like
jus cos Noelly G has it tattooed on the inside of his eyelids don't necessarily make it so
only Morning Glory really sold in the US and I don't believe that topped a million sales.
so
in fact
let's go for
Oasis = nearly as big as Bush, slightly less stable than Duran, almost as drug addled as Depeche Mode, considerably less important than Led Zep, but, easily, consistently funnier than Genesis
but not as good as the Cure
He could shave that into the monobrow if he liked.
I do like them, mind.
Not, y'know, much
but I have a fair few of their records.
And I like their interviews a lot.
A lot.
I have read more Oasis interviews than any other band.
That Noel IS a funny fucker and not without insight.
Oasis are no way
the biggest British band since the Beatles.
They're pretty popular here but they haven't had a huge impact in many overseas territories, especially in the States, where I reckon Bush, Coldplay and even Snow Patrol have had more success.
I just tried Googling for top selling bands but drew a blank. I reckon Oasis aren't even in the top 5.
I like the early Oasis stuff, but the last few albums have had neither grit nor real soul. They have not broken boundaries, they do not have thought provoking lyrics. It really put me off Oasis when I read that Liam just makes up random phrases that rhymes and sounds effective. (Admittedly my very own Pixies did that, but they ticked all the other boxes like being groundbreaking and subversive). Even in their own words, Oasis are derivative. They are radio-friendly, granny-friendly soft rock.
I am really surprised that this site will give Oasis a decent review when bands like The Feeling, who peddle a not-entirely-dissimilar hummable radio friendly soft sound get pelted with rancid tomatoes. In fact, I think The Feeling have come up with more memorable tunes than Oasis have in recent years.
I liked the image of
someone weeing shit...
^
truth.
The Feeling!!!
The Feeling what a load of ****
ha ha ha and Bush what the hell is that all about
Come On Guys!!!
OK First two albums quality!
Then next two shite(Be Here Now/Standing On The Shoulders), but how many bands do you know that would of bounced back from that! Not many and this band have especially with their last album!
Don't you think that it shows as well no Be Here Now songs on this album and the band still sell out all over the UK!
Fair enough, Mr "thebigmusic"
By making this record largely 1995 and earlier, it's hardly going to be a bad listen in itself. It just means it's hardly worth having I guess. What person who has ever liked Oasis doesn't own Definitely Maybe, Morning Glory and either The Masterplan or the early singles?
I generally like their interviews, but do get really cheesed off with their constant slagging of anything that isn't, funnily enough, "the big music".
Do you do voodoo?
I bet this record isn't as much fun as Deja Voodoo by Heavy Stereo.
...
Oasis defined a generation musically in the same way that My Family defined a generation comedically.
Fuck Oasis. Again.
Weren't
they 2nd biggest selling British Band of the 90s behind the Spice Girls?
Popliarity
Yeah. Absolutely collossal they were. They were almost as big as David Devant, Kenny Process Team and Denim. Staggeringly popular bands all of them.
the glory
is my favourite DiS-er.
fact. he is a genius/idiot, and great fun.
I agree...
I'd rate him almost as highly as Stealthy for sheer entertainment value.
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