Definitely Maybe

Well, I don't know why I didn't put this one in my top ten, as it belongs there. Firmly. Probably in the top three, actually.

I read recently here that this album is 'badly-recorded'. Balderdash, the recording is absolutely first rate. It sounds like a live album with no crowd noise. Four heavenly sides of wax.

And the music! Sublime.

Stand-out track, for me, is 'Slide Away', but the whole thing is wonderful. If this one doesn't get you playing the air guitar, you are dead.

Go on - shoot me, for I am old.

 

I used to be a massive Oasis fan when they first hit big in the mid 90's, but recent albums and the terrible recording quality of some of their songs have put them quite a long way down my play list recently

Some songs are well recorded others (What's The Story for example) are rendered almost unlistenable by the accuracy of my headphone system (which is what I listen to 95% of the time now).

It's a shame really but I believe their music has gone downhill, and to say they have inconsistent sound quality is an understatement, one song may be fantastic, the next unlistenable :newbie:

These days they sound best to my ears after a pint or two in a rock club or on a pub PA system....all IMHO of course.

 

I agree that their subsequent albums were nowhere near as good as Definitely Maybe.

 

I love all their stuff, every single note on every single album and single that i own, never get bored with playing it. Def Maybe was a brilliant debut album however, Whats the story is my all time fave, just had too many drunken nights listenening to it with my my drunken pals not to love it to death, happy memories from a time and a place far, far away....

Oasis have often been critisised for the sound quality of their albums, I think that my CD versions of the albums take a bit of getting used to as they clearly sound brighter on my system than other Cd's, (OK in thre car though ). I seem to remember, at the time of release, that they had made an extra special effort regarding recording quality with Heathen Chemistry, even to the extent of spreading it over 2 x 45 rpm disks for the Vinyl version instead of the more normal 33 rpm ( Bloody LP12's !! mine copy has still only been played twice so far ).

Their records are still quite clearly very popular and the Vinyl versions seem to go for top dollar these days on the likes of e-pay- just 6ake a look. I'm still kicking myself for not getting The Masterplan when i had the chance a couple of years ago, at a normal price. It's value seems to have gone through the roof these days.
Another thing I like about their releases is the fact thay often include rarely played ( on the radio ) b sides that were good enough for side A in their own right.

Am I fan and do I still like them after all these years - you betcha !

 

Yes - a cracking album and their best by a fair amount IMO. I wore my pre-recorded cassette of this out - the only other album I did this to was Blur's Parklife - you could just play both albums over and over again and not tire of them.

Agree that Slide Away is the best track followed closely by Live Forever - isn't it funny that those two, unlike some of the others on there, don't sound like a rip off of something else.

Actually, if you play the guitar you'll realise how nicely structured Slide Away is - really nice chords in it too - plenty of diminished chords which I always liked to use myself when I played in bands.

I've still got it on vinyl but don't have a turntable just now - the people who just have the CD might not even know that they miss out on a great track called Sad Song - don't know why that isn't on the CD - it's a bloody good song.

What's the Story was good too - after that they seemed to go downhill a bit, perhaps confirming the theory that the best material is written prior to reaching age 30.

Amazing debut album really though - the only other debut album I can think of that was as outstanding (though quite different) is Gomez's "Bring it On" (and the recording quality of that one is superb).

Matt.

 

Not listened to it for a while, but it's my fav of theirs. I own the first 3 but sort of lost interest after that.

The first thing of theirs I heard was Supersonic, and at the time I was blown away by it.

I think the whole hype surrounding them ended up making the publicity side of things overtake the music side of them. How does anyone rate the albums that came after Be Here Now? They seem to be regulars in the bargain basements, so perhaps worth getting.

 

Definitely Maybe is an excellent album. The only one of theirs I bothered keeping. Supersonic and Slide Away being my two favourites on there.

What's The Story had some great tracks on it, particularly Some Might Say, but the blatant overkill it got almost everywhere just really put me right off it. Good to hear in a pub but that's about it really. Saw them live once, Leeds 2000, and live they were 100% about the attitude and 0% about the music, one of the sloppiest, least engaging shows I've seen, Primal Scream who were on before them blew them off the stage with ease.

 

Don't mind saying that i like Oasis.

Definitely Maybe goes well with lager.

Masterplan goes well with vodka.

 

Oasis is odd. I can't stand playing the stuff at home but in clubs I really like it. I think maybe large dissorted speakers are what is needed to make it sound good

Its just too bright for my tastes really, there is some good songs on there though. Shakermaker is highly relevent to me because I actually do buy my records from Mr Sifter.

 

Noel is a muso buffoon. Liam's a proper rock star, though.

Don't really think much of them, but I can see the appeal of their first album.

-- Ian

 

Yeah - a patchy album at best - at worst it's total poo (and yes, I do own it). I also bought Be Here Now for the blatant cokehead sound it has (I love that "All around the world" track for the blatant cheese!), and I LOVE Definitely Maybe. I stuck on Supersonic a couple of days back in fact and it rocked with only Liam's nasty sibilants being annoying (Naim CD5 doesn't hold back on them, unlike the Rega Planet).

I saw them at Knebworth 1996 - I had to admit that I felt I was watching them on TV - no crowd interaction, nothing. The Chemical Brothers, Prodigy (bloody Marcus, making me give him sighted guide to the beer tent when I could have been dancing to them!), Bootleg Beatles easily surpassed them. Real bummer was being stuck behind a coach that had broken down, for 4 hours, on the way out (oh, and puking into a carrier bag on the way due to a VICIOUS hangover, and then discovering the blooming bag had airholes and had leaked - I sat on the other side of the coach on the way back That greeeeeeasy hot dog straight after the trip there sorted the hangover right out though!

 

I seen them in Loch Lomand (the gig just before Knebworth), where The bland street preachers and Black Grape and someone else I forget, were supporting. Black grape were great and got the place jumping, and Oasis weren't too bad either!

There was a lot bottle throwing, people climbing up things they shouldn't have been threats to leave the stage etc...

Quite a good "event" really.

Didn't John Squire join them on stage at Knebworth too?

 

Oasis started well, got some money, went downhill, got even more money, and then became repetitive and just plain boring IMO. It seems that they were hungry for success, which inspired them to some degree, and when they got that success the inspiration was gone....oh well.

 

Matt,

Gomez's "Bring it On" is a GREAT album, but the best debut album of all time is definitely not Definitely Maybe, it's The Stone Roses "The Stone Roses". Definitely.

**Edit**

It might even be "Doggy Style" by the then Snoop Doggy Dogg though...

FS

 

Strange - while I recognise that its badly recorded, I still find it very listenable on my headphone rig. I agree I think this is a great album...

 

Hi Dom,

I was there was it the Saturday or Sunday you went (I went Saturday). Must admit I thought the Chemical Brothers and the Prodigy were great that day, however Oasis were a bit of a blur. Having discovered that you weren't permitted to bring alcoholic drink on site and knowing the beer tents would be murder, we each bought big 1 litre screw top cartons of fresh orange, tipped half out and topped up with vodka and walked through the gate. I think I'd had my fill of this sticky concoction by the time Oasis came on

 

mO, was that the Saturday ?
I was there on the Sunday and it was very good [Bootleg Beatles, Ocean Colour Scene etc.] There was the largest bottle-fight I have ever seen just before OASIS came on. Thankfully we were over at the mixing desks so were kind of sheilded. One guy lost an eye (it was on the front of the papers) and I'm sure it was from this half-filled, 2 litre, Coke bottle that wizzed past us.

The concert (and whole day in general) was excellent. Burnt to a crisp as well.

Oasis albums ?

First is my favourite and features IMO most of their best songs : Rock 'n' Roll Star, Live Forever, Columbia, Slide Away. Incidentally, "Slide Away" is the only track on the album not produced by Owen Morris and is all the better for it.

(What's the Story) Morning Glory is a pretty personal album for me, so much so that I actually find it quite uncomfortable to listen to. However, it is a good album but still second to, IMO, Defo Maybe.

After that they went royally up their own keisers [sic]. They've redeemed themselves recently, with some decent single releases but their hedonism has made them a laughing stock. The public think their music isn't as good and they're twats. The press think they're twats and their music isn't as good. I reckon both are right.

They have the potential to release some great music but with continual band changes, in-fighting and the over-powering creative force that is Big Brother Noel I doubt they'll ever acheive anywhere near the same level of artistic/commercial success again.

(Best Oasis song ever ? "Columbia", by a mile. Don't give me "Wonderwall" or "Don't look back in anger", "Columbia" has balls aplenty and isn't afraid to whack them in the face of anyone listening. Either that or "Live Forever" )

 

Trust me - it's DEFINITELY The Stone Roses - the first answer is always the correct one!

No offence, but Snoop Doggy Dogg was one of the first "urban" (read sh**) artists to make it big in this country. All IMHO of course.

And this is from an Ice T/Bodycount fan - I'm not averse to ALL (c)rap...

 

I got less blurry as the day went on - 6 pints of LETHAL home brew (from my mate) and 4 stellas the night before gave me my second worst hangover EVER! I had 1 beer in the afternoon and that was it! Yep - I was there Saturday too Good day wasn't it? I taped Sunday's off of 1FM and still have the tape somewhere.

OCEAN COLOUR SCENE!!! THAT'S the other band - of COURSE!!! "Get away" sold me the album - one fantastic track - and seeing them live was great. I still have those cheapo "opera glasses" thingies somewhere 'cos I'd left my minocular at home and wanted to "see" Oasis - didn't realise I'd end up right near a huge Jumbotron

 

"Doggy Style", I've yet to hear an album of that genre (West Coast Hip-Hop/P-Funk) come close to bettering it.

"All eyez on me" or "The Chronic" maybe, but only just maybe.