The Masterplan

by

Oasis

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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.

I have always been puzzled by the response people give as to why they don't rate Oasis and they say "Because all there songs sound the same". I reply "so you think 'talk tonight' and 'Headshrinker' sound the same?" they look confused and answer "i haven't heard them?".

I always assume that people buy the singles and albums if they are real fans but obviously not. Having had the privilege of hearing every song Oasis have ever released i can safely say that they are the best B-sides band since the Beatles.

There are some very good songs on this album but there are many more that people (particularly those in America) haven't heard. Songs like 'Better People' and 'Flashbax' are amazing but i bet not many of you have heard them. If not get the Oasis singles! Still... on to the album.

The highlights include 'Acquiescue' (which typifies the Oasis mid-90's swagger), the beautiful 'Talk Tonight'. It must be said that there is nearly always one Noel sung acoustic song on each single so if you like this then you would enjoy their singles for the B-sides.

'Going Nowhere' was a song Noel wrote when he was unemployed in Manchester in 1992 and lyrically expresses his hopes and dreams for the future and is one of the few Oasis songs to use a brass section.

'The Swamp Song' is the poorest song on the album and sounds like something Noel ans his mate Paul Weller did after a quite a few pints late into the night.

'Listen Up' is a great B-side and yet another that deserved to be on a proper studio album. The guitar rephrane works wonderfully against Liam's voice. The same can be said about 'Rockin' Chair' where Noel does his guitar break acoustically (something he doesn't do nearly enough as he is a capable acoustic lead guitarist too).

'Half The World Away' is used as the theme tune to an award winning English sitcom that is set in the working-class North (The Royle Family), so many people in Britain new this song from the programme and those who weren't die hard Oasis fans were amazed to find that the song was a B-side.

'(It's good) To Be Free' is unual in that it is one of the few songs written by Noel with a laidback, almost content feel to it. But then Noel was on holiday in Texas when he wrote and recorded it!

The 'Pub-Rock bollocks' of 'Stay Young' (as Noel put it), is too predictable and hasn't the drive and feeling of usual Oasis songs but will appeal to those who don't like their songs too deep (eg 'Sunday Morning Call').

The album ends with many peoples favourite Oasis song of them all 'The Masterplan'. This song includes the most interesting string section since that used on the Beatles 'Elenor Rigby'. Also it was Oasis' first dabble into backward tapes and Noel's guitar works perfectly. This song is as anthemic as 'Don't Look Back In Anger' and 'Live Forever'. How this stayed of the 'Morning Glory' album is something no-one really understands except that Noel's writing was so prolific at that point something had to stay off!

This album was released at the worst time in Britain for Oasis, as it followed the backlash of the 'Be Here Now' LP. But it did give audiences overseas a chance to here songs that perhaps were unknown to them beforehand. Worth buying if you don't own their singles.