Final Rating: 8.5/10
In light of Oasis’s impending reunion, I thought it only appropriate to do a deep dive into the album that propelled them to international stardom. Released in August of 1994, amidst the death of grunge, it offered its listeners something different. While guitarist Noel Gallagher hijacked some of the riffs from other songs (most notably “Cigarettes and Alcohol,” taken from “Get It On” by T. Rex, which was in turn inspired by “Little Queenie” by Chuck Berry), they still managed to craft a wildly unique sound.
The early 1990’s were instrumental in the creation of the later defined “Britpop” scene which went on to define a plethora of different British bands. Besides Oasis, some of the most well-known bands were the Arctic Monkey’s and Blur. Britpop was defined as such as it emphasized “Britishness” although it almost entirely focused on English bands rather than Scottish or Welsh.
But there really was nothing like Oasis. Sure, Blur was also making its rounds, but the two bands were very different. Liam Gallagher’s vocals were raw, nasal, and seeping with rebellious attitude, giving the album its gritty, hard-hitting edge.
His brother Noel, in contrast, brings a smoother, more melodic tone on tracks where he sings, offering something else. Liam’s snarling intensity drives the energy of songs like “Rock ‘n’ Roll Star,” while Noel’s vocals, though less frequent, add a layer of emotional depth.
Although it takes most artists a long time to reach fame (the vast majority never do), Oasis found it almost instantaneously. Within four days of release, Definitely Maybe had sold over 100,000 copies. It’s easy to see why, too.
Definitely Maybe will always be my favorite Oasis album.
