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Oasis :: Heathen Chemistry Review
Artist:Oasis
Title: Heathen Chemistry
Label: Helter Skelter
Bones: 
Summary: Self-proclaimed second best Oasis album ever; we'll bet on that
Sounds Like: What The Beatles would be doing now
Reviewed By: Spartacus
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Some guy at a race track once told me you should always bet on the favorite horse to come second because you'll get a bigger return that way and the favorite never wins anyway.
Oasis (well, Noel and Liam) have made no secret of the fact that they think Heathen Chemistry is their second best album ever and using the philly philosophy we're willing to back that up with a fookin' fiver.
You can say they still sound like the Beatles, or you can say they still sound like a bunch of talented songwriters who happened to grow up listening to the Beatles and you'd be right both times. But who really cares?
Every song on this album is a killer. From the jangling stadium strumming of opening single 'The Hindu Times' to the cruisy city-streets-at-night sounds of final track 'Better Man', every note hits the right sonic sweet spot and all 11 tracks sound great through any medium, whether it's your walkman headphones or the sub woofer in your Honda; on stage they are going to blow audiences away (in the good sense, not the Liam coked off his head and couldn't give a shit sense).
Heathen Chemistry (named after a shirt Noel bought in Ibiza) is a musical step forward for the band, who've got some new sidekicks on board who happen to play their instruments really, really well - not that it was Noel and the Ramones before, but the cohesion and musical maturity shines here much clearer than any other Oasis album - which is good because when good song writers from good groups leave the groups or bring in session musicians to stand behind them, the songs tend to go stale hella quickly (think Wings, Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger, Slash's Snake Pit etcetera). The fact that the music on this album is still so raw, yet comes off sounding so polished is testament to the other half of Oasis; Andy Bell, Gem Archer and Alan whatsisname; as it is to the "leadership" of the brothers Gallagher.
If you were one of the squillions of people who bought 'What's the Story Morning Glory' (it had 'Wonderwall' on it in case you've forgotten) and haven't whacked it on the stereo for a while, head over to your CD rack and have a bit of a listen. If you're not hooked then you're probably deaf. Now, by process of elimination, what you will be listening to is Oasis's third best album. Let that sink in for a bit have a little think about it, and get to a record store immediately.
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