Oasis
Heathen Chemistry
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Heathen Chemistry is the sound of a real band finding its way. Sure the main focus is still on those crazy Gallagher brothers but solid contributions from relatively new members Gem Archer and Andy Bell and interchanging roles for the brothers themselves make this one the best, most varied Oasis record since their mid-90s high water mark (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?

Opener “The Hindu Times” has a big, dense sound and one of Noel Gallagher’s best guitar riffs in a long time. So what if the lyrics are goofy nonsense. “Cos God gimme soul in your rock’n’roll (babe) / And I get so high I just can’t feel it,” Liam Gallagher sings in that familiar petulant sneer.

But Liam has grown up a bit as a vocalist as well as he shows later on the Gem Archer-penned, punk-influenced “Hung In A Bad Place.” Oddly, that tune echoes the sound of the band’s first album Definitely Maybe.

The T-Rex-like grinder “Force of Nature” features Noel doing an admirable job on vocals. The lyrics read like what may be a rather nasty commentary on the breakup of his marriage: “For smoking all my stash / and burning all my cash / I bet you knew right away / it’s all over town that / the sun’s going down / on the days of your easy life.”

Noel sounds considerably more upbeat, perhaps having found new love, on the heartfelt “She Is Love,” which with its nice acoustic backing sounds much less cluttered than some Oasis tunes. “She is love and her ways are high and steep / She is love and I believe her when she speaks,” he sings.

The record’s first single in the States, “Stop Crying Your Heart Out,” is the kind of power ballad Oasis does best. Think “Wonderwall” or “Champagne Supernova” and get those lighters ready kids. “You’ll never change what been and gone,” Liam sings on the Noel-penned track. A little piano intro and a sweeping string section set the mood nicely. Calculated as hell but it’s still a pretty song and an album highlight.

Liam takes the songwriter mantle from his brother on the sweet acoustic-based, Americana-flavored “Songbird.” It’s a nice little trifle that leaves you wanting more. “Talk of better days that have yet to come / Never felt this love from anyone,” he sings.

Noel returns to the mic on “Little By Little” for a terrific chorus that tests the limits of his vocal range. This one would sound good alongside “Don’t Look Back in Anger.” “But my God woke up on the wrong side of His bed / And it just don’t matter now,” he sings. Strangely for a record called Heathen Chemistry, God sure does turn up frequently in the lyrics.

Bassist Andy Bell wrote the mid-set instrumental groove “A Quick Peep” which works as a nice palette cleanser that gets you ready for the rest of the album.

The remaining tracks include “(Probably) All In the Mind” which seems to ape the great Stone Roses and features a guitar solo from The Smiths’ Johnny Marr. For veteran Oasis watchers, the record’s most accomplished Beatles pastiche is the Liam-penned “Born On A Different Cloud.” His vocals are distorted in the way that John Lennon’s sounded on his Phil Spector-produced early 70s work as he sings winkingly familiar lines like “busy working overtime.” Marr shows up here as well with a George Harrison-esque slide guitar solo. “Better Man” on the other hand sounds more like 1975’s Rock and Roll than Plastic Ono Band. And the CD’s hidden track, an un-credited instrumental, gives Noel a chance to offer up some screaming guitar solos.

Heathen Chemistry has a depth, diversity and soulfulness that has eluded the band in the past. Sounds like these heathens are finding a chemistry that works.

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