Oasis' Soul swagger

04-10-2008 08:15

With much gusto - not to mention broken ribs, baiting of hip-hop stars, Amy Winehouse and each other; all accompanied by a stream of "f**ks" punctuating their sentences - Oasis triumphantly return with their seventh album 'Dig Out Your Soul'.Released on Monday (06.10.08) 'Dig Out Your Soul' is packed - as lead single 'The Shock of the Lightning brashly announced - with polished psychedelic pop trips.Expanding on the foundations laid down on 2005s 'Don't Believe the Truth', this new album sounds more like a full band gelling together as one than Oasis possibly ever have before, with tunes ringing with guitar drones and steeped in echoes, samples and effects, all underpinned by a solid, heavy and groovy rhythm section. It is the most mature and original addition to the band's canon for ten years. 'Dig Out Your Soul' is also the sound of a band reaching a new peak in their career - confident, exciting and exploratory; it is intelligent without getting lost in itself. It's still discernibly Oasis, with plenty of melody and hooks and singer Liam Gallagher's trademark rock 'n' roll growl, just under a new guise."This is the album we've been leading up to since Gem and Andy joined the band," says guitarist Noel Gallagher - referring to the band's line-up change of 2001 which saw Gem Archer and Andy Bell replace original members Paul 'Bonehead' Arthurs and Paul "Guigsy" McGuigan on guitar and bass respectively.The group was, until recently, completed by drummer Zak Starkey, who played on a number of tracks, but recently left to be replaced by Robbie Williams' former sticksman Chris Sharrock.'Dig Out Your Soul' is also a return to bigger, grander, ideas for the band, as evidenced by Noel's announcement that he'd: "Make an absolutely f***king colossal album. You know? Like literally two orchestras, stuff like that."