Oasis fans are nothing if not a loyal lot

So my review of the new Oasis album “Dig Out Your Soul” was posted to a fan Web site here, and it’s generating a lot of email.

No jokes about being surprised that Oasis fans can write, please. They deserve their say, and it follows the jump.

And these in from over the transom:

Your Oasis review was an absolutely terrible piece of music journalism my friend. — Adam Henzell

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I have just read your review in the Chicago paper of

the latest Oasis album.

I can safely say that your review of the latest oasis

album is poor in it’s content, it’s insulting, you

continually use poor grammar and above all you show no

(or limited) reference to the music at hand.

I seriously question your ability to conduct a music

review.

I thought Q Magazine had amateur music journalists,

but you have eclipsed even them.

For the record i live just north of Manchester. I

have a good honest knowledge of all tastes of music

since the 1960s.

You my friend must live under a rock. Paul Heyworth

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You are hopeless; thank God you’re an American. Your pathetic analysis on oasis’s latest album shows you bloody late of intelligent effort. How Earn Chong

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In reading your ridiculous review of the new Oasis cd, I thought I would ask if you could take off your helmet while listening to the cd’s you review?

So unbuckle that chin-strap and dig in Jim. I already purchased the new Oasis cd with my hard earned cash and I was greatly rewarded!

Just like the millions of other smart listeners around the globe that purchase our cd’s by choice. Your pathetic dribble does not hold any barring on the people who have great taste in music.

Just like you could not be bothered to break a sweat doing your job for the Chicago Sun Times. I and millions of other fans are so thankful that Oasis put in the hard work to give us DIG OUT YOUR SOUL!

Best wishes — Steven Brown, FIVE STARS

Jim DeRo responds: My star rating was given on the Sun-Times’ FOUR-STAR scale. Five stars is impossible.

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Dear Jim,

I bet you love getting emails like this. Critics always seem to thrive on being negative. I would just like to respond to your review with some of my words for you.

Some background on me, I became a fan of Oasis in 1994 after hearing their first single. I am a huge Beatles fan and upon hearing Supersonic I was sold. In my mind they picked up (even down to the haircut) where the Beatles left off. I respected that. In a world of grunge, they brought a new positive sound and a respect for their influences, that they were not scared to announce.

I would like to tell you that I have been waiting for this album for YEARS. After 1997’s Be Here Now, Oasis lost many many steps along with themselves. Each album since ’97 showed promise….but in the end I was left with a luke warm feeling. Eleven years after Be Here Now, finally Oasis is back. This album is wonderful. It is powerful and upbeat…..a symphony for the ears.

My comments for you, Of course the album sounds like classic artists….that is what we call INFLUENCES! Most Oasis songs don’t have deep lyrics….it WORKS though…the melody carries the lyrics.

I bought a copy of this album for a coworker who loves music. He is former studio drummer trained in classical and jazz styles. He loves all music and always asks for new material to listen too. He is older and did not know much about OASIS. When he listened to the album he came to me with a smile from ear to ear and called Dig Out Your Soul candy for the ears….one of the best albums he has heard in a while!

I would like if you would read a review of the album from a colleague in your industry. He actually could look past the band’s public demeanor and gave an impartial review.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/06/arts/music/06choi.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Unfortunately, mainstream music in the USA has gotten to you. You cannot look past the bubble gum and dollar signs. We live in a country where R&B and Bubblegum rule. Back in the early 90’s oasis’ success most likely has put them in that category in your mind. If you could have just been impartial and let the music do the talking…..that would have been wonderful.

99% of reviewers have done what I said giving the album positive reviews. The music will speak for itself and get the recognition it deserves. Dig out your soul will most likely enter at #5 on the Billboard 200 this week. The band’s highest ranking since 1997’s Be Here Now. That again, is purely based on the band’s EFFORT and delivery of a proper album.

I would like if you responded to my email

Sincerely — Eric Fox

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Dear Jim-

Your review of the new Oasis album Dig Out Your Soul was absolutely appalling. I found this album a refreshing listen. It actually has the feel of an “LP”….love it. Every band is going to sound or be influenced by another band one way or another. Oasis just have the confidence to do so shamelessly. Furthermore, your review was lazy and predictable. The music scene desperately needs an Oasis. And you seriously want to accuse a band of not breaking a sweat? Look at you? When is the last time you gave a fuck about your appearance you fat fuck? When is the last time your diet was quality? When is the last time you put the effort to consistently exercise? Before you accuse people of lack of effort, look at yourself first. If you do want to take the time to give a shit about your lifestyle, let me know, I own a Fitness/Nutrition Company. I will be happy to sort you out.

Chris Farley Forever — Brent Bitner

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Jim, Why do you even bother to write about Oasis? You clearly do NOT like this band? Why should YOU take it upon yourself to negatively impact the opinions of young kids looking to listen to something completely different from the soft / white bread bed wetter music of Coldplay or Daughtry. So they steal inspiration, riffs and lyrics from their heroes….SO WHAT!!! Not a crime. NOT EVEN CLOSE. Maybe fans should be forced to listen to the UNLISTENABLE garbage of Little Thom Yorke? He can’t come up with anything the radio will play anymore – has he made anyting relevant since 1997?…so he records unlistenable garbage. You probably love little Thom. Or Chris Martin and his oh so obvious U2 meets Thom Yorke fetish. You seem to take joy in beating up the Gallaghers, good thing for you they don’t repay you with the same. This is a working class band that makes songs for the masses. Get over it. It’s because of snotty / snobby reporters like yourself

that this band can’t get the pub it deserves in the US. You’d all rather promote / support Three Doors Down, Daughtry and when you feel like stepping out of your little box, you really extend yourself and go gaga for My Morning Jacket. Ugh…as I recall you are the same, gulp, “journalist” that always berates Ryan Adams work…how fitting that Ryan is supporting the best band in the World…OASIS. I could go on and on about EVERYTHING you obviously missed about Dig Out Your Soul…but it really isn’t worth my time. How come people that DON’T play an instrument can be paid to CRITICIZE those that do…shameful. –Patrick Sullivan

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Hey jim maybe you should go 2 the gym and work out 2 the new oasis cd.

And dig out your fat.

Clearly you are outta shape.

Its a great record 2 workout 2.

I’m sure ur family would support my thoughts.

Cheers.

By the way,what did u give coldplays record?

Because that my friend is a garbage record. — Davey 1579

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Jim,

I recently read the review you wrote for “Dig Out Your Soul”, the new Oasis album. I was left feeling that the review was lazy and therefor hypocritical. You seem to be of the opinion that Oasis are a ‘lazy band’, yet you use the exact phrasing as a number of the other reviewers who have criticized this album. You claim that Oasis are ripping off their influences and not showing creativity, yet your review shows many similar traits.

I feel like you begun this review with preconceived ideas about what you would hear in this album and that these preconceived notions caused your review to suffer from bias. You have obviously intentionally constructed this review in this way to achieve a desired result, one which it appears you had set upon even before your first listen.

When push comes to shove Jim, someone who is attempting to review an album should do so in the least biased way as to increase the reviewers credibility with the reader. You have not done this. I am also of the belief that if you are not willing to put yourself in the position to understand fully what any band/genre of music represents then you are not fit to review the album. As an example Jim; I have never been a man of the opera and therefor would feel unqualified to review a piece of operatic music, do you not think that this should be the case for you. Rock and Roll music is about having fun and not letting others opinions inhibit your lifestyle, I feel like a man in your position is unqualified to give a review on any music in this genre as you seem to have very little grasp on the ideals of rock and roll.

As someone who sits on the other side of the Oasis fence to you I feel that it is only fair that before finishing this letter that I give my thoughts on the album.

This is by far the best collection of songs Oasis have put together, it is not the usual hit single plus filler compilation that Oasis’s have become more and more know for. In fact this album to me has no obvious singles and this is evident by the fact that the lead off single, The Shock of the Lightning, was not a huge success in the UK.

A large number of the songs are of a very high quality, in my opinion the first five songs on the album rank highly within the last decade of work by Oasis, all these songs have a driving effect on me and I find myself being drawn into the song. This very much excited me upon listening to the album as I have not felt this from many of Oasis’s previous 3 albums and have not had this effect from many songs released this decade. The use of instruments other than guitars fascinates me and begins to show a more adventurous side of Oasis, who generally play it safe behind a wall of guitars and snarling vocals. The incorporation of more striking drum patterns has introduced a new element to the band as drums have never been an instrument of a huge priority in this band, I find that it adds to the album and helps connect the songs whilst also contributing to the ‘driving effect’ that i spoke about earlier. Liam, whose vocals have returned to a similar position to what they were in the late 90’s, also contributes to this.

The album then concludes with a range of different sounding songs of both a rocking nature, such as The Nature of Reality, and slower more burning songs, like Soldier On. These final four songs are not what I have come to expect from Oasis. It is true that they are of a lesser quality than the opening seven songs but they also serve a purpose in relaxing and soothing the listener after the initial confrontational opening.

A fair amount of my review has been positive, it would be biased to leave the less inspired moments untouched. This album most definitely has some ‘clunky’ moments. Songs such as Get Off Your (High Horse Lady) and Ain’t Got Nothin’ felt me feeling as if the band has chosen these songs to fit the album, rather than selecting their best songs. This has contributed to the overall consistent feel but has detracted as well because of the noticeable holes they leave in the album.

I also find songs such as Gem Archer’s To Be Where There’s Life a tad uninspired. Even-though this song incorporates that guitar-less sound that i praised earlier it also seems to be lacking a clear and concise melody, something of which Oasis are renowned for. This has we beginning to doubt the inclusion of Archer’s songs as I have yet to see him produce anything in the way of classic song writing.

Keeping all of this in mind I have given the album an overall rating of 7.5/10. This is because I, as everyone else, know Oasis can write better songs and can produce better music than this. But in Dig Out Your Soul they have still given us their most compelling effort in 13 years, leaving me with an expectation of greater things to come.

Jim would it be too much to ask that from now on when you attempt to review an album you try to establish some connection with the ideologies of that genre and write a review that shows a depth of knowledge, rather than one that displays blatant ignorance?

Yours Thankfully — Sam Freeman

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Tell me something.

How can over 50 million people be wrong about Oasis?

Sincerely

Ellen Steven

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