THE MASTERPLAN (Creation)

Killer B's: Noel's broadcasts from the other side

B-Sides compilation aimed at overseas territories that have missed out on the bonus tracks

The rehabilitation by Oasis of the B-side as a thing of artistic value has played an important part in their re-creation of a Golden Age of British Pop. That's not to say there weren't any duds but, in the tradition of The Beatles, The Small Faces, The Jam and The Smiths, letting an Oasis CD run on was invariably a rewarding experience. Your average Oasis B-side, whether it was the bulldozing metallic squall of "Acquiesce" or their rampaging cover of "Cum On Feel The Noize", could have wiped the floor with the chart opposition on almost any normal week. Occasionally, it was better than it's own A-side.

While other artists tend to stockpile their nest material for albums, Noel Gallagher has often preferred to unleash his new songs immediately. Some might argue that Oasis' musical conservatism, the tried-and-tested chord progressions and impishly familiar melodies, has made his task simpler; yet it would be a mistake to underestimate Noel's gift for nonchalantly bashing out immensely hummable mini-classics like "Stay Young" and "Talk Tonight".

Of course, cynics of the 'Noddy Holder doing "Rubber Soul"' variety won't be swayed by anything here. Indeed, "The Masterplan" has a nasty habit of rekindling all those age-old criticisms: that Noel Gallagher is a musical magpie (yes, "Fade Away"'s melody is pinched wholesale from Wham's "Freedom"), a sonic privateer (yes, "Swamp Song" does sound like Dr & The Medics doing "Spirit In The Sky"), a cack-handed wordsmith (yes, his lyrics do pale somewhat beside John Lennon's insanely brilliant "I Am The Walrus", the live version of which is included here).

Yet for all the crafty plagiarism, the lazy language, the meat'n'potatoes playing, what shines through on this album is the nagging beauty of Gallagher's melodies and his facility for communicating everyday emotions with little or no affectation, should it be sadness (the plaintive ballad "Talk Tonight", about the girl who "saved my life"), joy (the throwaway ebullience of "Stay Young"), melancholy (the heartwarming "Rockin' Chair"), or chemically inspired hubris (the titanically exciting wall-of-guitar onslaughts of "Acquiesce" and "It's Good (To Be Free)"). In fact, this is transcendental people music at its best, with an energy and honesty that locates Oasis at the beating heart of British rock'n'roll, alongside T.Rex, Slade, Mott and The Clash.

Gallagher's muse doesn't always triumph, notably on the half-hearted "Going Nowhere" and lame "Half The World Away", both of which the presence of Liam's cocksure larynx. (The sadly absent "Cloudburst", "Round Are Way" and "Cum On Feel The Noize" would have been better choices.) Elsewhere, though, it's all thoroughly solid stuff.

That a selection of Oasis flip-sides should be deemed a serious contender for the notoriously competitive Christmas market speaks libraries in itself. Could you imagine a similar successful outing from, say, Pulp, Blur or The Verve? Thought not. A fine stop-gap and a timely reminder of why a generation thought these five young Mancunians weren't half good.

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c 1998 Andrew Turner

aturner@interalpha.co.uk

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