| Oasis |
Alternative
Although they've been constant fixtures in the British tabloids over the last few years, Oasis haven't offered much music to write home about for quite a spell. That state of affairs changes, however, with the release of Heathen Chemistry, their fifth studio album. The disc sees a number of changes in Oasis' modus operandi, the most prominent of which is Noel Gallagher's taking on an increased share of the band's vocal chores. He rips through the churning, glammy "Force of Nature" with a surprising fury and swoons gently through the largely acoustic "She Is Love." Brother Liam, meanwhile, took some time to sharpen his own writing skills, which he displays on a three-pack of Heathen Chemistry's better cuts, including the Lennon-esque "Songbird" and the brooding, minor-chord rocker "Born on a Different Cloud." A dark bottom layer underscores several of the album's songs, both the full-throttle rockers, such as the feedback-laced "The Hindu Times," and the airier, more expansive numbers, including the trippy "All in the Mind." Heathen Chemistry marks a bracing return to form by a band that seemed to have passed their creative peak. David Sprague
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