The rock n’ roll swagger lives on

AUDIO JUNKIE
By PUNCH LIWANAG
July 24, 2010, 8:44am

‘Time Flies... 1994 -2009’; Oasis; Sony Music

Oasis, the band that brought swagger, attitude and melody back into Brit-pop in the '90s, may have called it quits but their music remains in all its glory in this two-disc set that chronicles their biggest hits from 1994 to 2009.

It includes get-off-yer-bum rockers like “Roll With It,” “Cigarettes & Alcohol,” “The Hindu Times,” and the thumping “Shakermaker,” to the big anthems like “Don’t Look Back In Anger,” “Stand By Me” and, of course, “Wonderwall.”

Noel Gallagher’s proficiency in songwriting is evident in songs like “Stop Crying Your Heart Out,” “Let There Be Love,” and the catchy “Some Might Say.” He also sings on “The Importance Of Being Idle,” which is one of his best.

Liam Gallagher sings with a sneer; cocky in the fact that he fronts for one of the biggest bands to come from UK. He sings at his best in “D’you Know What I Mean?” and in the joyous “Lyla,” as well as in the exuberant “Go Let It Out.”

Meanwhile, the hidden gems slotted between their chart toppers—songs like “Little By Little,” “The Shock Of Lightning,” and “Falling Down”—make this CD a must for the true Oasis nut.

The fighting Gallagher brothers may have had their differences that eventually led to their band’s dissolution, but lamentable though this may be, Oasis remains one the biggest rock attractions of their time.

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‘Congratulations’; MGMT; Sony Music

This New York based five-piece band is the brainchild of Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden, who both play a multitude of synth, string instruments and percussions. Alongside another multi-instrumentalist James Richardson, guitarist Matt Asti, and drummer Will Berman, MGMT concocts a cocktail of synth-laden, trippy but tuneful songs.

The base of their music is eccentric synth pop and this latest album is pretty much in that vein. They can get peculiar with their tunes, like the quirky “Song For Dan Treacy” or the psychedelic “Someone’s Missing;” and also build up some serious sonic drama like on “Flash Delirium.”

Mixing some familiar music styles in the stew, the album opener “It’s Working,” calls New Wave to mind, and the same shoe-gazing influences are heard on “I Found A Whistle.” Acoustic guitars, meanwhile, drive the '60s pop sounds of “Siberian Breaks.”

Imagine how the track “Brian Eno” must sound like, wherein these latter day pop experimentalists pay their homage to their musical hero. They get trippy with the aural soundscapes of “Lady Dada’s Nightmare,” then reel themselves back to the realm of pop with the melodic title track as album closer.

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‘Interpreting The Masters Vol. 1: A Tribute To Daryl Hall & John Oates’; The Bird & The Bee; PolyEast Records

The simple cover art might not do much to convince you that this is a good album, but it's easy for one to get hooked upon hearing their version of Hall & Oates’ ballad “One On One.” Their take on the song justifies vocalist Inara George (The Bird) and multi-instrumentalist (the Bee) Greg Kurstin’s whole exercise of resurrecting the well-known hits of the pop/R&B duo of Hall & Oates.

All nine tracks on the CD are good, but “Rich Girl,” which still retains its melodic hooks, stands out, sounding all the more pronounced with Inara George’s exuberant vocals.

She turns those pleasant pipes to good use as well on “Sara Smile.” For this reinterpretation, points are in order for keyboardist, bassist and drummer Greg Kurstin, who also turns pop gems like “Kiss On My List” into a cool electro-pop number, and “Maneater” into a mood-infused R&B tune.

They also turn tracks such as “Heard It On The Radio” “She’s Gone” and “I Can’t Go For That” up a notch. Though good tunes in the first place, this duo gives it a new angle that reintroduces a great pop act like Hall & Oates to a younger audience while paying worthy tribute.