How do you tell the story of an album without access to any official footage or major players? This detailed analysis of the Oasis’ bombastic second album, (What’s the Story) Morning Glory?, relies heavily on the testimony of critics and friends to solve the problem and, consequently, rarely rises above speculative discussion spliced together with TV appearances. Although the numerous stories of the Gallagher’s debauched behaviour are amusing, you learn little about the album beyond the fact that mixing involved turning everything up to 11, and that Roll With It was a bad choice for a single.
However, analysis becomes more illuminating when the album is taken as a jumping-off point for discussing the wider impact of the Burnage boys. The argument goes that, while Noel was never short of a tune (even if he had to lift it), the lazy and largely meaningless lyrics he peddled were always going to be ripe for equally empty-headed politicians and beer fuelled louts to interpret them for their own gain.
Still, in a time when Oasis are deemed little more than plodding stadium fillers, it is nice to be reminded how their music was once considered vital and exciting.
