Disc of the day
Heaven 17 - Penthouse And Pavement
From Sheffield, synth pop and funk to stick it to Thatcher. Currently being played live!
Features Disc of the day
Oasis
Definitely Maybe
(Creation, 1994)
Look down there to the left. Bet it says something about how great Blur were in Hyde Park last week...
...It does, doesn't it? [yes, it does - Ed] I knew it. Far be it from me to stir up ancient conflicts but I've never really 'got' Blur. It's not the songs that offend (I like that Graham one with the milk carton video, for instance...); it's Damon's studied disinterest. All that eye rolling, 'its all soo booring' can't-be-arsedness. If it's all too much effort to sing, then don't, I say. You don't get that from Oasis. Which is why, in a round-about sort of way, I nominate their thrilling, epoch-shaping debut to put the euphoric rush of this mid-'90s landmark back into a Blur-centric week.
I spent the summer of 1994 in America and missed all the excitement that pre-empted Definitely Maybe's August release. On the plane home, casually flicking across Virgin Radio's in-flight station I heard the slightly creepy bass rumble that opens Supersonic. By the time they were up to full acceleration I was hooked. "Give me gin and tonic" indeed (and let's face it nothing beats a G'n'T at high altitude. It's not a perfect album, it's lumpy in places (Shakermaker) and the lyrics can be downright silly ("I'd like to build myself a house / out of Plasticine"?? Shakermaker again!) but its naiveté is also the source of its brilliance, its "sun sh-ee-ine" radiance.
It resonated with my 21-year old self the way it did with millions that year and ever since. Not just with the basic instinct rock-outs (swaggering Rock'N'Roll Star; the still unsurpassed, heart-in-mouth Live Forever) but in its rare quiet moments too. Slide Away with its lighter's aloft chorus, acoustic ballad Married With Children's universal teenage break-up sentiments ("I hate the books you read and all your friends"). Definitely Maybe perfectly reflects youth in all it's exuberant, messy, painful reality. And that's no small effort.
Jenny Bulley
Posted by Ross_Bennett at 6:00 AM GMT 09/07/2009
Further Listening
Oasis – (What’s The Story) Morning Glory (Creation, 1995)
Arctic Monkeys – Favourite Worst Nightmare (Domino, 2007)
The Smiths – The Queen Is Dead (Rough Trade, 1986)
Previous Disc of the day
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Heaven 17 - Penthouse And Pavement
From Sheffield, synth pop and funk to stick it to Thatcher. Currently being played live!
6:00 AM GMT 18/03/2010
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Creedence Clearwater Revival - Green River
Essence De Choogle from John Fogerty and crew. Badass!
9:54 AM GMT 17/03/2010
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The The - Soul Mining
Matt Johnson's self-excoriating - but tunepacked! -classic.
6:00 AM GMT 16/03/2010
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Various Artists - Axe Attack Vol II
Metal Britannica inspires MOJO metal amnesty. Studded leather wristbands aloft!
2:32 AM GMT 12/03/2010
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The Pop Group - Y
For connoisseurs of pop-as-rupture-in-the-space/time-continuum
6:00 AM GMT 11/03/2010
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