Review: Oasis still cocky after all these years

12:37 PM CDT on Friday, September 23, 2005


By CRAYTON HARRISON / The Dallas Morning News



The two brothers who lead Oasis have developed nasty reputations during the band’s decade of stardom.

Now touring behind album No. 6, the pair, famous for its squabbles and boorish behavior, doesn’t act out much anymore. The hooliganism is implicit; when Liam Gallagher stands in front of the stage, staring out into the crowd behind his sunglasses, you just know he’s thinking something rude.

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What did you think of the show? Comment | View Results Without that subtext, one would think Oasis was a model of restraint judging by its performance Thursday at Smirnoff Music Centre. The set decoration was positively classy, with muted lights dotting the back wall, serenely bathing the band in blue, white and gold.

Oasis, scheduled to headline this weekend’s Austin City Limits Festival, hasn’t departed much from its musical roots. The group still carries a torch for the Beatles, the Who and other British rock pioneers. It’s dependable, sure-footed music, full of guitar jangle and hip-shaking drums, rarely surprising but usually solid.

While Noel Gallagher handled lead guitar duties, Liam took care of most of the vocals, stooping underneath his microphone and lurching up to it as if trying to reach it with his mouth. His nasal, English whine has grown raspier and uglier over time, sounding endearingly roguish at best and cartoonish at worst, something like a drunken Oscar the Grouch.

He paced the stage, carrying a tambourine by his side, rarely doing a thing with it.

Liam’s voice rang out fine on leathery rockers such as “Lyla” and absolutely triumphantly on the call-to-arms anthem “A Bell Will Ring.” But it sounded worn and frazzled on songs that required a subtler touch or a sustained note, including big hits such as “Wonderwall” and “Champagne Supernova.”

Noel’s voice was much less weathered, a pretty tenor that maintained the band’s cocky sensibility but could handle some emotional range. As the group’s lead songwriter, he has a long tradition of keeping the best songs for himself, from the classic lament “Don’t Look Back in Anger” to the playful boogie of “The Importance of Being Idle,” from this year’s Don’t Believe the Truth.

Another new song, “Mucky Fingers,” had a funky piano stomp and spot-on timing by drummer Zak Starkey, son of Ringo Starr.

Opening act Jet is an Australian band with a hit (“Are You Gonna Be My Girl?”) popularized by an iPod commercial. The band shared Oasis’ swagger, and vocalist Nic Cester had quite a wail. Now Jet just needs a few more iPod-worthy songs.