SOTSOG > HC

End Story

...but here is a story anyway.

SOTSOG might have a few really shit songs but it was inspired (besides the shit filler) and trying something new. HC was a dull attempt to try to recapture MG anthemic feel. But came up with dull wanna be oasis tunes that lacked energy, passion, and inspiration. SOTSOG contains some of Noel's strongest work, yes it has its shit tracks on there but it has a good couple of epic tunes that make you forget about the shit filler before it. Like LJ is a bit shit (yes the tune ain't that bad but the lyrics suck ass) but once Gas Panic kicks in you nearly forget the shit that came before it. Noel and Liam sound better on SOTSOG except for maybe a few tracks. The production in SOTSOG shits all over HC. The guitars a loud and clear. Drums are thumping, you can hear the bass, and you hear all the other textures in the songs like mellotrons, organs, and synth. My body produces better shit than the production on HC. HC the guitars are boring, where is Alan in that whole record? I get why he was getting pissed. I mean what the fuck?, and there are not extra effects the songs. I mean some songs don't need that much production but some always helps and these songs needed some better production. I have no idea what Noel was thinking. I remember him saying something like this "this record probably sounds the most Oasis-like record we have ever recorded. Its because we produced it." But it really sounds like a oasis cover band using a version a stone age version of protools. SOTSOG sounds like an official recording though it may not be your typical oasis sounding record. Noel had some inspiration during the SOTSOG era. I mean his life went almost a complete 180. he stopped drugs, oasis wasn't the really the biggest band in the world, he lost two original bandmates, ect. He could have quit right there, he had made enough cash and why bother recording an album with almost half of the members gone. But he was inspired to show people that he had matured and had grown up. It wasn't always about "having it". He fought some demons and had tough times too. On SOTSOG you hear a Noel that you don't hear the much. He is more personal. Sure he had songs that were personal but these were songs about kicking drugs, losing friends, and overall dealing with tough times.

HC was kinda like "ok we got these two new guys in the band we are gonna recapture our glory but writing some big tunes" Well, that failed. Sure the times were probably better personally (Well divorces happened but whatever) but the music suffered. He wrote a mediocre/shit love tune, she is love and some wanna be oasis anthems ,the hindu times (thats what i think)/little by little (what a majority of fans think) . Also lets not forget Noel's most forgettable song (Probably) All In The Mind. And Force of Nature well i don't mind it too much but some hate it. But sure Noel's got one amazing tune SCYHO. Liam's songs are better this time around with only better man really being shit. Andy's first tune is little forgettable instrumental, Gem's first tune is an alright rockier that needed more production.

Lets examine the tracks Vs each other...

The Instrumentals

Fuckin In The Bushes Vs A Quick Peep Vs The Cage
FITB is a great opener. When you first hear it it sounds like your in the middle of a riot. Then the drum loop kicks and the sick bassline. Great instrumental probably Oasis's best. A Quick Peep is a dull piece of shit. Its hardly anything thats why i can't even write much about it. FITB stomps all of it. But The Cage is quite a solid instrumental love the spacey effect it has and its quite an underrated and forgotten instrumental but FITB is just too strong

Fuckin in the Bushes

First Single

Go Let It Out Vs The Hindu Times
GLIO is a sick first single. The drum loop is catchy as fuck, the bass is amazing (it screams the beatles). The chorus is catchy and it has so much sound going on in it. THT first riff is just awful I don't care where its from its shite. The lyrics are quite good and the chorus is quite strong but it just lacks something from me. It lacks a swagger that GLIO has.

Go Let It Out

Liam's Shitty Tracks

Little James Vs Better Man
The two shittest Liam tracks. Both have turd lyrics. Better Man tries to get a groove on like Columbia but it doesn't reach that high. LJ is just a childish tune but its melody is quite strong and the effects are alright. I believe that Better Man could have been made stronger with a little better production and made into a sick Rolling Stones type deal but it just kinda goes nowhere. Little James by a hair.

Little James

Noel Ballads

Where Did It All Go Wrong?Vs Little By Little
I enjoy both. Both have pretty strong vocals for Noel. Sure LBL could been seen as a wanna be Oasis anthem and sure its over rated but i enjoy the chorus and the guitar solo quite a bit and it ends like CS. WDIAGW has some of Noel's top lyrics and it also has quite a solid guitar solo. As a tune I like WDIAGW better (the Jool's version of the song is amazing) but in terms of the actual songs on the album they are about equal.

Tie

The Epics

Roll It Over Vs Born On A Different Cloud
Again I enjoy both of these songs. But RIO is amazing. Its epic, one of my favorite Oasis tunes ever. The verses are awesome. I love the build that song goes through and the chilled out guitar solo. Sure the chorus's lyrics may be lacking but Liam has such a strong vocal on this one every word just sounds amazing. BOADC is one of the stronger ones on HC. Liam really nailed the whole Lennon type dela on it. The lyrics are really some of Liam's best but it just can't match up to RIO.

Roll It Over

Ballads

Sunday Morning Call Vs Stop Crying Your Heart Out
Both are quite strong songs. SMC contains one of Noel's best vocal's ever. I love the texture on the song even though it may be a bit over produced (acoustic version is better) its still a pretty good track. SCYHO is one of Noel's best. Its got a great chorus. Love the strings on the track, adds so much more feeling to it. Liam's voice is awesome and the ending is just top notch reminds me of DGA though.

Stop Crying Your Heart Out

"Happy" Noel Tracks

Who Feels Love? Vs She is Love
I personally love WFL it has great production. Love the trippy guitars, and the extra noises. Sure its kinda of a wanna be Harrison
song but its amazing. I love the lyrics and has one of Liam's most underrated vocal tracks. SIL is quite dull and just a mediocre at best Noel track. The guitars are alright, the keys are alright, the lyrics are a bit shit though. Sure some girls may love it but its nothing compared to some of Noel's other love tunes.

Who Feels Love?

The Rockers

I Can See A Liar Vs Hung In A Bad Place
ICSAL has shit shit lyrics. Noel showed his lazyness right here. The good thing about it is that it has some swagger too it, the guitars are vicious and it has one of Alan's best drumming performances on it. HIABP lacks the energy that ICSAL has but it at least has some decent lyrics and a creative solo and some good harmonies.

Hung In A Bad Place

Noel's Epic Psychedelic Songs

Gas Panic! Vs (Probably) All in The Mind
Ok maybe not exactly "psychedelic" but work with me here. GP is one of Noel's best works. To the drum loop, to the lyrics, to the solo, just about everything. Once again contains one of Liam's best vocals. PAITM is Noel's most forgettable tune. Sure it may not be that bad i enjoy the harmonies between Noel and Liam. The chorus is ok at best. The solo is just alright for me. Lets see one of Noel's best masterpieces vs his most forgettable. I'll take GP

Gas Panic

Other

Put Your Money Where Yer Mouth Is Vs Songbird
You can't really compare these two but whatever. PYMWYMI is another lyrically dead rocker that rips off the doors. But once again I love the energy that the recording captures in that track but still its a bit shit. SB is a classic. One if not Liam's best song. Simple and beautiful. Love the lyrics and the outro bit of the keys. SB wins easily.

Songbird

And that leaves Force Of Nature By Itself.... Whatever, HC is gonna need an extra.

SOTSOG 6/10
HC 4/10
There is one tie. And I gave HC a freebie with Force Of Nature.

Two songs or maybe even one may not seem that much but as others have stated the highs of SOTSOG are higher than those on HC.

SOTSOG: had a direction, more personal Noel, tried something new, good production, one shit Liam song, and 2 rockiers with shit shit lyrics.

HC: uninspired, better Liam songs, shit production, trying to relive the "glory years",

yes, its long. I had nothing better to do on a rainy thursday evening.

I really like HC...it's really an album I needed Oasis to make. That being said, after six years and reading people's take on HC I certainly see the other side of HC. 'Oasis by numbers'...uninspired...'boring.' I agree...but I still love the album.

SOTSOG was just so...'joyless' for me. I think there are some fantastic songs on SOTSOG...some of their best. But as a whole..it's a really depressing album...not a bad one...just...I don't know... 'sad'. And I realize that one of the reasons I love Oasis is their music makes me feel good...and SOTSOG was just a difficult listen because it was sort of a downer. This doesn't make it 'musically' their worst effort at all and I recognize that.

HC just had some excellent..easiliy accessible..uplifting tunes on it. That right balance of meloncholy/uplifting tunes. I actually thought SCYHO, LBL, and SB was probably their best 3 song stretch. The album was just full of great pop songs.

I recently burned a copy of HC and all the B-Sides to a guy at my work HC and he came back and said 'Wow...that CD is great...was that their greatest hits? Every song is so good.' (Note: He doesn't know anything about Oasis) I think his reaction to the record is not surprising...for the average listener...it's a great great record...but for Oasis dorks like us....it's full of faults. I think if I had a choice to give either HC or SOTSOG to someone not familiar with Oasis...I'd give them HC..hands down.

Again..I understand the problems with the album...but for me...HC was a return to form in terms of the way I connect with Oasis music.

It's my way or the highway. (Sigh) I'm cutting my wedding cake to 'She is Love'...but I won't budge on the flower arrangements!'

yes i'm aware of that noel has stated that. But the only tunes that i find uninspiring on that album are ICSAL and PYMWYMI. The other songs mean something well maybe not GLIO but still. Some songs on HC don't mean shit like THT and PAITM. I knows that just two but he had less tunes for that album. and yes I love HC and SOTSOG's bsides a lot and some are some of noel's best work.

I prefer SOTSOG. I like HC but it's my least favourite album. In saying that HC contains 3 of my favourite tunes SCYHO, BOADC and SB.

To listen to both from both from start to finish is something i didn't do for a long time. I find myself skipping songs like PYMWYMI, LJ, FON, AQP, PAIMM, SIL.

Something I have to mention= when I listen to Gas Panic I find I like the song, great lyrics, great solo etc., but when I hear it live it's about 15 times better. This pisses me off.

Albums/Rating
DM........5/5
WTSMG...5/5
DBTT........4.5/5
BHN.......4.5/5
SOTSOG...4/5
HC.........3.5/5

If I was to include The Masterplan it would be 2nd after DM.

The album was ruined by shit like PYMWYMI, ICSAL, LJ, no amount of production could save those turds.

I think 'spike' did a pretty good job on gas panic and WFL.

this is the best comment in all of those VS threads. its just personal opinion...

AMEN

Definitely Maybe
(What's The Story) Morning Glory
Be Here Now
Standing On The Shoulder of Giants
Heathen Chemistry
Don't Believe The Truth

Whereby Definitely Maybe is the best and Don't Believe The Truth is the worst.