*Review* Oasis-Dig Out Your Soul (SONY)

Rating:**/5

Before you predictably write them off, as for years we've been so inclined to do, let's examine the history of Oasis and the reasons why they have set themselves up for failure ever since they tried to follow up 1997's "Be Here Now".

It's simple science, they have not followed their formula. It's as simple as that.

And what is their formula you might ask? It's simple melodic hooky pop rock.

And good songwriting.

I believe the Gallagher brothers peaked two albums in with their songwriting efforts. They wrote enough classic tracks to fill maybe 2 and a half albums worth of material. So the debut was full of the early tracks, (What's The Story?) Morning Glory, was material that they couldn't fit onto the first. Be Here Now, had leftovers and the second half was material they had written at the time of recording.

So you get a sense of this as you listen to Be Here Now, which I reckon is their last decent album. In which the first half of the album starts out very strong, and then it falls in pieces towards the end. Then to follow it up with Standing on the Shoulders of Giants, well that was the last nail in the coffin for all the Oasis faithfuls out there, and the critics stood clear after that as well.

What went wrong, it was simply selection criteria or lack of ability to write songs anymore. This has plagued Oasis for the last ten years, they can't for the life of them deliver on any high expectations set upon them by the fans who have been heralding a return to form for the last 4 albums.

There is however, some silver lining in this. 2005's Don't Believe The Truth was warmly received upon critics and fans alike when it was released, and was somewhat tolerable compared to Heathen Chemistry (spew) and Giants.. Lyla was great leadoff single and showed a lot of promise for the group heading into the promotion of it.

To follow up on this, they have not in any way, succeeded to build upon what worked they towards on their last release. Noel Gallagher's vocals are lost in their own echo, as is evident from the oddly mixed vocal tracks, where you can only hear a slightly muffled and hardly audible english whine of his.

Somehow, the album has flashes of brilliances, but they are quite often fleeting, and the next thing you find yourself listening to the next track which is devoid of any kind of hook or catchy chorus. There us no opportunity for the listener to believe or join in.

In their heyday's, the Gallaghers were specialists at providing sing a long chorus' and catchy melodies, you couldn't help but sing a long to Shakermaker, Wonderwall or Roll With It. Yet there is no evidence of this on Dig Out Your Soul, which makes it a very disappointing effort from an act who for a period of time were the hottest rock band on the globe.