Disco de Oasis: “Stop the Clocks”

Music: 5 Stars; Compilation: 2 Stars

Oasis has come at the end of its contract with their label, and when told that a "best of" was going to be issued whether the Gallagher brothers liked it or not, Noel Gallagher took it upon himself to come up with the band first career-spanning compilation. At first it was going to include several new songs (including "Stop the Clocks"), but when all was said and done, we are left with this beautiful mess.

"Stop the Clocks" (2 CDs, 18 tracks, 86 min.) brings a selective sampling of some of Oasis greatest hits and best known tracks, including its US breakthrough hit "Wonderwall", which still sounds as fresh today as when it came out more than a decade ago, but also "Champaign Supernova", "Don't Look Back in Anger" and "Acquiesce", originally a B-side but it has become one of Oasis' best known and beloved songs. Nothing wrong with the music as such on this compilation. It's what is NOT on here that is the problem: Noel tries to rewrite history and conveniently ignores the "Be Here Now" album ENTIRELY, hence no "D'You Know What I Mean", "Stand By Me" or "All Around the World", all huge hits; other early-era classics MIA include "Shakermaker", "Whatever" and "Roll With It", and even latter day hits such as "The Hindu Times", "Little By Little" and "She Is Love" are conspicuously absent.

I guess I could have understood Noe's approach if this was a single CD compilation, but it is not. Can someone explain to me why, at a mere 86 min. over 2 CDs, all those hits and classics are not on here? This compilation, however great the music on here, is nothing but a beautiful and incomprehesible mess. Lacking any new songs or any other twist, it is doubtful that this set will attract many fervent Oasis fan.

Noel Gallagher said that they would never release these greatest hits, but here it is. Much like their peers, Blur, Pulp, Supergrass, Suede, and Verve, Oasis has all released greatest hits CDs after ten years. Britpop is now a decade old. It is still popular, and very few bands, other than Arctic Monkeys, and Libertines, have come and replaced them with something better or equal. Oasis' recent tour featured most of the songs from this collection, plus a few more from the new Don't Believe The Truth. These songs have soaked into the British sensibility like no other recent UK band. Of course we have "Live Forever" and "Supersonic" from the first album. There are "Wonderwall" from the second. But there is not so much from after Be Here Now. Half of the album is from the first two albums. The other half is early b-sides, and one or two tracks, from the rest. It's kid of an odd collection. Most of the Oasis fans have all these tracks on the previous releases. Some of the other Britpop bands offered some new tracks or unreleased material. Placebo had a DVD included. I guess Oasis is saying to all future generation: "Here is the classics, if you want to look into it further, check out the other albums." Great cover by Peter Blake. One Liam song is included.

When I heard that Oasis was going to release a best of, I wasnt really surprised. I knew it was coming. I just hoped that all their best would really be on the cd. Well, most of them are on here, but there are so many, many more. They should have made a full 2 disk set with 15 or so songs on each one. I have tried to make my friends a "best of" Oasis cd, and its almost impossible. There are just too many great songs, I always feel bad leaving some out. I need about 4 cds to get all their best songs represented. The band is that good. If you only have whats the story morning glory, or only know 1 song, you should buy this best of cd. Then go out and get the rest!

So I've been driving around this afternoon, grooving to the sounds of Oasis. For me this collection is a good way to listen to their music, since I've been a borderline fan who liked many of their songs but never enjoyed any of their entire CDs all the way through. So having a lot of good stuff all on one 2-CD set is something I appreciate. Listening to these songs, I was struck again by how the lads really ROCKED OUT on occasion (ex., "Acquiesce"). I've heard all these tunes before, but with this particular batch in this order, it often hit me with a cool, heavy 'T Rex meets Sex Pistols' vibe. (The original Beatles comparisons were left in the dust.) While I did find these discs to be a good run-through of Oasis material, there were a few dead spots. I know it's sacrilege to the band's faithful hordes to criticize any of these songs, but "The Masterplan" and "Supersonic" felt especially clunky to me. Fortunately there are many more great cuts to balance those out.

I can understand the complaints from other customers about the relative scarcity of material on this set - 18 songs, 86 minutes over 2 CDs. However, keeping in mind Stop the Clocks is single-CD priced, it's not a bad deal. Also, I was grateful that at least ONE song in particular was left OFF of this set -- "All Around The World," which has been ruined by having the chorus played endlessly on a phone company's current ad campaign.

I just received the Australian import. Most of the songs are from the first couple years of success, to later ones. Nothing from "Be Here Now" is on this comp. Just one track each from the next two studio releases are here. The band picked the tracks themselves. They were reluctant to do such a thing at first, feeling it was unnecessary, as they'd rather start from scratch, though it was contractually obligated. Purposely, no new tracks were provided, as with most of these compilations. This will work for someone just getting into oasis, as well as completists and collectors. This couldn't be a greatest hits album per se because most of the tracks were only hits at home in the UK, some were B-sides, and others even singles in certain markets. There could be another volume, if oasis are willing.

This entry is for the UK import.