Standing On the Shoulder of Giants

iTunes Review

Recorded during a time of transition and turmoil for Oasis, Standing on the Shoulder of Giants is the band’s densest and most ambitious work. Much of the album’s electronic embellishments can be attributed to the absence of founding members Paul “Bonehead” Arthur and Paul Mcguigan, who quit the band midway through recording, leaving Noel and Liam Gallagher and drummer Alan White to play all the parts themselves. While the mounting pressure and lack of camaraderie resulted in some overly labored moments (“Who Feels Love?” and “Gas Panic!” for example), some of the studio experiments help the band break into fresh territory. “F***in’ in the Bushes” is a ferocious instrumental that melds Led Zeppelin riffs to Chemical Brothers rhythms, while “Where Did It All Go Wrong” and “Go Let It Out” are effective pieces of modern psychedelia that shuffle along to the sound of their own subterranean rhythm. Even better is the hammering rock of “Put Yer Money Where Yer Mouth Is,” a layered track that combines the insolence of 1993-era Oasis with the aural ambitions of 2000-era Oasis. And while Liam’s songwriting debut “Little James” is no “Wonderwall,” it once again proves that no one can pull off a gloriously soppy ballad better than the Gallagher brothers.