Oasis - Morning Glory: A Classic Album Under Review (2006)

“

As soon as I read the press release, I was hooked. A series of DVDs featuring the best known album that a group has produced, and a track by track commentary by well known music critics. For those of you that are not familiar with Oasis, I will give a short background: they were a phenom in the mid 1990s. They were the driving force for a genre of music that became labeled as ‘Britpop’. This whole movement was strongly associated with the Beatles’ style of music updated to the 1990s. Oasis made their initial impact in 1994 with the release of Definitely Maybe. This was a fresh and new style emerging through the dross that was popular music in the English music scene of the time. The defining moment for Oasis happened in 1995 with the release of (What’s the Story?) Morning Glory. This album was an overnight success, one after another of the tracks made the charts when they were released as singles. With this as the backdrop, I plugged in the DVD and waited with bated breath. In a nutshell, there is too much talking, and too little music! Each track gets a 20-second sound byte and a 10-minute critique. Clearly stated on the back is “Live and studio performances of tracks from Morning Glory, reviewed by a panel of esteemed experts”. This is absolutely not the case; there is not one single track that is played in its entirety. Most tracks get at best a 30-second sound byte to tease you. Maybe the redeeming feature of this disappointing DVD is the choice of "experts"; in their own way they do add entertainment value. They offer conclusive proof that just because you can write a column for New Musical Express, or The Guardian, or any other reputable magazine, it does not mean that you interview well. The best example of this is the stellar performance put on by Mark Beaumont of NME fame. This guy apparently can not talk for five seconds without fondling his moustache, scratching his nose, or rubbing his lips. If I had been the director I would have duct taped his hands to the chair he was sitting on! Andrew Mueller, who is a very well known political and musical columnist, managed to keep his digits out of the way, but was wearing a shirt that only someone fresh off an eight-second bull ride could get away with. Maybe that is what happened, because his hair certainly matched! Pat Gilbert, sporting a black beret, offered the most succinct analysis. He is clearly a man that knows his subject. I found his comments to be both insightful and informative. Paolo Hewitt also offered some interesting commentary. I was very disappointed with this DVD, and it could have been so good. The concept is great, but the execution is horrible. If you love Morning Glory, stick to the CD that you already own, you will find nothing new or interesting in this offering. I do hope that if there are going to be more in this series, the producers and directors will spend more time thinking about what the consumer wants.

”

Setlist:
01. Intro
02. Definitely Maybe
03. Hello
04. Roll With It
05. Wonderwall
06. Don`t Look Back Anger
07. Hey Now!
08. Interludes
09. Some Might Say
10. She`s Electric
11. Morning Glory
12. Champagne Supernova

Extra:
1. 'When Oasis Met Blur' - the full recording from the moment the Britpop heavyweights met at the same radio station in 1995
2. Interactive digital Oasis quiz
3. Beyond DVD section