The Early Years - Oasis

For collectors, this bootleg's primary draw lies in the 12 demos and live cuts from 1992, when Oasis were surfing the final dying tides of acid house. Mantra-like grooves are abundantly evident, but songwriter-in-chief Noel Gallagher's jangling guitar leads ensure a somewhat tougher approach than the one associated with the genre. The other crucial variable is Noel's younger brother, Liam, whose famed syllable-stretching propensities haven't yet emerged, which offers a different listening experience than his consonant-trilling performances on the albums. While long on personality, and short on pitch, Liam's sulky approach aptly fits numbers like "I Will Show You." Vaguely boastful anthems like "Colour My Life" and "Better Let You Know" brim with the band's trademark cockiness, although the lyrics -- -- never Oasis' strong suit -- aren't particularly noteworthy. One shining exception is "Life in Vain," which hints of the shimmering melodicism that yielded the band's 1995 international smash, "Wonderwall." However, the material doesn't jell with the single-minded fury that fueled the band's classic debut, Definitely Maybe. The hits would start coming once Noel ditched the baggy era dance club pretense, and returned to his mod rock roots -- but, judging by these demos, that day hadn't arrived yet. The disc closes with the hodgepodge so typical of bootlegs, including two rumbling soundcheck jams from 1994, and a rough instrumental sketch of the single side "Fade Away." The best tracks, however, are Noel's solo acoustic renditions of "Cast No Shadow," "Don't Look Back in Anger," and "Wonderwall" -- which show what he'd learned during his wilderness years as a roadie for arch-acid house acolytes the Inspiral Carpets. Newer converts may want to stick with the albums, but there are enough moments to attract collectors' interest. ~ Ralph Heibutzki, All Music Guide