Different Gear, Still Speeding

Oasis Reincarnated

Some would say retirement of only one member does not mean that the ensemble has to change the name. Others would argue that there are such musicians whose departure means death to the rest of the band. Certainly, Noel Gallagher’s leaving Oasis raised great debates. Debatable, too, was the decision taken by the remaining participants of the formation to take up another name, Beady Eye. Noel’s brother, Liam on a lot of occasions dropped a hint at, but never stressed the idea that Oasis is now a part of the past, while Beady Eye is a new project with new goals and new music. Liam had his reasons for changing the band’s name. He is still pushed by the desire to prove to his brother that he has everything it takes to build a fine ensemble where he can pen songs and sing them all by himself. They could have taken a safe side by preserving Oasis at least to guarantee commercial successes to their upcoming record. But Liam was resolute to start all over. As a matter of fact, he has the same brigade of musicians and creators who are now in their prime. The relatively debut album of the relatively new album was blessed with the title Different Gear, Still Speeding.

Dimensions of the new format

Whether Beady Eye are similar to Oasis or not, we can not escape the instinctive comparison of their debut album with their works under the old brand. Different Gear, Still Speeding kicks off the action in the right way, with the confident statement, Four Letter Word. Liam seems to have get fifteen years back into the past and sing in the pure rock and roll manner, while the instrumentalists back him up with streaks of accords as if they have been kept shut up for a decade or so. Considering Oasis last efforts with their remarkable touch of depression, we start to believe Beady Eye walking their own path. The explosive and disobedient rock and roll from somewhere in the seventies are out loud on each second track of the CD. We feel refreshed as we are caressed by the gentle wind of nostalgia brought by Millionaire, Bring The Light, and For Anyone, from time to time feeling the lightness and simplicity of the pop-music kind. Nevertheless, what sounds more convincing and thoughtful is a number of completely different songs. They are mostly gathered in the second half of the record. We are talking here about prolonged pieces with the psychedelic flavor, extensive instrumental parts and passionate vocals.

To ear the right to descend from Oasis

Kill For A Dream marks the point where the atmosphere of idleness and carelessness in the first half of the album is gradually replaced by a much more brooding sensation of the second. The most emotional episodes are discovered in the seven-minute Wigwam, and the six-minute The Morning Son. The former has the tension stressed through Gallagher’s chant-like singing in the concluding part of the song, while the latter builds from the smooth acoustic start to the heavy electric guitar part. Still, apart from the mentioned pieces, Different Gear, Still Speeding has a lot of other tracks which seem undone or unsaid or underdeveloped. The quest for a decisively new sounding is a long and difficult routine always involving missteps. There are missteps on this record, too, but even these mistakes are made with somewhat British elegancy. The first album by Beady Eye is what it was expected to be: only partially understandable to both the audience and the musicians, who are still in the process of finding their new approach. What is promising and pleasing is Gallagher’s vocal labor, but we expected nothing less and now take it for granted. So far, Beady Eye has to do a lot more to prove they are worthy to descend from Oasis.