Album: Oasis - Some Might Say (Japan Single)(1995)
Track: “Acquiesce”

Today’s post should be titled “The Lost Art of the B-Side.” So that’s what we’ll call it.

B-sides, in this, the year of our Lord 2009, are almost meaningless. A few artists have willingly carried on the tradition, some even using the traditional format - the 45 (Mayer Hawthorne), but for the most part, technology and history have pushed b-sides to the wayside.

Artists used to back their commercially released singles with songs found exclusively on that very single. Songs of quality. Songs that made the “single” an experience of its own, separate from the album. While it’s a tradition that went back to, most notably, soul singles of the 1960’s, British rock ‘n roll carried the torch through the 1990’s and until the economics of the digital age snuffed them out.

One of the great b-side bands: Oasis. They were notorious in the 90’s for releasing b-sides that were as good, if not better than actual album tracks. This is none better exemplified than in Some Might Say, the lead single off of their seminal 1995 album (What’s The Story) Morning Glory. Sure, the lead track is solid and it’s fits perfectly within the confines of its album. But listen to “Acquiesce,” with Liam snarling during the verses and Noel belting out what seems like a brotherly-love… ummm… acquiescence: “Because we need each other/We believe in one another/And I know we’re gonna discover/What’s sleeping in our soul(s).” The song is a fucking anthem from the first time you listen to it. It’s so good that Noel’s gibberish lyricism seems incredibly pointed and meaningful (he’s had a history of that).

“Talk Tonight” is a simple and touching ballad. Simple. Affecting, however. And “Headshrinker” is one of Liam Gallagher’s finest vocal performances, maybe the most punk he’s ever sounded.

Now think about that: in the span of nineteen minutes and probably unbeknowest to you, there’s four tracks that could’ve been featured on a legendary album… and they probably chose the worst one!

Oasis is just one example of this phenomenon, and this is just one single of their b-side-full catalog. Bitter rival bands like Blur and Radiohead were doing the same thing at that time just like The Smiths, U2, and New Order were doing in the 1980’s. The closest thing we have nowadays seems to be the “Bonus Track” that you get with an iTunes album purchase, but really, it’s just a marketing term to get you to get the album through iTunes. And it’s one song. Compare that to Morning Glory Oasis, who released a whopping twelve non-album tracks of supreme quality, worth every penny. Ahhhh, the good old days.

*note: the version of the single I’m actually giving you is the Japanese import that I paid about $20 for during my late 90’s single-buying heyday. Hey! I’m a completist. The demo version of the song sounds like your tape player slowed down. But Hey! The Beatles cover is spot on two minutes of pop genius, sung by the disciple to the greats. HEY!

Tracklist:

01. Some Might Say
02. Talk Tonight
03. Acquiesce
04. Headshrinker
05. Some Might Say (Demo)
06. You’ve Got To Hid Your Love Away