Oasis – MTV Unplugged Review

Some of the all-time greatest performers have given us MTV Unplugged performances. Oasis, too. The likes of Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, and Nirvana managed to reinvent themselves during the music channel performances, stripping themselves of electric instruments and giving familiar tracks a new feel. Hang on, though. This is not a true Oasis performance. Rumour has it Liam Gallagher was in no state to perform. Instead, Noel Gallagher is left to perform the songs he wrote without his brother, and it makes for a fascinating experience with songs with puddle-deep meaning. Gallagher is a strong singer; the problem is the message he tries to send through muddled wordplay and underwhelming metaphors for how life in the fast lane will burn you out. That is the double-edged sword of this performance, though MTV Unplugged does offer a startling glimpse into what Oasis could do when stripped of rock and roll glamour. 

More interesting than the songs are the putdowns between them, where Noel Gallagher notes he is the brains behind the band. Song after song of his doing, though not all of them are outstanding. Horns and harmonica appear on Hello and stick around for much of the performance. They add plenty of depth to the sound, but very little to the songs. Music which feels like breezy, easy-listening material ready for advertisements. Those brass additions threaten to overwhelm the softer touch Gallagher can give these songs, but he pushes through, nonetheless. Some Might Say is an excellent showcase of his abilities as a singer. Not a strong one, but certainly a listenable and entertaining piece of the Oasis lineup. Without his brother to overshadow him, he certainly sounds confident enough to be leading the group. These versions are stronger than the album releases, every song. That is not because Liam Gallagher is a lesser frontman than his brother. The softer touch to these songs offers a nicer experience with the songwriting. 

Limited still, but sincerity is what can win a listener over. There is plenty of that on show in Oasis’ MTV Unplugged appearance. Live Forever sounds magnificent here, far removed from the hollow, overplayed version which bursts out of clubs across the country. Those strings remain tiresome, but they are a necessary addition as Gallagher needs an instrumental swell to keep the track on course. Oasis may have songs tailor-made to the static guitar rock sound, but in stripping back the likes of Listen Up and The Masterplan, Oasis showcases a creativity not found on their album work. Don’t Look Back in Anger has a harsher sound to it, a change to the song which makes use of that ever-present string and brass section. Gallagher finds some real comfort in that backing and turns one of his best songs into a moving piece which still stands as the finest Oasis track available. 

MTV Unplugged remains a fantastic opportunity to get to grips with Noel Gallagher’s vocal range. He is an exceptional frontman and showed as much with his solo works after the Oasis fallout. Whether he gets the chance to share this consistency during his reunion with Liam Gallagher is yet to be seen. It will be unlikely we hear anything as interesting as this in their first live shows for sixteen years. Oasis’ most interesting moments on stage are with Liam Gallagher absent or sulking in the background. A set which provides a nice balance between the hits and deeper cuts, those songs which sound better with Noel Gallagher as lead singer, stripped of electric intensity and instead backed by a soft-pop instrumental set which would usually be reserved for a Rod Stewart show in Las Vegas. If it works, it works. It does for Oasis on their MTV Unplugged performance. It all feels a bit like a soft rip on The Beatles, but that much is better than their frequently insincere covers of the Fab Four, which thankfully do not happen here.