Chart Review: 30th August 2024
For the people of the UK, at least, this past week has seen music make headlines like it hasn’t in a while. Albeit this is in the wake of Oasis announcing their long awaited comeback, but still: The Biz has been unusually relevant in the dog days of summer 2024. The discourse has moved with such alacrity that I’ve already seen waves of celebratory articles, counterpunches from people who don’t like the lairy/dreary sounds of the Gallagher boys, and counters to those counters from people who just want to have a laugh.
Personally I can’t imagine much worse than having to go see Oasis on their reunion tour. For starters I’m not a big fan of the music and the idea of schlepping to a stadium is one that inspires dread, but more to the point, can you imagine the kinds of crowds those gigs are going to attract? Wembley Stadium packed out with folks completely lacking in stadium etiquette, pissed out of their heads in the July sun. Not for me, no thank you very much.
Anyway Oasis have provided us with the lion’s share of new stuff in this week’s Top 40, with “Live Forever”, “Wonderwall”, and “Don’t Look Back In Anger” slotting in at (19), (17), and (16) respectively. “Live Forever” has never been a big favourite of mine but I like the production on it; it’s an incredibly grandiose sound for a band on their debut record, even if it does set the standard for the band’s formula of songs that go on for six minutes or so with about three ideas in them. It also makes me chuckle that Liam has to defer to Noel to hit the falsetto on the chorus; it’s a bit keeper getting his centre back to take the goal kick vibes.
“Wonderwall” - I mean what can you say. Who in their right mind is purposefully putting on the song “Wonderwall”, enough times to send it into the UK Top 20? Surely this is a song with which we are all more than familiar. It’s “Wonderwall”, for God’s sake. It’s ur-acoustic guitar song. It has surely been on the radio all week since the tour announcement, why is anyone adding to these numbers? As I write this I’m remembering that I listened to (What’s The Story) Morning Glory in full this week so I am very much part of the problem, but I think listening to it in the context of the record will form the basis of my rather flimsy defence.
“Don’t Look Back In Anger” is one I’ll stand behind, though. Part of my fondness likely stems from its masterful use at the end of the TV show Our Friends In The North, but I’m down with the whole ridiculous excess of it. It’s as mid-’90s as it gets. The money, booze, and coke are all flowing, they’re the biggest band around, and no one’s going to stop them from making this ridiculously pompous rock opera. It’s funny nowadays to hear Liam especially having a pop at, for example, Alex Turner for getting too big for his boots after Arctic Monkeys cracked America when Oasis were in their own right one of the most gleefully pretentious acts around. Noel talks a good game about the group being a bunch of pissed up lads playing their loud guitars, but there’s one of the most unapologetically pseudo intellectual sorts you’ll ever see in your life.
Finally, finally, one of my predictions has paid off, with Sabrina Carpenter’s “Taste” snagging the spot at the top of the charts. This was a real fait accompli, being the first song on Carpenter’s album (also UK #1) and the recipient of a glossy, Jenna Ortega co-starring video. This is one of the strongest cuts on the record, another one blessed with those light, sparkling ‘80s synths that made “Please Please Please” such a delightful tune. Carpenter has her character down like nobody’s business and for my money always manages to straddle the line between saucepot and family friendly entertainer. She has all three of the top spots on the chart and an insanely lucrative tour to come. What a time to be alive!
Pick of the week: Sabrina Carpenter - “Taste”
