Review by Phil Rozier for MPM
Back in the ’90s, if you were a rocker, you did not listen to Oasis. That was the law of the schoolyard. You were either in the Metallica and Maiden camp, or you were one of those indie kids with floppy hair and a parka. Slipknot, Marilyn Manson, Guns N’ Roses, those were my gods. Oasis? That was the enemy. You didn’t cross camps. You didn’t even talk to someone who had a copy of Definitely Maybe in their backpack.
And yet… here we are. Thirty years later. I’m 45, still wearing black, still cranking Master of Puppets in the car. But I know every word to Wonderwall. Every chord change in Don’t Look Back in Anger. Every sneer in Liam’s voice and every melodic twist Noel ever penned. Because whether you admitted it or not, Morning Glory seeped into your bones.
This 30th Anniversary Edition is a gift. A full-circle moment. The remastered tracks hit harder than ever, and the bonus material – acoustic versions, unplugged, rarities. Strip the stadium anthems down to their raw, pub-born soul. It’s like hearing the songs for the first time, but with the wisdom of age and the nostalgia of youth.
Track Highlights & Acoustic Reflections
Wonderwall
The anthem that launched a thousand acoustic covers, and was on repeat in my mates Fiat Uno on a Friday night. The original still carries that swaggering melancholy, but the stripped-back version on the anniversary release is pure intimacy. Liam’s voice, raw and unfiltered, turns it from a singalong into a confession.
Champagne Supernova
Seven minutes of psychedelic indulgence. The original is a slow-burning epic, but the acoustic version trades grandeur for grit. It’s like hearing it through a haze of cigarette smoke in a Camden pub at closing time. Still dreamy, but more grounded.
Morning Glory
The title track is pure chaos. Feedback, distortion, attitude. It’s the track that for me ignores genres. The acoustic version is a revelation: the bones of the song are solid, and without the noise, you hear the structure and the intent. It’s still a riot, just a quieter one.
Acquiesce
A working-class anthem with a chorus that punches through walls. The acoustic version is surprisingly uplifting, almost celebratory. It’s the sound of a band that knew they were on top, and weren’t afraid to say it.
Cast No Shadow
One of the most underrated tracks on the album. The original is haunting, but the acoustic version is downright spiritual. Noel’s songwriting shines here. Simple, elegant, and emotionally devastating in the best way.
Oasis weren’t just a band. They were a movement. A swaggering, brash, drug-fuelled echo of the Beatles, soaked in the grit of the ’90s and the arrogance of true rock ’n’ roll. They didn’t care if you liked them. They knew you would. And they were right.
As a rocker who once scoffed at indie, I now tip my hat. The simplicity is masterful. The attitude is pure. And the sound, well, it’s legendary. Whether you were queuing outside HMV on release day, or secretly humming Champagne Supernova between Slayer tracks, this album deserves your respect.
Play it loud. Play it proud. And if you’re still pretending you don’t like Oasis… mate, it’s been 30 years. Grow up, or better yet, grow down.
The visualiser for ‘Cast No Shadow (Unplugged)’, taken from the deluxe 30th anniversary edition of the ‘(What’s The Story) Morning Glory?’, is now on YouTube.
