The numbers are staggering: Worldwide sales of more than 60 million albums and all seven of its studio albums #1 in the U.K., where eight singles have also hit #1. But the numbers do not tell the whole story of Oasis, the British band centered on the brothers Gallagher, singer Liam and lead guitarist Noel. By bringing together pop, psychedelia, anthemic rock and a singer-songwriter sensibility, Oasis became one of the most important bands in history.
"2002's Heathen Chemistry - the band's fifth album - is where Oasis returns to form and starts acting like a band again (hell, not only does Liam contribute three songs, but so does bassist Gem Archer, while Andy Bell throws in a minute-long instrumental). If only it were that simple. First of all, this, like Giants, is produced by Oasis and mixed by Mark "Spike" Stent, so it should come as no surprise that it sounds like that album, only without the slight electronica flourishes, since the band is determined to make this their rock & roll comeback. But that Stent-mixed, Noel-helmed production keeps Heathen Chemistry from really rocking - it's big and diffuse, sounding enormous and vaguely psychedelic, without much grit or kick. When it's matched with the right song - such as the swirling, majestically nonsensical opener "The Hindu Times" - it can be an addictive sound, but often it's mismatched with the songs; the sound expands the songs too much and they lose focus and dynamic, whether it's the muted "Digsy's Dinner" stomp of "Force of Nature" (a solo Noel tune unearthed from a 2000 soundtrack for a British-only Jude Law film), epic ballads ("Little by Little"), stabs at sweeping psychedelia ("Born on a Different Cloud"), or rockers (including the Stone Roses-meets-the Stones closer "Better Man"). Nevertheless, for those who rightfully believed that Oasis was a great band in the mid-'90s - when Noel had so many great songs, they spilled over to three B-sides per single - it's hard not to find this album kind of disappointing, a confirmation that no matter what they do, Oasis Mach II will never have the sheer abandon or thrill as Definitely Maybe through Morning Glory."
- Stephen Thomas Erlewine - allmusic.com
