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It's rare these days to have a music group that deserves the title "legendary" or even "timeless."
We live in an age of mass-marketed one-hit wonders, where today's Christina Aguilera will soon make way for tomorrow's equally vapid successor.
There are few female artists today with the style, class and songwriting ability of, say, Carole King.
We live in an era when too many punk-rock bands practice jumping in unison on stage more than jumping into guitar or drum lessons and growing as artists.
There are few punk artists today with the style, class and songwriting ability of, say, the Clash.
And when we think of rock groups, it seems perhaps easiest of all to critique. We live in a time when too many "alternative" groups sound alike.
There are few groups today with the style, class and songwriting ability of, say, the Beatles or the Who.
Yet there is an Oasis.
Oasis is one of a handful of groups that has earned the title "legendary." Hailing from England, the band has released albums that easily match the best of rock music.
While the group is, as one of its album titles notes, "Familiar to Millions," it has never taken over America with the same staggering impact it has in England. This is too bad, since many of the same American music fans who love the Beatles or the Stone Roses would absolutely love Oasis.
In September, Oasis will release a DVD for its extraordinary album "Definitely Maybe"--complete with interviews, live footage, the works.
"The records that we've made will be in the shops forever," unashamedly admits Noel Gallagher (the lead guitarist and primary songwriter for the group) in one interview on the DVD.
He's right. Brilliant songwriting, perfect melodies mixed with lush guitar power, and words that create incredible imagery--think "Champagne Supernova"--make Oasis CDs ones that will stand the test of time.
To get an idea of the impact of this group, consider this: "Definitely Maybe" was recently voted the best British album of all time by the Q magazine.
Along with the trailblazing "Definitely," strongly recommended Oasis purchases would include "(What's the Story) Morning Glory?" and the newest, brilliant disc, "Heathen Chemistry."
If one hasn't heard Oasis before, let this be the catalyst to go check it out. If one hasn't listened to an album in a while, put on one of the Oasis discs and sit back and drink in the lushness--the slightly retro sound in a completely modern context--the obvious "this is timeless" quality.
It's an Oasis in the current Puddle of Mudd that rock has become.