Oasis - The Importance Of Being Idle (Big Brother)

I didn't think they had it in them. The Gallagher's seemed to have become a comic strip, trading on past (morning) glories and more famous for their marriages and thumping photographers than for their music. It seemed as if they could keep themselves in new trainers and cagoules by endlessly touring a greatest hits set. A Beatles made up of Ringo's. Funny, likeable, but clowns at heart. It seemed only a matter of time before one of them pitched up on Celebrity Big Brother.

So this is surprise. A welcome surprise and yes, the rumours of a return to form are true. We're not talking reinventing the wheel here but then Oasis were never ones for that. This is a sublime piece of 60s influenced guitar pop that only Noel seems able to pen. This is less Beatles and more the ragged vibe of the Kinks.

Noel's vocal reaches up higher than before, a yearning falsetto that manages to convey hard won optimism and that Manc swagger of old. The guitars spin out a melody that will trouble milkmen on their early morning rounds, and it's all topped off with some brooding strings and a soaring guitar solo. Welcome back lads. What took you so long?