The Gallaghers find their funk

CD OF THE WEEK:Oasis, Dig Out Your Soul, Big Brother,

Don't be fooled by the first single, The Shock of the Lightening. It's the most traditional Oasis track on here and really not representative of what's to unfold. Easily their most psychedelic work to date, Dig Out Your Soulchannels the spirit of The Who circa Baba O'Reillyand The Beatles (what a surprise) around their Lucy in the Sky with Diamondsperiod.

The Who comparisons can't be stated enough - a lot of the drumming (which is a particular highpoint of this album) seems to come straight from the Keith Moon handbook, and the guitar work has a Townshend crunch to it.

Influences out of the way, there's plenty to admire here as Oasis go all scuzzy and come as close to funk as they probably ever will. There's a real swing to the songs (whereas before it could all get a bit too lateral). Particular high points here are Noel's falsetto vocals on the White Album-sounding Waiting for the Raptureand Noel again on Falling Down(the best Oasis song since The Importance of Being Idle), where he juxtaposes a soft vocal line over a skipping beat.

The big song off this, though, is going to be I'm Outta Time, Liam's well-judged and well-delivered tribute to John Lennon. A few years ago, Gallagher jnr would have made a mawkish mess of this, but here he gets all moodily evocative.

One or two of the songs don't quite get out of second gear, but this is one of Oasis' most musically mature and interesting works.

Not as immediately accessible as previous efforts, perhaps, but the playing on this and the manner in which the Gallaghers work the vocals, make it an essential listen. www.oasisinet.com

Download tracks: Falling Down, I'm Outta Time