Stop the Clocks

Although long-players like DEFINITELY MAYBE and (WHAT'S THE STORY) MORNING GLORY? are certified Britpop classics, Oasis has always been a singles band, so 2006's two-disc best-of, STOP THE CLOCKS, was a welcome arrival. Oasis has never been touted for their groundbreaking originality, but it's precisely their retro-styled concoction of irrepressible hooks and alternately chiming and roaring guitars that makes their music so appealing. STOP THE CLOCKS drives that point home and then some.
Stretching from early gems like "Rock 'N' Roll Star" and "Live Forever" through latter period singles such as "Lyla," with the mega-hits ("Wonderwall") and B-sides sprinkled in along the way, the compilation serves to remind why the band was one of the most popular British acts of the '90s and beyond. Throughout, the towering wall of guitars, Liam Gallagher's sneering vocals, and brother Noel's impeccable songcraft create a rock template that pushes all the right pleasure buttons, and with 23 of the band's best on offer, STOP THE CLOCKS provides a lot of pleasure.