Like thousands of other folk on this island, I bought the new Oasis album on Thursday morning. I am not your typical Liam and Noel fan but I was interested in it for a number of reasons. What had they been doing for 10 months? Is Noel dead and replaced with a doppelganger? Will this venture make or break the self-confessed "most important band in the world?"

Or more to the point, will it ever equal the renown and prestige of What's the Story (Morning Glory)?

Be Here Now has all the ingredients of a good album at first glance; an already popular cover photo and a lot of three-word song titles. But what about 72 minutes later?

After 11 songs and a reprise I must admit I was quite impressed. The band has a louder rock'n'rollish sound than before, and to level that off they've stuck in a few ballads.

It's not hard to spot the number ones and the songs that will be over-played to meltdown on the radio.

D'ya Know What I Mean?, the opening air, has already experienced fame as a No 1 single. Army helicopters and old ruins never go out of fashion, I suppose.

My favourites (I'm sorry to put you through this) would have to be Stand By Me (it's really catchy and reminds me of the stuff on Defi- nitely Maybe); The Girl In The Dirty Shirt' - I've never thought of Oasis as romantics but I'd say this is the closest they can get to soppy. Me, I'm a hopeless sentimentalist.

The really big one will either be Don't Go Away or All Around The World. They are both typical Oasis tunes; nice melody, good rhythm and lyrics that don't make any sense a lot of the time.

Noel's only lead vocal on the album, Magic Pie, took a while to grow on me. Now I say that it's a piece of genius; a treat for all the family. Well, definitely worth listening to anyway.

I have a big problem with Fade In-Out; I think it's an excuse to show off any guitar skills they might have, even though they hired some dude on a slide guitar to help.

I didn't particularly like My Big Mouth either, it's a bit loud and obnoxious, with lyrics to the effect of: "My big mouth/my big name/ I'll put on my shoes when I'm walk- ing slowly down the hall of fame". Lets just say there is a fine line between electric guitars and noise.

The rest of the tunes vary from very good to bearable; not bad enough to be damned to the name of "filler", not brilliant enough to be successful singles.

The highlight of the whole piece must be the reprise of All Around The World at the end; it sounds so familiar - but with trumpets?

Oasis have definitely developed their music but it retains all it's old characteristics. Better than What's The Story? I suppose we'll just have to wait and see.

I leave you with the words of Noel Gallagher, "We're gettin' better man!" They certainly are.