OASIS "(What's the Story) Morning Glory
Epic
Oasis pours out a huge, quintessentially Manchester sound without the bubble gum, '60s-camp overtones that too often mark the style. They sound mature and genuine compared to the "shoe-gazer" bands. Confident, relaxed, and accomplished in its vocals and musicianship, Morning Glory seems to rush out of Oasis like a force of nature. What it lacks in excitement it makes up for in self-possessed grace. --R.R. ****
POSSUM DIXON "Star Maps"
Interscope
Possum sounds like a slacker version of Johnathan Richman and the Modern Lovers sans lovability. Star Maps starts out promising plenty, with a driving guitar-and-organ groove reminiscent of The Cars, but slides downhill quickly. The main problem with Star Maps is its predictability. Add predictability to lack of intensity, and that equals boring. Possum could be any club band and probably is. --R.R. **
BLACK GRAPE "It's Great When You're Straight… Yeah"
Radioactive
Play this CD, and you've got an instant party! Black Grape's ex-drug-dealer singer, Shaun Ryder (previously of Happy Mondays) is back to elevate this band of Brits to the fifty-fifth floor of funk. Inherently danceable and eclectic, Great When You're Straight may be the new standard by which to judge British dance music. You're dance party can't miss with this joyful, totally British mothership of a CD. --R.R. ****
FOR SQUIRRILS "Example"
550 Music/Epic
For Squirrels' singer and bass player died in a car accident right after they received the advance copies of this CD. They were a promising band that may have followed a little too closely in the footsteps of R.E.M. with their optimistic guitar sound and vague lyrics. But one lyric from Example seems to carve itself into the stone of the tragedy like an epitaph: "Leavin' before you / Given the cue, and I am / Leavin' before you / Under all this painless beauty." Farewell Jack Vigliatura, 21, and William White, 23. --R.R. ***