Beady Eye

Remembered by '90s nostalgists in North America for their heartfelt sing-alongs and cocksure swagger, in reality, Oasis have always felt like a blemish at home in the UK, coming across more like Britain's answer to Nickelback than the second-coming of classic rock. Because of this, it's hard to fault Beady Eye (the Brit-pop act fronted by Liam Gallagher and Oasis's remaining members) for delivering such a forgettable effort with their 2011 debut, Different Gear, Still Speeding, after Noel decided to dissolve the original band. After all, this was a group of guys who would have likely been content playing "Rock 'N' Roll Star" for the rest of their lives. Nevertheless, everyone's favourite mod-apologists continue to trudge on, surprisingly finding their footing on BE, the band's sophomore LP. With the help of TV on the Radio's Dave Sitek, Beady Eye get an added boost in the production front this time around with shimmering reverb ("Don't Bother Me") and dark landscapes ("Soul Love"), while retaining their brand of working class rock ("IZ Rite," album standout "Flick of the Finger"). As you can imagine, BE doesn't tread any new ground sonically, but for fans of the group, and likely Beady Eye themselves, it's a welcome distraction as we wait patiently for an Oasis reunion.