"But my pod woke up on the wrong side of his cast . . . "

Eight years from their explosive debut Definitely Maybe, Oasis had graduated into stadium rock stalwarts. Their previous album, Standing on the Shoulder of Giants, was met with lukewarm response; its psychedelic flourishes and laid-back vibe were a far cry from the ear-crushing, electric guitar-dominated sounds of their early work.

It's no accident that 2002's Heathen Chemistry begins with "The Hindu Times", a sinewy riff that recalls some of their earlier successes. It also seems likely that "Little By Little" and "Stop Crying Your Heart Out" were written with arena singalongs in mind. Then . . . there's the rest of it. From very high highs to puzzling lows, Oasis' fifth studio LP is the band at its most confused. In between the obvious highlights, what are the gems and what are the stinkers?