1960s British music has had the greatest influence on Oasis; beyond rock 'n' roll, there is also psychedelia. By 2000's Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants, the band already had several psychedelic tracks, and even "D'You Know What I Mean?" from Be Here Now contained psychedelic elements. What Dig Out Your Soul unearths are those long-buried seeds of psychedelic music.
The opener, "Bag It Up", kicks off with Zak Starkey’s distinctive drumming, while Liam Gallagher’s vocals carry a weight reminiscent of Ian Brown. Lyrics like "Tell me what you desire/I'll bag it up/Aah..." unfold like a magical tale. The horn section at the end creates a train-like effect, bringing to mind The Beatles' "A Day In The Life", though the difference here is that the explosive ending segues directly into the next track. "The Turning" begins with a backbeat drum rhythm and piano, closing with a guitar part borrowed from "Julia". "Waiting For The Rapture" features Noel on vocals; the military-style drumming makes the song feel incredibly solid. It ends with a lone electric guitar strumming chords, adding a sigh of separation to the track. The album's first single, "The Shock Of The Lightning", is a track rich with the classic Oasis feel. The catchy, rhyming lyrics carry a strong "Flower Power" color. Liam brings tenderness to his self-penned "I'm Outta Time", a reflection on the wild days of youth with a melody rivalling "Wonderwall"—a song made for singalongs. The guitar and handclaps opening "(Get Off Your) High Horse Lady" draw a direct parallel to John Lennon's "Give Peace A Chance". On "Falling Down", Noel revisits the "Setting Sun" route, using rock to mimic big beat electronic music, making it one of the album's standout tracks. On "To Be Where There's Life", the band utilizes the Indian sitar; it is more positive and faster than "Fade In/Out", and combined with Liam’s spoken-sung lyrics, it is a piece of 60s Indian-influenced psychedelia. "Ain't Got Nothing" feels like "The Meaning Of Soul" from the previous album—short with surging power, though it feels somewhat repetitive. Amidst guitar feedback comes "The Nature Of Reality". The band attempts to create bluesy psychedelic music, but it ends up being one of the weaker tracks on the album. The final track, "Soldier On", sees Liam mimicking "Come Together", with nihilistic lyrics bringing the album to a close.
Dig Out Your Soul is the band's tribute to The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper; from the arrangements and sound effects to the psychedelic vibe, it is heavily colored by 60s psychedelia. Dig Out Your Soul represents the band's return to psychedelic experimentation. With the creative participation of talented musicians Andy Bell and Gem, the album is more diverse than Standing On The Shoulder Of Giants, where Noel was fighting a lonely battle, making it much more listenable. Unfortunately, the band commits the same error as on Be Here Now; the final few songs really could have been B-sides, but placing them on the album makes it feel dragged out. After all, if Oasis changed too much, fans who have followed them for years might not be able to adapt. Imagine if one day Oasis became as protean as Radiohead or Damon Albarn—you might not be able to handle it. The fact that they don't change may be exactly why people love and hate them.