The Chart Show Indie Chart (15th November 1997)

Well the info boxes on the Stereophonics say "its a top indie chart this week". Well I couldn't agree more. Its one of the very few specialist chart of post 1996 that I enjoy listening to. At that time Stereophonics and Embrace made some really fantastic tunes, which unfortunately they don't do now. Stereophonics are from Wales and Embrace were from the not so picturesque city of Hull !!!

Many critics called Embrace a copycat of Oasis, especially the common linkage of two brothers in a band with Irish descent and also the similarities of the music. I remembered when I first heard Embrace, I thought it was Noel Gallagher singing. Thats how similar their music was. Although Noel wasn't a fan of the band and I think Embrace and Oasis never really got along with each other.

Embrace's album "The Good Will Out" is a fantastic mix of melody and shouting vocals with Oasis type of guitars. Personally I found the album so much better than Oasis's "Be Here Now", which was released in the same year (1997). Embrace's second album was such a disappointment, it was completely different from their first album in terms of sound and the songs fell flat. Not surprisingly the album didn't do that well in the charts. That was the last time I ever bought an Embrace album, although I did buy their 2004 album Out of Nothing which wasn't that bad I have to admit !!!