Like every Oasis album since ... well, their second one, Don't Believe the Truth is hyped as a return to the Britrock greatness of their definitive 1994 debut Definitely Maybe. But for the first time, there might actually be a little something more to that than lip service, marketing and wishful thinking.

This sixth album from the brothers Gallagher and their latest version of Oasis is their first disc in ages that doesn't descend into hamfisted desperation or uninspired self-parody. Why? Three simple reasons:

1) Guitarist Noel's decision to relinquish his white-knuckle death grip on the songwriting reins -- a move that admittedly seemed risky a couple of albums back -- is finally paying big dividends, with singing sibling Liam, guitarist Gem Archer and bassist Andy Bell contributing tunes that easily hold their own and raise the band's batting average;

2) The lads have finally discontinued their ill-advised dabblings into electronica and got back to the nostalgic guitar-based rock of their youth, as evinced by tracks like the Stonesy Lyla, the Mottly glam of Mucky Fingers, the Kinksian strum of The Importance of Being Idle and the Lennonesque Guess God Thinks I'm Abel.

3) Their new drummer is Zak Starkey, who is not only the most capable stickman they've ever had but also happens to be Ringo Starr's kid, which seems like some sort of karmic stamp of approval on their Beatlesque aspirations.

Even with all that going for it, Don't Believe the Truth still doesn't rise to the same lofty heights as Definitely Maybe. If only because no album could. But it's definitely the closest they've come yet -- and maybe as close as they're ever gonna get.

Believe the hype. At least a little.

Track Listing:

1. Turn Up the Sun
2. Mucky Fingers
3. Lyla
4. Love Like a Bomb
5. Importance of Being Idle
6. Meaning of Soul
7. Guess God Thinks I'm Abel
8. Part of the Queue
9. Keep the Dream Alive
10. Bell Will Ring
11. Let There Be Love