Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

A strike back or just a debut album?

Don’t you agree that it is preferable to follow the development of two interesting and independent solo projects by the Gallagher brothers rather than to watch them battling in the agonizing Oasis. The legendary band had long suffered from the creative feud between Noel and Liam before it, eventually, demised never showing any sign of recovery. All the ceased ensemble’s numerous fans got left was Liam’s band called Beady Eye, and Noel’s solo project bearing his proud name. Liam, as if trying be faster than his brother, released his new project’s first album half a year before him. Different Gear, Still Speeding have hope to listeners and also spurred Noel even more. He prepared his record by autumn 2011. Elder Gallagher released it under title High Flying Birds. Issued long before that, singles The Death Of You And Me, and AKA... What A Life were a great encouragement for the audience in the face of the upcoming full-length work…

Recalling the former Noel

As a matter of fact, Noel had not one reason to change anything in his musical self after Oasis. He has preserved his loyalty to catchy choruses and down-to earth lyrics, both being essential signs of Oasis. A big master of concert hits, Noel loaded High Flying Birds with a variety of sweet tunes that put their spell on you as soon as you listen to them. The only serious difference from his former ensemble is heavy use of orchestral arrangements. Gallagher’s new songs have grown wings on their backs to fly high, far and proud. The feeling of soaring sticks to you on the album’s opener Everybody’s On The Run and remains there to the end of this forty-minute record. It offers both complex dramatic pieces, like thrilling If I Had A Gun, and straightforward rock and roll stuff like AKA... Broken Arrow, or (Stranded On) The Wrong Beach. The set also had an obligatory tribute to the pop-rock of the sixties in the shape Soldier Boys And Jesus Freaks. Slightly slowed down (I Wanna Live In A Dream In My) Record Machine, and Stop The Clocks look rather as servants to variety than patterns for the rest of the catalogue.

That’s how good Gallagher can be

Noel Gallagher’s most impatient (or shall they be called most loyal?) fans had known some of the new album’s songs long before it was officially released. Internet made it possible to find nearly half the set High Flying Birds. This, too, is to some extent a witness to the fact that the musician had not been preparing any surprises. He had rather been saving his strength, writing thoughtfully and recording thoroughly his material to release finally what looks now his most impressive effort in quite a lot of years. The content of Noel’s debut solo album is a lot more expressive and variegated than Oasis latest efforts. Gallagher looks like a man who has finally got out of the stuffy room for fresh creative air, took a deep breath and said what he was going, eager supposed to say. Still unable to overcome his best works, the musician, nevertheless, has recorded an album that might remind us of what he is to and can be now.