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Oasis' first two albums - the globe dominating Definitely Maybe and (What's the Story) Morning Glory - and their associated B-sides will always be the absolute pinnacle of Noel Gallagher's song writing but his solo material in the High Flying Birds is a real second coming and very nearly as mind blowing. The 21st century Oasis efforts were patchy in greatness, but the first HFB album included a lot of the really good leftovers that were either going to be on a future Oasis record if there had not been a row or maybe did not fit the sound and were more suitable as a solo tracks. It was not ground-breaking, but the HFB debut had some brilliant songs and was a very good introduction. However, on 2015's Chasing Yesterday Noel Gallagher started to mix some of the old Oasis sound with some sonic experimentation and it made the songs really shine in an excellent album. With production by David Holmes, 2017's Who Built the Moon? innovated further and was packed with great songs and was Noel Gallagher's finest album since the Britpop peak of (What's the Story) Morning Glory. The 2019-20 EPs carried on in this path and were largely brilliant too so after almost 6 years without a full album (though there were 9 tracks on those EPs and two on 2021's Best Of which sort of counts as a record) what direction has Noel Gallagher taken now?
Due to the pandemic preventing some collaboration, Noel Gallagher has brought HFB full circle really with lockdowns leaving him writing on his own leading mostly to a return to the more traditional songcraft that characterised the HFB’s debut. Noel Gallagher is friends with Bono and Council Skies is like a superior equivalent to U2's All That You Can't Leave Behind (which was for the most part too poppy) in that it is more back to first principles but aspects of the more "far out there" sonic soundscapes remain as the instrumentation is so numerous and rich. Most of the tracks are soaring mid-tempo ballads replete with stirring strings and crisp acoustics. I'm Not Giving Up Tonight is a good start while the optimistic, sprightly Open the Door, See What You Find - about finding your place in the world - warranted its place as the fifth single. In a recent media interview, Noel Gallagher stated that he wished the David Bowie-like (similar chords to Ashes to Ashes) closer Think of a Number had been the first track and the opener the last instead, but the current selection is spot on. I'm Not Giving Up Tonight is the rousing beginning the album needs while Think of a Number is a good, thoughtful and epic way for the album to finish. The title track (and fourth single) - about finding love in Noel Gallagher's pre-fame years in Burnage - is the second best song on the album and sounds like Paul Weller/The Smiths (Smiths' guitarist Johnny Marr plays on it and two other tracks) but with more sweeping strings.
Three of the tracks pleasingly hark back somewhat to vintage Oasis. The mournful Dead to the World - presumably reflecting his marriage breakup - is one of the standouts and is like a dreamy, ethereal relative to 1994's classic Half the World Away. Trying To Find a World That's Been and Gone Pt. 1 is another very strong song that has a bit of the electronic ambience of Standing on the Shoulder of Giants - though better written - combined with the trademark acoustic strum of Oasis (a bit like Wonderwall). Easy Now is another highlight with some atmospheric keyboards/effects combined with some quite anthemic guitar work that somewhat resembles 2002's Little by Little. It is one of the catchiest songs and consequently warranted being the second single. It is the most Oasis-like of the whole record, will surely please gig-goers who prefer the old material and bridges Noel Gallagher's most famous band with the High Flying Birds’ first album.
There She Blows! and the penultimate track Love is a Rich Man are unashamedly mid to fast paced traditional/dad rock but they inject this mostly ballad filled album with a couple of vital louder numbers. They have a feel of the mid to later Oasis albums but written in a superior way and more how they should have been done.
However, the finest track of the album is the second one, Pretty Boy. It was quite a misleading lead single really as it carries on exactly in the same vein as the previous HFB album Who Built the Moon? (very much sonically experimenting) and is the fastest paced. It is like the chords of The Cure's A Forest spliced with the propulsive electronic rhythm of Bronski Beat, the booming acoustics of The Smiths and the powerful bass of New Order. Noel Gallagher melding all these legendary old bands together coupled with his ability to create his own fresh song from these inspirations ensures that Pretty Boy is the most thrilling, danciest and scintillating five minutes of Council Skies.
Although perhaps Council Skies needed a couple more overtly adventurous tracks like Pretty Boy to be absolutely perfect - though all the arrangements/production on the other songs are gorgeously deep and detailed - this is still an excellent new album from Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds. With Noel’s solo career finding him rediscovering his mojo, genuinely returning to form and Liam Gallagher finding his niche, an Oasis reunion is not truly essential now. After the sensational success of the first two Oasis records, perhaps there was too much pressure on Noel to keep creating globe gobbling anthems and now in HFB it is better as he can just concentrate on writing great songs instead. In the same recent media interview, it rings true really when he states that despite the artwork the title track is the only one that really refers to his earlier life in Manchester interestingly, but the greater variety of theme is welcome. Noel Gallagher's HFB vinyl can always be relied upon and yet again this version is superior to the CD as it is so pleasantly loud and clear sounding and all the songs elegantly segue into the next one. Although slightly more experimentation would be pleasing next time, this is a truly really strong set of tunes - tracks 2-7 are especially magical - and the most complete album of Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds discography.
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Reviews with images
Superb album
Best album in a long, long time. Noel Gallagher at his best. Probably one of the best songwriters of his generation. Can't help but tap your feet and dive in. I think one of the best albums out there past and present. Crank it up and it'll make you smile.
