Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ eponymous album is a pop rock creation that says more about Noel’s potential when he is let off his leash than it does about their first offering. Seemingly constrained by the record label (although this could be in exchange for the psych album that’s been hinted at) and formula following in parts it’s just a bit too careful to create waves.
Everybody’s On the Run has got an epic, building, movie score intro that flows into the growling verse with Gallagher’s trademark acoustic strum. The chorus is catchy with string backing, but as a song it’s lacking in heart and fades fast.
Dream On is filled with typical Noel led Oasis track sounds, reminiscent of The Importance of Being Idle. It’s catchy, simple and perfectly weighted, but nothing new.
If I Had a Gun… is a slow track of little note, but it’s followed by The Death of You and Me, which is one of the best tracks on the album. It’s got a circus feel to it and weaves a pretty good story with comedy trumpet blast interludes. Though it wasn’t the number 1 single it might have been, it’s the best introduction to Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds.
(I Wanna Live In a Dream In My) Record Machine is more stings and percussion. While it’s catchy, it’s not massively interesting musically. However, AKA…What a Life! has a bit more substance with a modern beat, higher pitch vocals and tales of riding on the backs of tigers.
Soldier Boys and Jesus Freaks is an indictment of Christianity and war; mostly likely aimed at bible belt USA judging from the Americana theme of the videos that accompany Noel Gallagher’s Flying Birds.
AKA…Broken Arrow is OK, but does little to break the formulaic feel of the album until the psych howls kick in during the middle section of the song. Hopefully a prelude to the highly anticipated psychedelic album that Noel is reputed to be working on.
(Stranded On) The Wrong Beach is easily skipped with little to get your attention, but perhaps the most eagerly awaited song though is the unreleased Noel Gallagher penned, one-time Oasis track, Stop the Clocks. If you’ve ever heard the old live acoustic versions, you’ll know how good the song is, but on the High Flying Birds album it’s got the polish and shimmering sheen that it deserves. Brilliantly poetic, it’s been a classic for a while, but the fully recorded version doesn’t quite give the song enough of the Indian influences that made it’s live recordings so great.
A Simple Game of Genius is an acoustic electric interchange that gets more rock as it builds. It’s probably the only track on the album that could have been improved with Liam’s vocals, reminding you that if you took The High Flying Birds and Beady Eye and smashed them together with force you’d have a much better result.
Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds album review: 3.5/5
