Album review: Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

BLESS Noel Gallagher. He's the first to tell you he'll never beat, creatively or commercially, the first two Oasis albums - Definitely Maybe and (What's the Story) Morning Glory?

He's the everyman millionaire rock star with millions tuned in to his melodic wavelength - anthemic rock with no jazz odysseys.

The end of Oasis was no surprise. He'd been publicly pondering a solo career for years, so this album was a matter of when not if.

Its contents - retro rock - should also be no major shock. Gallagher found his niche years ago. This album recalls the Oasis of The Importance of Being Idle more than the Oasis of Supersonic. Older, wiser, quieter.

Gallagher squirrelled away a few of these songs from a distintegrating Oasis who were busy putting the bassist's songs on albums. The beautiful If I Had a Gun is a gentle reminder that the man who wrote Wonderwall, Stop Crying Your Heart Out and Don't Look Back in Anger still has it.

(I Wanna Live in a Dream in my) Record Machine and Stop the Clocks, both reclaimed Oasis-era tunes (and the man writes tunes), are Gallagher in hippie Beatles mode - a taste of next year's tripped-out companion piece album.

Dream On has flashes back to She's Electric (with more than a bit of Idle) plus lashings of trumpets in a brassy two-fingered salute to brother Liam Gallagher who blocked the use of the instrument in Oasis.

Just as no one has come here looking for musical innovation, lyrically Gallagher's still all songbirds, sunsets and easing of troubled minds. Soldier Boys and Jesus Freaks, the Gallagher commentary on Iraq, still winds up with someone dancing to a record on the jukebox.

Those waiting for Gallagher to update his sound should investigate AKA...What a Life. Terrible title, great song - inspired by driving '90s piano house. No, really. It's definitely, maybe as close to Club Noel as you'll get.

Stars: * * * 1/2

LINK