Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

Favourite Albums of 2023

Posted on January 1, 2024 by Michael

5. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Weathervanes: As a middle aged Caucasian, it’s such a treat to listen to Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit’s Weathervanes. An album where Isbell tries to make sense of the world around him and how to be a positive force in it. “Cast Iron Skillet” made it onto Barack Obama’s playlist this year. The one on my playlist is “Save the World” whose beginning instrumentation already feels dreadful as Isbell sings of a(nother) school shooting. Remarkable stuff.

4. Mitski – The Land Is Inhospitable And So Are We: A late addition to the list was the very well received Mitski album that was released in mid September. A quietly powerful album, Mitski’s lyrics are beautiful as she drops line of wisdom and makes bleak thoughts sound poetic on tracks like “When Memories Snow”. Third single “My Love Mine All Mine” also made it onto Barack Obama’s year end playlist, one of the better tips of the cap an artist can receive these days.

3. blur – The Ballad of Darren: One of the best surprises of the year was blur releasing The Ballad of Darren last summer. As the band matures, so do their songs and themes. “Russian Strings” sees Damon Albarn sing, “there’s nothing in the end, only dust” before adding the uplifting line, “so turn the music up”. Songs like “Barbaric” and “The Narcissist” are classic blur tracks. While the album could use a bit more energy, the deluxe version that adds a couple of songs is the one to get

2. Yo La Tengo – This Stupid World: 17 studio albums in and the Yo La Tengo trio continue to release great music. On this February release they include several songs that hit right away in “Apology Letter” and “Fallout”. They also leave room for the atmospheric closer sung by Georgia Hubley, “Miles Away”. A wonderful album that is still worth exploring in extended listens nearly a year later.

1. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Council Skies: Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Bird’s fourth album returns the chief to areas that he and fans know very well. While the single “Pretty Boy” had a different sound, songs like “Open the Door, See What You Find” and especially “Easy Now” have the feel of his first band. The fans who are still clamouring for an Oasis reunion are the ones not paying attention the excellent rock and roll music that both Gallagher brothers are putting out on their own.

Listed

10 Favourite Songs of 2023

Posted on January 1, 2024 by Michael

10. Slowdive – Alife: A mix of singing between Rachel Goswell and Neil Halstead, “Alife” was the last single released from Slowdive’s album, everything is alive. The ocean of guitar with buried vocals is a pop song from another dimension, one with a constant refrain of “two hard lives are hard lives with you”. Love is in the air.

9. Lana Del Rey – A&W: One of the most unique tracks in popular music in 2023 was “A&W” from Lana Del Rey. Instead of hamburgers, the song instead refers to an “American Whore”. A song of two halves, the track is an unusual mix of folk and trap music, two styles that have figured in her music throughout Del Rey’s career.

8. Belle and Sebastian – When We Were Very Young: Belle and Sebastian released another great record early in the year. Containing the classic Stuart Murdoch line, “I wish I could be content with the football scores”, “When We Were Very Young” is another B&S track for all the outsiders.

7. Emma Anderson – Clusters: From an album bathed in light and twinkling stars, last track “Clusters” from Emma Anderson is one of the best. Her voice floats above the air with lines like, “all the pretty boys/all the pretty girls”, then when she sings “dodododo”, it’s impossible not to sing along.

6. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit – Save the World: Jason Isbell released one of the most powerful songs of living in America with “Save the World” about a school shooting. Grappling with senseless violence is something virtually all of us deal with every week whether a personal story or one read in the paper. Isbell’s track shows you’re not alone in trying to figure this out.

5. Yo La Tengo – Apology Letter: Not released as a single, one of the most memorable songs on the latest from Yo La Tengo is the song, “Apology Letter”. Ira Kaplan sings the funny/sad line, “And then I got mad because you got mad/another one of my delightful quirks/what a jerk”.

4. Robert Forster – Tender Years: One of the highlights of the latest album from Robert Forster was his tribute to his wife, “Tender Years”. The touching song is an easy going track lead by a strumming guitar and features the line, “I’m in a story with her/No, I can’t live without her”. Love is definitely in the air here. (Video released in November 2022)

3. The Beatles – Now and Then: One of the most haunting sounds of 2023 was hearing John Lennon signing the first words “I know it’s true…” in the “Now and Then” song released as an official single by The Beatles. A much better track than what the band released in the 1990s, the song was not without its detractors… but the rest of us loved it.

2. blur – The Narcissist: Like other “nostalgia acts” releasing new music in 2023, blur released a track sure to be one of their finest with “The Narcissist”. One that will be sung loudly at future concerts, the line “I’ll be shining light in your eyes/you’ll probably shine it back on me” is spine tingling.

1. Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Easy Now: One of Noel Gallagher’s best tracks of his solo career, “Easy Now” was released in early 2023 with a memorable video featuring Milly Alcock from House of the Dragon. One of Noel’s best vocals that he uses to great effect. The skyscraper chorus rivals his most lighters up in the air tracks with his former band, Oasis.

Album Reviews

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds – Council Skies (2CD Deluxe Edition) (2023)

Posted on June 15, 2023 by Michael

With the new release of Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds’ album, Council Skies, the singer embarked on a new round of media arguing with other singers. This time the foe is Matt Healy of the 1975 who responded with the brilliant retort, “The difference between me and Noel is I do a series of interviews to promote an album, whereas he does an album to promote a series of interviews.” And while the statement may have truth in it, the interviews have been great and the album is a good one.

Guitarist Johnny Marr appears on first single, “Pretty Boy”. The electronic beat underlays the gender bending lyrics of “there was a girl like me/there was a boy like you”. “Open the Door, See What You Might Find” adds strings and bells ringing to a belter of a chorus. The title track is a midtempo number who’s string section makes it sound vaguely like a James Bond theme whereas the horns kick in on “Love is a Rich Man” on that track’s easy spirit while adding joy, and lightness.

The album really shines on second single “Easy Now”. The stellar anthem of a chorus sees the Chief sing, “I’ll be there/I’ll wait for you I swear”. The verses and chorus dovetail into one another, producer Paul Stacey adds a guitar solo on one of Gallagher’s most uplifting post Oasis songs. With the announcement of Noel’s split from his wife of 12 years, the dreamy ballad “Dead to the World” takes another meaning as he sings, “I’ll bend over backwards for love”. On Council Skies, little by little Gallagher continues to stretch his sound with additions to his repertoire that result in a solid album for the 56 year old.

The 2CD deluxe version adds an additional 14 tracks made up of new tracks, radio sessions, instrumentals, and remixes. “We’re Gonna Get There In the End” and “Flying on the Ground” continue the lightness of touch. Remixes by Pet Shop Boys and David Holmes adds a spacey club dimension to the sound before Robert Smith adds his touch to “Pretty Boy”. The second disc closes with a radio session version of Oasis classic, “Live Forever”. Thankfully Gallagher’s recent airing of Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart” is not included.

Council Skies – 8.5/10

Deluxe Edition Extra Disc – 7/10