Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds

Dr.Winston O'Boogie

A lot of hyperbole in this thread from peoples initial reactions, I remember something similar with Beady Eyes album which will never stand the test of time. I expected that from Liam fanboys but not so much from Noel fans. It is very very rare I find that an album warrants "amazing" or a "9/10" on the first few listens. Or at least one that will still be good on listen number 127 or whatever.

Anyway have listened to it only the once so far so not going to make a comment on it just yet.

spider guardian

I have been constantly listening to this album over the past few days and I am enjoying it so far. Some very nice tunes on there.

One thing I am slightly disappointed over (not a problem with the album per se) is the fact that of the 10 tracks I would consider only 7 to be 'new', in that I've listened to Stop The Clocks, Record Machine and Everbody's on the Run quite a bit over the last few years. Even What a Life and Death Of You And Me don't sound so fresh now. At least there is bonus track and b-sides waiting to be listened to.

I like what Noel has done with Everybody's on the Run, he could have gone for the soft ballad approach but he has given the song a bit of power.

Is it just me or does the ending to Dream On sound like that to My Sister Lover?

I am comforted that he chose to put brackets in the title of (Stranded On) The Wrong Beach, it's like the Oasis seal of quality!

Better than the Beady Eye album, can't wait to belt them out at the Olympia

Peep O'Day

spider guardian wrote: »

I have been constantly listening to this album over the past few days and I am enjoying it so far. Some very nice tunes on there.

One thing I am slightly disappointed over (not a problem with the album per se) is the fact that of the 10 tracks I would consider only 7 to be 'new', in that I've listened to Stop The Clocks, Record Machine and Everbody's on the Run quite a bit over the last few years. Even What a Life and Death Of You And Me don't sound so fresh now. At least there is bonus track and b-sides waiting to be listened to.

I like what Noel has done with Everybody's on the Run, he could have gone for the soft ballad approach but he has given the song a bit of power.

Is it just me or does the ending to Dream On sound like that to My Sister Lover?

I am comforted that he chose to put brackets in the title of (Stranded On) The Wrong Beach, it's like the Oasis seal of quality!

Better than the Beady Eye album, can't wait to belt them out at the Olympia

Thank you!! I've been trying to put my finger on what it sounded like!!

Fantastic album. Everybody's on the run, if i had a gun, record machine and stranded on the wrong beach are up there with the best tunes noel has ever written in my opinion!

buyer95

Album is great. For all music lovers Im sure you already have it but heres is a direct link to download if it your looking.
<snip>
My personal favourites are: AKA Broken Arrow, Dream On and If I had a Gun. Im also loving Stop the clocks

Hannibal

Saganist wrote: »

Totally agree. Love it all bar maybe Broken Arrow. Finding it hard to get into that one !

Alone on the Rope would of been a good addition to it imo.

"Alone on the Rope" gets better with every listen but I don't know whether it fits the all round feel of the album, "A Simple Game of Genius" should have been on the CD version.. I think that song is pretty good but he should have left the guitar solo's in from the demo version it almost had a "Champagne Supernova" epic feel to it.

"If I Had a Gun..." is the standout track on the album for me, it's up there with the best he's ever wrote and on a par with the likes of Wonderwall just behind the big 3 (Live Forever, DLBIA, Champagne Supernova)

He still has "Revolution Song", "Freaky Teeth" and "Come On (It's Alright)" that we know of in the vault for his next album and beyond and it's interesting he said there will be no Oasis anthology because they're his demo's and he might use them in future

Nate--IRL--

buyer95 wrote: »

Album is great. For all music lovers Im sure you already have it but heres is a direct link to download if it your looking.

Thanks but I'm pretty sure that's frowned upon here.

Nate

nxbyveromdwjpg

It's good but not blown away so far, I love Noel acoustic but this isnt acoustic it's a full band being soft which isnt always my cup of tea.
If I Had a Gun still the best of the lot, the rest are good but still growing on me.

Anyone got a link to all the B sides grouped together by any chance?

Dr.Winston O'Boogie

karaokeman wrote: »

Absolutely can't stop listening to If I Had A Gun.

I really think I prefer Noel on his own now to Oasis and what they were in their 18 years as a band.

I would even go as far as to say, Liam may have been holding Noel back in the later years.

Its that simple Noel is better on his own than the band he was once the lead guitarist of. In the truest sense, Wonderwall, Don't Look Back In Anger, She's Electric and all the classics are not Oasis songs anymore, they are Noel Gallagher songs.

Noel wrote them all by himself. He totally carried Liam while they were together in Oasis. Liam used to be a great singer, but even when he was most of the songs he became famous for were written by Noel.

They were Oasis songs because at the time they were there for Noel and Liam to perform together. Now that their bond has been broken and Liam refuses to play the songs at Beady Eye gigs, they are Noel songs because Noel owns the rights to them all and at the end of the day, he is the one who wrote them not Liam.

If Beady Eye played Little by Little at a gig it would be a Noel Gallagher cover because Gem Archer and Andy Bell were playing with Noel at the time.

When Noel plays the classic songs he used to do with Oasis at his solo gigs it will be much more natural because he is playing them and no longer has to write for someone else. Lets face it, the majority of Liam Gallagher's best vocals were penned by Noel.

That is the reality of it, Noel is the better Gallagher and he will come out with the better career. Beady Eye are going to have to live up to that reality and face the facts that they will never be as big as Liam wants them to be because their frontman could never do it without his brother.

Crazy post. Really delusional stuff.

Particular highlights:

"In the truest sense, Wonderwall, Don't Look Back In Anger, She's Electric and all the classics are not Oasis songs anymore, they are Noel Gallagher songs"...eh what?! They will always be Oasis songs, for starters Liams voice will be the one people will hear on 2 of those 3, and the majority of the rest of Oasis's well known songs. Everyone knows Noel wrote them, but they are and always will be referred to as Oasis songs.

"Noel wrote them all by himself. He totally carried Liam while they were together in Oasis. Liam used to be a great singer, but even when he was most of the songs he became famous for were written by Noel."....bollox. Noel was a bigger factor in their success as he wrote the tunes, but they never would have reached the heights without Liam as well. His voice, for the first 5 or so years, was one of the greatest rock and roll deliveries ever and was the sound of Oasis.

"If Beady Eye played Little by Little at a gig it would be a Noel Gallagher cover because Gem Archer and Andy Bell were playing with Noel at the time."..just simply what the hell are you on about here?!

"When Noel plays the classic songs he used to do with Oasis at his solo gigs it will be much more natural because he is playing them and no longer has to write for someone else. Lets face it, the majority of Liam Gallagher's best vocals were penned by Noel."...your hardly breaking a shocking reality here, all of his best vocals were penned by Noel. Absolutely everyone knows this, Noel was the chief songwriter for their entire lifespan. Liam basically was just the singer. But vice versa, all, or at least the strong majority, of Noel Gallaghers best songs were sang better by Liam than Noel ever could have.

"I really think I prefer Noel on his own now to Oasis and what they were in their 18 years as a band.".....this is the best one yet. You are actually saying that after a few listens to ONE album, that you now prefer to this to everything that went before??! Definitely Maybe, Morning Glory,even the great b-sides like Listen Up Aquiesce, etc??! Your first point was the most insane, but at least it prepared me for the rest of the absolute drivel you spewed.

nxbyveromdwjpg

karaokeman wrote: »

Its that simple Noel is better on his own than the band he was once the lead guitarist of.

I’m pretty sure time will tell that this statement will not ring true, neither of them will ever match Oasis.

karaokeman wrote: »

In the truest sense, Wonderwall, Don't Look Back In Anger, She's Electric and all the classics are not Oasis songs anymore, they are Noel Gallagher songs.

You’ve just listed possibly their three blandest, most boring, radio compilation style Oasis hits... the crap that gets played at the end of the night in the town disco.
Do you really think Noel can carry Cigarettes and Alcohol, Supersonic, Rock n Roll Star without Liam?? Full electric? I was at the gig in The Point in 1997 where Noel did vocals all night, its not the same, his voice does not have the delivery for those songs that Liams does. It’s fairly terrible on the heavy ‘wall of sound’ Oasis style that they did best and are famous for.

karaokeman wrote: »

Lets face it, the majority of Liam Gallagher's best vocals were penned by Noel.

This has to be the obvious statement of the century. Noel was the songwriter for Oasis, the band Liam fronted. I could just as easily say "Let’s face it, the majority of Noel’s best songs were sang by Liam" :eek:

karaokeman wrote: »

If Beady Eye played Little by Little at a gig it would be a Noel Gallagher cover because Gem Archer and Andy Bell were playing with Noel at the time.

Why in gods name would Beady Eye cover Little by Little? Maybe Noel will do Songbird? Or er.. Little James :pac:

karaokeman wrote: »

Noel is the better Gallagher and he will come out with the better career. Beady Eye are going to have to live up to that reality and face the facts that they will never be as big as Liam wants them to be because their frontman could never do it without his brother.

Yes Noel will come out better now because the songwriting is obviously the most important element (well without it no music!), but without Liam to deliver it for Oasis Noel may not have made the headlines and the waves either and Oasis would NEVER had reached the heights that they did, and we would not be having this conversation right now.

Noel is not stupid, he had the tunes already and joined Liam’s band for a reason, he obviously saw the potential in his brother fronting his band and singing and he was not wrong, it was the most successful thing he and Liam will ever accomplish.
At no point was this charity on Noels part, he’s hardly a charitable bloke and he’s certainly got an ego aswell, big enough that if he thought he could front the band as well or better than his brother, he would have.
Without Liam the songs Noel wrote could easily have ended up another Ocean Colour Scene, Cast, etc, good songs but not the guaragantuan monster Oasis became.
There was two main men in that band and it was the combination and the chemistry that shot the whole thing into the mega limelight. That can’t possibly be matched by Beady Eye, or by Noel solo, and once all the initial hype around the new album dies down a bit I’m betting that will become more clear.

It's a good album, possibly great (need a few more listens) and I'm immensely looking forward to seeing Noel live twice in the next two weeks, but cmon.. let's try not to get toocarried away here.

nxbyveromdwjpg

Niallo24 - that is absolutely bizarre. Are you me?

karaokeman

nm wrote: »

You’ve just listed possibly their three blandest, most boring, radio compilation style Oasis hits... the crap that gets played at the end of the night in the town disco.

I've never heard Wonderwall or DLBIA in a night club. She's Electric, Shock of The Lightning and Let There Be Love maybe. I should also mention I've rarely ever heard WW or DLBIA on the radio. Oasis aren't a hugely mainstream band, they're not like Kings of Leon or The Script. The majority of Oasis fans are the people who appreciate music for its lyrics rather than the radio fans of R&B and Hip Hop who like music "because it sounds good". And Noel is the cause for this reason. He's a good lyricist and he writes songs because he can relate to them and is proud of what they will mean to other people.

nm wrote: »

Do you really think Noel can carry Cigarettes and Alcohol, Supersonic, Rock n Roll Star without Liam?? Full electric? I was at the gig in The Point in 1997 where Noel did vocals all night, its not the same, his voice does not have the delivery for those songs that Liams does. It’s fairly terrible on the heavy ‘wall of sound’ Oasis style that they did best and are famous for.

No I don't think Noel will be able to sing all those high notes in his shows, but vocals aren't everything. Good music is all about expression, its not like X Factor where singing ability is everything and no one gives a c*** whether you write your own songs or have any other musical talent besides vocals and personality.

nxbyveromdwjpg

karaokeman wrote: »

I've never heard Wonderwall or DLBIA in a night club. She's Electric, Shock of The Lightning and Let There Be Love maybe. I should also mention I've rarely ever heard WW or DLBIA on the radio.

I find that pretty hard to believe, but it may be possible. What age are you?

karaokeman wrote: »

Oasis aren't a hugely mainstream band, they're not like Kings of Leon or The Script.

They are a mainstream band, they just are not manufactured like The Script, or total pop cheese like KoL.

karaokeman wrote: »

The majority of Oasis fans are the people who appreciate music for its lyrics

Oasis are not exactly known for their lyrical depth. Noel himself by his own admission says he often writes words about nothing. Don't make me bring up specific examples.

karaokeman wrote: »

Good music is all about expression, its not like X Factor where singing ability is everything and no one gives a c*** whether you write your own songs or have any other musical talent besides vocals and personality.

Ok.

Dr.Winston O'Boogie

Let There be Love in a nightclub?? WTF is that during the slow set alongside Lady in Red?

Arthurdaly

nm wrote: »

I’m pretty sure time will tell that this statement will not ring true, neither of them will ever match Oasis.


You are spot on here, the album which is a nice listen would not touch on Oasis when they on top of their game!

This album will be forgotten within a few years, some people are getting excited with what is an average album.

Oasis_Dublin

karaokeman wrote: »

I should also mention I've rarely ever heard WW or DLBIA on the radio. Oasis aren't a hugely mainstream band,

In 2011, maybe, but in 1995 or 1996 they were arguably the biggest band on the planet and certainly the biggest band in Ireland or Britain.

Joe24

Dotsey wrote: »

"If I Had a Gun..." is the standout track on the album for me,

I'd go along with this. It is a brilliant song IMO. Been listening to this song for however long the studio version has been available on the internet and not getting sick of it which is a good sign.

Having listened to it through a few times, I think the first half of the album is a good bit stronger than the second half. First six tracks are great. Love the choir and strings on Everybody's on the Run, and everything up to the end of What a Life i'm really enjoying.

After that it felt like a bit of a dip. Struggling to get on board with Soldier Boys and Jesus Freaks, Broken Arrow, and Wrong Beach. I want to like them but not getting them at the minute. Maybe with more listens.

It does finish on real high though. Stop the Clocks is fantastic.

All my opinion of course be it right or wrong. It's what your into I guess.

Overall, I think it's an excellent album with some real gems on there, and the best thing out this year I reckon. It's not perfect but I'll keep going back to it for If I had a Gun alone.

G-Money

Which version of this album is available in HMV? I think I'd want the Deluxe version, the same one that's on sale via iTunes.

Hannibal

G-Money wrote: »

Which version of this album is available in HMV? I think I'd want the Deluxe version, the same one that's on sale via iTunes.

HMV have both the CD and the CD/DVD version, the Deluxe version isn't available as "A Simple Game of Genius" is a bonus track when you download the full album digitally

Temaz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx4xhuVV_mQ

nxbyveromdwjpg

Temaz wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rx4xhuVV_mQ

Holy **** he's miming - playback - why, why, WHY? Surely this is everything he is/was against in the past? I'm sure I've heard him rant about exactly this before.

cassette50

Dotsey wrote: »

HMV have both the CD and the CD/DVD version, the Deluxe version isn't available as "A Simple Game of Genius" is a bonus track when you download the full album digitally

it's available on the Japanese version of the album.

Hannibal

nm wrote: »

Holy **** he's miming - playback - why, why, WHY? Surely this is everything he is/was against in the past? I'm sure I've heard him rant about exactly this before.

because it's a waste of time setting up a whole band to put in a performance for one song, Oasis regularly mimed on the likes of TOTP. Generally Noel plays by himself when he's not miming.

cassette50 wrote: »

it's available on the Japanese version of the album.

I know that, Japanese versions of Oasis albums always had a couple of extra tracks chucked in. Some were or later became b-sides

G-Money

Bought this today and just started listening. Currently on track 2 Dream On. I already really like Everybody's on the Run. It sounds like I've heard it before but I don't remember where/when, but I don't really care.

Will have to track down track 11 from iTunes somewhere

Saganist

nm wrote: »

Holy **** he's miming - playback - why, why, WHY? Surely this is everything he is/was against in the past? I'm sure I've heard him rant about exactly this before.

Not like it aint been done before

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUTL2jSRIgE

nxbyveromdwjpg

Saganist wrote: »

Not like it aint been done before

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUTL2jSRIgE

I was just about to post this piss take one, its a beauty

Joe24

No lip syncing here

Dr.Winston O'Boogie

Joe24 wrote: »

No lip syncing here

There's a backing track though no? You can see no-one is playing the little riff at the start on the acoustic guitar.

Regarding miming and stuff, I have heard bands say before they are made to mime in certain studios as the sound is not good enough or the set up isn't good enough. I'd say in certain situations its unavoidable.

Might as well have fun with it, like Oasis did on TOTPs, Nirvana did it too I remember. And recently Kasabian just made a mockery of it too on that ****e Saturday Night show by all playing different instruments (keyboardist here a particular highlight, he's proper hamming it up)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3RwWOgfenI

seachto7

LLS is the same, they use backing tracks, and the vocals are live. Tis the way it is in Ireland......
Kasbaian are tw@ts anyways. A poor man's Oasis/Stone Roses/The Music wannabees with some kind of "attitude" to match.............

Live4Ever

karaokeman wrote: »

Thats fair enough but Noel undeniably had the greatest influence on the band. It is true that Liam had great showmanship and was the one able to stand at a stadium and be the centre of attention both vocally and individually, but all that derived from Noel.

I think Liam was good because he capitalised on what Noel invented for Oasis. He had an amazing voice, no doubt. As you say the next Beady Eye album will be interesting.

Absolutely agreed DGSS is a great album. I'm only saying it has nothing on Noel's solo album with the likes of Everybody's On The Run, If I Had A Gun, Stop The Clocks etc.

It does still remain to be seen if Beady Eye are completely new as Liam stated that by their 3rd album they will play Oasis songs again. Persumably it will be I'm Outta Time, Songbird and the rest of Liam's own songs at first but if BE end up struggling to compete with Noel, it will be likely they will end up performing some of Noel's songs.

Liam called Noel the most overrated man in history. As diehard a Beady Eye fan I am, even I admit that with statements like this Liam must be somewhat jealous.

I love the Beady Eye album and I agree it will be good to hear more output from Liam, Gem, Chris and Andy. But Liam is now building his own success from the groundwork Noel laid down. I'm not claiming Liam is talentless, he most definitely isn't but he wouldn't have done it on his own.

- Oasis would have been ****e without Noel / Liam. As nm said Noel is a smart guy, he pretty much had the first two albums written when he joined forces with Liam. It was hardly so he could hang with his brother now was it, they never got on. Ever. He knew what Liam had was good and with his songs they would boom. They did, pretty much instantly.

- Forget about Noel writing great stadium rock tunes, Oasis would have been a ****e stadium band without Liam. FACT.

- Alot of Noels new album is old material, not all of it, but certainly a good chunk of it. Same story with Beady Eye. If your gonna use that point you can't slate Beady Eye without slating Noel.

- It was two soon for Beady Eye to play Oasis anyway. By the 3rd album I would expect them to have proved their worth, at which point they will play LG / Bell ? Archer Oasis tunes, they won't do Noel songs.

- On the point of LG calling Noel the most overrated man in history. Man, come on, seriously??! You seem to know your Oasis, but you should have realized, a loooooong time ago that the two brothers have always talked about each other like this. It's irrelevant to the debate.

niallo24 wrote: »

A lot of hyperbole in this thread from peoples initial reactions, I remember something similar with Beady Eyes album which will never stand the test of time.

No, it's gonna stand the test of time, like Beatles and Stones.

nm wrote: »

I’m pretty sure time will tell that this statement will not ring true, neither of them will ever match Oasis.

You’ve just listed possibly their three blandest, most boring, radio compilation style Oasis hits... the crap that gets played at the end of the night in the town disco.

Yes Noel will come out better now because the songwriting is obviously the most important element (well without it no music!), but without Liam to deliver it for Oasis Noel may not have made the headlines and the waves either and Oasis would NEVER had reached the heights that they did, and we would not be having this conversation right now.

Noel is not stupid, he had the tunes already and joined Liam’s band for a reason, he obviously saw the potential in his brother fronting his band and singing and he was not wrong, it was the most successful thing he and Liam will ever accomplish.

Totally agree with everything you've said nm. Once again, to qoute Pete Doherty "Noel is a poet and Liam is a town crier." It's so apt.


The album is great, as someone else said, b sides and bonus tracks aside, Im dissapointed that there's only 10 songs. Like Beady Eye, the majoprity will be great live, some parts will be spine tingling live.

Havent really compared it to Beady Eye. In fairness Beady have a more rock and roll sound, there is minimal standout guitar parts on NGs album with the exception of Stop the Clocks.

Aka Broken Arrow rules.

6 days and counting boys!!!!

unkymo

Oh Yeah!!